Why it feels like there's never enough time

One thing I often hear from business owners is that there is never enough time to do everything they want to get done (AND they aren't making enough money!). So, I want to share a few tips to help with that (some of these might apply more to service-based businesses).

1) STop being a time optimist.

ADHD brains are particularly bad at this. As you may know, I have ADHD. I think everything is going to take me less time than it does - especially getting places.

If this sounds familiar, my advice to you is to stop trying to do so many things in a day. Give yourself three tasks to do in a day instead of asking yourself to do 25 and then being mad at yourself when you don't get them all done. Things take longer than you think!

2) Stop underquoting and over-delivering.

This goes along with being a time optimist. You tell someone something is going to cost a certain amount of money based on how long you think it will take but discover it’s going to take twice as long but don't charge twice as much. On top of that, you also think of a few other things you can do that would make the project/service even better and want to WOW the client. So, now you've spent three times the amount of time on a project and are still getting paid the original fee.

Ways to overcome this are to double your time estimate from the start so that you're being more realistic about the time it will take and charging more fairly. You can also offer different packages with higher and lower amounts of time/deliverables so that people can choose to take the option with fewer of the bells and whistles and pay accordingly if they want them.

3) Stop beating yourself up for not always being productive.

We all need downtime. Let yourself have some instead of taking some and feeling guilty about it. Let yourself be okay with not producing more more more all the time. The energy we waste on shame means we have less energy to give when we're feeling excited and into things. Some of the time we're losing is more about energy and not actual minutes.

Did you find these tips helpful? Would you add anything? Leave a comment and let me know.

Stop Trying To Do It All

If you’re responsible for everything in your business and you’re the only one who can handle tasks, you’re creating a low ceiling on how much your business can grow.

Do you what you’re great at

You’re not amazing at everything, but you’re amazing at many things. What are you REALLY good at? What is your zone of excellence? (Have you read The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks?)

Focus on that work.

You’ll enjoy it the most and it will make you the most money.

(Truth: you can’t outsource everything you don’t like, but plan to work towards that instead of thinking the more you do yourself, the better.)

Create systems so others can do things the way you would

When you outline how you want things to run in your business you’re creating a business that is:

• Consistent

• A business others can help you with

• Scalable

There’s only so much of you to go around. Start figuring out how you do things and get it documented (Clockwork by Michael Michalowicz has some great tips on how to create these systems) so that you can guide others to do it the way you do.

(Truth: You don’t need to write down EVERYTHING that you do and the first time you create the system might not actually be the best version of that system. Start with some of the things you do most often in your business and document the process as you’re doing it.)

Delegate the stuff other people are better at

I know other people are better and faster at getting regular content scheduled, emails sent, contracts updates, and sales pages and automations built. It’s not only a much better use of my time to do the things I’m good at, but when I try to take some of that stuff on myself I occasionally make things worse instead of better anyways! Instead, I can focus on writing, recording videos, networking, having sales calls, and supporting my clients.

By delegating I have more time to make more money and support more people instead of being distracted on the stuff that isn’t my genius work (even though I am perfectly capable of doing it!) And a bonus - I’m supporting someone else’s business/career at the same time!

(Truth: People won’t necessarily get it right the first time they try to do what you do. Don’t have that expectation and know that your job is to mentor them and guide them so that they CAN start to do it the way you would. It is worth the effort.)

How do you take action on this?

Keep a running list of what you’re doing on a day-to-day basis and rate the work.

• What do you love?

• What do you wish you didn’t have to do?

• What do you procrastinate to avoid?

• What do you do that you KNOW someone else should be doing but you’d rather save the money of paying someone else to do it and just do it yourself?

The things you’ll keep doing are the things that help bring in more money, run the business, and manage the team.

The things you’ll delegate are the things that you know other people are better at and that you know isn’t reliant on YOUR brain and skillset.

Start thinking about how big your company can grow if you’re not responsible for everything.

This is one of the ways you can stop feeling trapped in a world where the only way you can more more money is to work harder and longer. That doesn’t have to be the case.

Start believing that the less you are personally responsible for, the more your business can grow and the bigger the impact you can have on the world!

How to find time as an entrepreneur

If you feel like there is ALWAYS too much to do, trust me when I say – you are not alone.

Almost every business owner I talk to feels like they never slow down. There is ALWAYS so much to do. It’s discouraging to constantly look at a to-do list longer than a city block (those people who only have to-do lists as long as their arms… pfft!). 

It even seems like the all “gurus” are telling you that working harder and more is the only way to reach success. “If you want to sleep and watch TV, I guess you don’t want it badly enough!”

This JP Sears spoof video was just what I needed when it comes to this mentality because it points out how silly some of it is. Working long hours, not getting enough sleep, trying to do ten million things at once, trying to be everywhere all of the time…not only is it going to exhaust you, but it’s also not effective.

So, here are a few things for you to think about when you feel like there is ALWAYS too much to do:

• We’re entrepreneurs – We’re always going to come up with MORE to do. Once you understand that you can’t possibly do all the things that you’ve set out for yourself, and you know that there is always going to be more (if you find space in your schedule, you’ll fill it!) then you will understand that your to-do list isn’t meant to ever be finished. You’re not failing if it’s always long. Cut yourself some slack when it comes to how much “more” there is to do.

