May I ask you a question as one entrepreneur to another?
Do YOU own your business…or does your BUSINESS own you?
That’s a question we often skirt around in the name of sacrifice for the sake of our business. Cuz if you don’t do all-the-things, let’s be honest, who will? And what will you have to show for it?
For a season, it’s ok to lay down other things, like your time, in order to reach a goal. But for many entrepreneurs, the season of BUSYNESS in your BUSINESS never ends…which leads to burn out and then not only your business, but also your life, come crashing down.
Speaking of business…
Ever noticed that BUSYNESS and BUSINESS are just one letter apart?
I think that’s why it’s so easy to let our BUSINESS turn into BUSYNESS…and take over your time.
So…Where are you at when it comes to time spent on business?
- Working too many hours such that your business takes over your life…even if you are getting results in your business, what is the impact of that on where God has called you in life?
- Or working too few hours because your life has taken over your business…even if that means you’re serving others, what is the impact of that on where God has called you in business?
When there’s always something needing attention (and it feels like it’s all on YOUR shoulders) it’s tempting to think the solution is to work longer + harder to get desired results, BUT…
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain….it is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for He gives sleep to His beloved. Ps 127:1-2
Can you relate to the rising up early, going to bed late and doing a lot of anxious toil? Yep, that’s a lot of vanity (aka work for what won’t last).
But did you notice the difference in the last line?
It IS possible to build the house, or the business, and feel at peace and rest…when it’s done WITH God…
Doesn’t that sound more balanced, less stressful, and more peaceful?
So instead of thinking like the world, or the gurus who tell you that your growth + success is found in working longer + harder…Think like a CEO (a Christ-empowered Operator) to O.W.N. your time so you can work less + accomplish more for His Kingdom… WITH God.
How to O.W.N. your Time + Work Less as an Entrepreneur
- Block your OFF Time.
Yes, you heard me right. Decide when you WON’T be working on your biz. Here’s the thing, if you are not rested, refreshed and refilled in your day (ideally morning and evening), you cannot pour out your best work in the middle.
I don’t know about you, but when I’m not filled up, I’m not on my best game and end up wasting more time. So take time off to refill. And think about what will refill you- a good book, a cup of tea, a good night’s sleep, time in the Word and prayer, movement and exercise… you get to decide what you put in your refill blocks in your day.
And here’s the other thing- your tasks or to-do list will take whatever time you give them. Have you ever found that if you gave yourself all afternoon it took all afternoon….and then some? But if you give yourself 2 hours, you are able to get it done? Time boundaries actually create freedom for how we spend it so that things don’t blur the lines and take over. So block your OFF time first.
- Determine WHAT Matters Most. Look at your ON time- since that time is limited, you want to make the best use of it, right? But if you try to do all-the-things, you end up getting none-of-the-things accomplished…true?
You don’t have time or energy to waste on less important stuff, so fill it with what will move the needle the farthest. I love the One Thing Question from the book The One Thing by Gary Keller…”What’s the 1 thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will become easier or unnecessary”…or (fill in the blank)? If you block off an hour to work on marketing, there are a thousand little things you could do- scroll social to try to get the algorithm in your favor, go look at what other entrepreneurs are doing, create that eye-catching image in Canva, sending a bunch of random messages hoping for a yes …you feel like you need to do all the things and be in all the places because that’s what those gurus tell you.
But you’re smart and you’re the CEO, so you know what you should do to increase your impact + income. Stop wasting time on tasks that are actually procrastinating or doing what you see others doing and listening to the experts…and commit to doing what you know to do, ideally for 6 months, then reevaluate any adjustments that need to be made! Chances are if you do what matters most first, you’ll still have time to troll and scroll if you really want to.
- Follow the Rule NOTHING Else. This is where you pull out your mama bear persona (I’m sure you’ve seen her before) and passionately protect your priorities- from others and yourself! That means closing all other tabs (yes, just seeing them across the top of your screen distracts you), turning off notifications (or better yet leave your phone in another room cuz studies show even having it in the room turned off is distracting) and removing distractions from your space (ie- clear the clutter, shove the kids and hubby out (you can let your furry friend stay if they promise to be good) and put up a do not disturb sign.
And then you need to protect you from you. Get your fav drink, go to the bathroom, do whatever you think you might want to do that will distract from what you need to do (or better yet, assign it to a later timeblock) and then stick to your priority no matter what. Ideally for 25-50 min at a time with a 5-10 min break where you must move, hydrate and look into the distance to reset your body and brain and then get back to work.
And then when you’re done working when you said you’d be working, close your laptop, leave the office and shut the door. And be fully present to who or what matters most in that time.
You can focus on just business if you have designated blocks for the other areas of your life- time with the Lord, connection with family and friends, checking in on finances, taking care of your wellness, fanning the fame of your passions and caring for your home.
If you don’t already use my 2 Refills + 3 Pour-out Time Blocking Method, or if you started with great intentions, but drifted back into old habits along the way, I highly recommend going back to listen to Ep 162 and Ep 163 of the REDEEM Her Time Podcast.
Here’s a quick recap…How to OWN your Time and Work Less as an Entrepreneur
O- Block your OFF time
W- Determine WHAT truly matters
N- Stick to NOTHING else.
Which of the 3 steps to OWN your time do you need to focus on in this season?
Come join the REDEEM Her Time Community for resources to implement.
Did you know that CEO’s don’t keep a good thing to themselves?
It’s true. The best CEOs are collaborators and connectors. Share this post with a biz bestie so they can work less hours and own their time WITH God too.
And you know what else the best CEOs don’t do?
They DON’T do business on their OWN.
Check out the REDEEMED Midlife CEO for the system + support to go from BUSYNESS to FRUITFULNESS in Midlife + Biz
