Managing it all
All too often we think we need to stay on top of everything ourselves, especially when we are in business. The reality is that nobody does that – not even those who are great at time management.
I am sharing this topic with you because I am often asked “How do you stay on top of it all Cathy?”. Truth be told, I am very organised and I am disciplined but I do have tricks and tools that I have established over the years. I also set out clear boundaries and with these, you too can manage it all!
Managing it all is not about constantly doing things, even though the outside world may see it that way. I call it setting clear objectives that are achievable but still stretch you. It is never about just doing enough to get by as in that state you do not grow.
Below I will share some of my tips and tools so that you too can begin the process of managing it all for YOU.
Build your todo list with a timeline
Outline what you want done in 3 key areas: Daily/Weekly/Long Term projects. Within each of these, create specific outcomes you want to achieve and then allocate the timeline. Now, I will be very clear here: it is NOT good enough to say “next week” or “in a couple of months”. This allows you to move the goalposts and you are only letting yourself down by doing this. In every instance, you should have a specific time and date that is allocated to everything that you want to do.
I set a calendar reminder for that date and time to have either work achieved by me or by the person I am working with (Yes I keep a track of any work I have requested from someone else too). In fact, I set auto-reminder for both of us and I always set their timeline earlier than mine so that if they are not on track, it prompts them before my deadline is up. I don’t micromanage but I want them to succeed so I set a reminder to prompt them.
I also set achievable timelines and encourage those that work with me to do the same. There is no reason why you should be setting a timeline to please someone if it is not achievable. If you do have a deadline given to you that is beyond a stretch and cannot be achieved, you owe it to yourself and those involved to share your knowledge about the timeframe – having that discussion upfront will allow you to pool together and find a solution, but leaving it until its due will have everyone involved disappointed.
Learn to say no and set boundaries
Here is the difficult lesson to learn: saying no.
There will be times when you simply cannot do something, be it meet a deadline, or take on a new project/ new client. Saying no is not personal. Firstly, you are not saying no to them. You are simply saying “no at this point in time” so be clear around that. However, if you don’t want to do something, if it does not align with you or you simply do not want to take it on, it is ok to just say no. You do not need to say yes to everything, you can set up your own boundaries. I have very clear boundaries around the work I do – who I will work with and how I will serve those whom I take on as clients.
The trick is to be clear about what you want to do, just as much as what you don’t want to do.
So how can you start setting up those boundaries so that you can manage it all:
Be clear about what you want to do (this also means you know what you DON’T want to do)
Be clear about who you want to work with (why this important to you). Perhaps do it in reverse (be clear about who you DON’T want to work with and why)
Set boundaries for your working arrangements ie The way you communicate/what hours are acceptable and the frequency.
Set achievable timelines for you and for those whom you are working with.
Be specific in what needs to be delivered, ensure that you are all aligned in what this actually means through examples.
If a timeline is approaching and you have had an urgent matter arise that will push a timeline out – be sure to address this. Ensure that all parties are aware of it and reach out for help. Yes, ask someone to step up and help you or if that is not possible – move the timeline out. Don’t wait until the date has arrived.
If downtime appears to escape you – build it into your diary. Be disciplined about having fun. Remember that you wanted the opportunity to be free to run your own business the way you wanted and that did mean having fun and working fewer hours.
Recognise that you can’t be all things to everyone and more importantly that you can’t do everything yourself. You do have strengths so play to them.
Understand that something that may take you 2 days to do – someone else may be able to do it in 30 min – so pay for that service. Your time is money too.
If you would like to break things down and structure your business so that you manage your business in a way that serves you, contact me for a Free 15-min chat to see how we can work together to enable you to manage your success.