• What is working really well right now? Even more specifically, what is working really well right now that is helping you to achieve your goals?
  
  Are there certain tactics that help you make more sales? Get more prospects?
  
  If increased sales is one of your goals, make sure that you’re doing THOSE activities first and don’t worry as much about all the other things you think you “SHOULD” be doing. I often tell my clients to stop focusing so much on social media and to just go out and make personal connections with people – because sometimes it’s about connecting and making relationships with new clients, not just “having a presence.”

  There are always things that you can stop doing or do more effectively. Most of us get so busy just DOING that we don’t stop to make sure we’re doing the right things.
  

• What is taking up a lot of your time but not getting results? Make a list. Can you skip it for a day or a week? Can you just stop doing it? What takes you a long time because you hate doing it or you’re not very good at it?

• Is it time to outsource? If your to-do list is beyond manageable with client work here is another thing to think about: is it time to hire someone to help you with that work?

Having a really long to-do list isn’t failing and nor is feeling like there’s always TOO much to do. On a regular basis take a breath and assess what you’re trying to get done and why. Then prioritize and decide what can wait, what can be deleted off the list and what can be outsourced.

You’ve got this! 

If you want more support in figuring out what the right priorities are for you and your business, one of my coaching programs might be a good fit. Book a consultation so we can figure out which one.

What does your schedule look like?

When you think about your schedule – how do you feel?

For many business owners, there’s an UGH feeling that comes up.

Whether it’s having too many things to do, feeling that time is being wasted, or not knowing how to fit everything into your day, there are so many ways that your schedule can feel out of control and not productive. And not being organized with your time will probably lead to decreased productivity, more stress, and less money (UGH).

So let’s talk about it. I’m going to share some tips and tricks that can help you feel a bit more in control of your schedule.

What do you need to get done?

First things first, you need to be clear on your priorities. Think about the tasks you perform regularly and how much time they should, and do, take. Start keeping a list if it doesn’t come to you easily, so you can see how much time you have to work with. For example, just because a large portion of your business needs to focus on client calls doesn’t mean that there isn’t also administration work or content creation that needs to be done.

By mapping out what tasks need to be on your schedule and how much time they need allotted to them, you’ll have a better sense of what to schedule in your week. It doesn’t need to be precise, just a general guesstimate is good to start (but go for specific if that’s easier for you!).

What are your main task categories and approximately what percentage of your time do you need to allocate to them?

Take care of you

An unhappy you is likely an unproductive you.

Don’t forget to schedule things for yourself, whether it’s something like coffee with clients or friends, the gym, or even the little things like lunch and breaks.  Blocking time for this kind of thing keeps balance in your schedule and gives you a buffer of time to work with.

Take that information and use it to block certain times of the day during your work week. A basic schedule like the one below works fine, or you can schedule in blocks of 15 minutes. If you know that you have to do certain things – whether they take 5 or 45 minutes - dedicate time to it. Commit it to a time and lock it in.  Commit to going to the gym like you commit to a client call – because it’s important.

Having it in your schedule also takes away the guilt of doing something you feel like you shouldn’t be. If it’s in your schedule, it’s accounted for. If you decide to do it on the fly, you may feel like you’re shirking more important responsibilities.

Can you block off your week to make sure all the things that you HAVE to get done have a specific time and are prioritized?

Appointments that work for you

When it comes to filling in time that you have dedicated to appointments with clients, make suggestions based on your preferred availability instead of working solely around your clients’ schedules.

Maybe you decide Tuesdays are your days for client calls. Start with the 8 am slot, then then 10 am slot, then the 1 pm slot, etc. Once you fill a day of appointments, start another day. This is far more effective for you than a call at 10 on Monday, a call at 1 on Tuesday and a call at 3 on Friday. It means you can dedicate other days and times to focusing on other tasks – admin, writing, development, outreach, networking, etc.

While there are always exceptions, try to keep in control of your own schedule so you can work efficiently. Many of us hesitate to “boss people around” by suggesting a time to meet instead of working with their schedule, but valuing your time and being assertive about your needs will streamline your entire process and benefit the client in the long run.

Pick appointment days and appointment slots and give people times instead of letting them rule your schedule.

Systems

This isn’t a natural one for me because I tend to be a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants person but systems can REALLY help in so many ways. They help you know what to expect of yourself and they help other people know what to expect of you.

For those with multiple clients in particular, set up an operating system with each to determine how you will spend their allotted time. Include details about the nature and timing of the tasks to be done, their expectations, your expectations, and the amount of communication to occur between you. For example, let them know what time of day or week you will be working on things for them so they don’t think they always have access to you (I know of someone who would only answer emails one day a week for one kind of task. You were not to expect an answer from her on any other day of the week. It was simply the way she worked and people had to work with that).

Set expectations for turn around time. If someone takes four days to give you feedback on something when they were supposed to get back to you in two, the timelines are no longer the same and you shouldn’t be expected to work within them.

Work together so you are both on the same page about how the job is going to look from a time perspective, and be willing to bill for your time. It’s not worth it if you’re worn out and not making money!

What will you try first?

Remember that not all these tips work for everyone. Experiment with and adapt different techniques until you find something that works for you and your business. You and your clients will benefit from being more organized and efficient, and less stressed. Leave me a comment and tell me if you use any of these, or which you’ll try out first!