BEHIND THE BIZ

As a solopreneur, I've faced numerous challenges when it comes to balancing my work and personal life, but through trial and error, I've discovered some effective strategies that have made a significant difference.

One of the most impactful tools I've come across is the Eisenhower Matrix.

This method has helped me prioritize my tasks based on their urgency and importance, allowing me to focus on the most critical aspects of my business and life.

By applying this concept, I've been able to streamline my efforts and achieve WAY better results.

Another game-changer for me has been The Pomodoro Technique.

By breaking my tasks down into manageable 25-minute intervals, I've been able to maintain focus and avoid burnout.

This approach has not only improved my productivity but has also helped me create a more sustainable work rhythm.

As much as I love to work AND the actual work I do, I've realized that I can’t pour from an empty cup. 

Throughout my journey, I've had to learn (the hard way, of course) about the importance of delegation, self-care, and setting boundaries.

By prioritizing my mental health and well-being, taking regular breaks, and engaging in activities that promote self-care, I've been able to show up as my best self both in my business and personal life.

BREAK OUT OF THE PATTERN:

One of the most profound realizations I've had is the power of the 80/20 rule.

By focusing on the high-impact tasks that align with my goals, I've been able to achieve 80% of my results with just 20% of my efforts.

This has been a game-changer for me, and I encourage you to explore how this principle can be applied to your own life and business.

If you're interested in learning more about time management and starting a business, I invite you to listen to this week’s episode of the UNSTUCKKD podcast!

Remember, mastering time management is a journey, and it's okay to have ups and downs along the way.

Be kind to yourself, celebrate your successes, and keep pushing forward.

You've got this!

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SUCCESS SHORTCUTS

When it comes to making the most of your time, you don't need more hours in the day, but you do need your hours to count.

TIME VS. ENERGY

Each of us has a limited amount of time and energy, and when you use it efficiently and curtail it to your needs, strengths, AND weaknesses, you can get LOADS more done.

So how do you maximize your schedule? You find a happy medium between utilizing time and energy.

MANAGING YOUR ENERGY

We all have certain preferences, lifestyles, and physical bodies that respond differently to life (whether there’s stress present or not), and it can change as you change too.

We’ve all heard the phrases ‘Morning Person’ and ‘Night Owl’ right? Well if you forced a Night Owl to function in the morning, they wouldn’t be very productive, would they?

Even if this individual had all the time blocking tech and strategies, they couldn’t time block themselves out of an energetic dead zone.

The same goes for those afternoon slumps. You can’t will yourself to do anything if the tank is on E.

So before you consider how to manage your time, consider how you manage your energy 👇

1️⃣ Align your tasks with your internal clock

2️⃣ Prioritize ruthlessly

3️⃣ Take breaks

4️⃣ Track your energy levels

MANAGING YOUR TIME

Remember, time is precious and you can't buy more of it, so every action or inaction we choose to fill our time, counts (lol, no pressure).

Below are some specific time-saving strategies you can try out:

1️⃣ Time-blocking

You can assign specific tasks for specific time slots (video example).

2️⃣ Prioritizing

Plan your day in 1 minute by brain-dumping what you need to achieve first thing in the morning. Depending on how you work and what motivates you, either tackle the most important task first OR complete a bunch of smaller ones to gain momentum.

3️⃣ Focus

Working on one task at a time and avoiding distractions can really go a long way (see the first section of this newsletter for the Pomodoro Technique).

You can also break down a larger task into smaller tasks which can mentally prime you to tick it off.

4️⃣ Saying No

The hardest, and easiest, thing is to say “no" to commitments that don't align with my priorities (or desires, to be honest).

The more you flex it, the easier it will be (and the more time you’ll have).

5️⃣ Taking Breaks

I take breaks to recharge and avoid burnout (and you should too).

Did you know that 72% of founders struggle with mental health, 37% suffer from anxiety, and 36% experience burnout?

You can avoid this by simply taking a break, even if you can only manage a couple of minutes. You can always steal a minute.

Did you learn something new about time management? Which of these techniques do you already use, and which are you going to try out?

PODCAST POWER-UP

On this week's episode of the UNSTUCKKD Podcast, I talk in detail about time management, specifically in business but also in my personal life as I quickly approach first-time fatherhood (the twins are on their way!).

This quick & jam-packed 16-minute episode is perfect for those looking to avoid burnout and steadily maintain growth in a way that is aligned with their professional and personal values.

Episode 73 - Mastering Time Management: Strategies for Balancing Work and Life

SOCIAL SCOOP

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably dreamed of writing a book.

But, even bigger than my craving to be a storyteller, is my craving to be a best seller - specifically a New York Times’ Best Seller.

As we all know, the NYT's Bestseller List is a widely recognized benchmark for book success - if you land on this list, you’ve basically “made it.”

But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve had some speculation around if it’s a true measure of being a good read in the first place, especially considering I’ve read TONS of books that aren’t on ANY best-seller list but seemingly trump the ones that ARE.

But also, this past year, I saw how rigged the NYT list is through a trusted source, and more and more media outlets have been digging up dirt to confirm this.

From what I saw, a lot of it has to do with the author’s ability to socialize with leaders within NYT so they can better understand which categories give them the best ability to crack the NYT best-sellers list.

And, oh yeah, money helps! 🫢 (the Observer also reported that there are ways to game the system if you have “enough cash”).

A sneaky example of this involves paying people to buy your books in various locations (which I’ve seen).

Additionally, since being on the Times best-seller list increases the sales of a book, bookstores AND wholesalers sometimes report a book as a ‘best-seller’ before it actually is one, in hopes that it might later become a "legitimate" best seller through increased sales due to its inclusion on the best-seller list (lol, ain’t that sketchy?)

Despite witnessing the system be rigged and feeling slightly discouraged by it, I’m still determined to write a best-selling book - one that’s EARNED, not bought.

Do you have a dream of being a best-selling author?

PS. I’m writing my book now and some of the time management skills I’ve talked about in this newsletter and my Mini-Millionaire Program have been helping me steadily work through it!