April 30, 2024 • 27 mins
📺 WATCH the VIDEO on YouTube : https://youtu.be/PghPqqxEyC4 Finding Bake-Life Balance for Home-Based Dog Treat Bakers
In this episode of Pawsitive Profit, Kara explores the concept of work-life balance, or 'bake-life balance,' tailored for home-based dog treat bakers. This session covers expert tips and strategies to help bakers thrive in their business without compromising their personal life. Key advice includes setting boundaries, prioritizing self-care, delegating tasks, staying organized, and learning to say no. Kara emphasizes the importance of creating a dedicated working space, utilizing time management tools like MeisterTask, and harnessing the power of delegation to achieve more efficient and satisfying work dynamics. Through personal anecdotes and practical solutions, Kara guides dog treat bakers toward maintaining balance and wellbeing in both their professional and personal lives.
00:00 Welcome to Pawsitive Profit: Finding Work-Life Balance for Dog Treat Bakers 01:15 Defining Work-Life Balance and Its Importance 03:19 Setting Boundaries: The First Step to Balance 09:29 Prioritizing Self-Care for Entrepreneurs 14:08 Creating an Organized and Productive Work Environment 16:31 Delegating and Outsourcing: Key to Efficiency 20:53 Organization and Time Management Strategies 24:56 Learning to Say No: The Power of Boundaries 27:06 Wrapping Up: Achieving Fulfillment and Balance
🛍️ PRODUCTS AND LINKS USED IN THE SHOW: Some links below may be affiliate links. I earn a small percentage for every sale to help support this channel. Thank you so much!
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💡 DISCLAIMERS: 👉The information provided in this podcast is for entertainment, educational and informational purposes only.
💼BUSINESS INQUIRIES: support@pawsitiveprofit.com 👉 Meistertask https://www.meistertask.com/?r=1269593
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
RØDE PodMic USB & FaceTime HD Camera:
Hey bakers. (00:00):
undefined
(00:00):
This is Kara with Pawsitive Profit.
Thank you so much for joiningme on another episode.
Are you struggling to find balancebetween your passion for baking?
And the demands of daily life.
It's a thing.
We're going to talk about it right now.
So join me as we uncover the secretsto achieving work-life harmony
as a home-based dog treat baker.
(00:21):
Stay tuned for expert tips and tricksto help you thrive in both your
business and your personal life.
Are you ready?
I am.
Let's go.
My name is Kara thanks for being here.
And on Pawsitive Profit.
We empower and support dog treat bakers.
In their entrepreneurial journey,whether you are just starting out or
(00:41):
maybe you've already launched yourdog treat business, and you've been
going for a while, anywhere in between,maybe you're just thinking about it.
I'd be happy to helpyou along your journey.
I'll be your host and your treatcoach here to guide you through the
ins and outs of running a successfuldog treat business from home.
Today, we're diving into a topicthat's crucial for all of us.
(01:04):
Juggling the demands of entrepreneurshipwith daily life and finding that
elusive work life balance, or asI like to call bake life balance.
Let's talk about work-lifebalance and let's start by really
defining what does it mean?
It's really more than justabout dividing your time.
(01:25):
Between your work zones and your personalactivities, it's really about feeling
that sense of fulfillment in both areas.
Because that's when you startto really minimize your stress
and maximize your happiness.
Let's talk about.
The challenges we face asa home-based entrepreneur.
(01:48):
We're just going to get on into it.
As a home-based dog treat baker,or even if you are in the lovely
state of California, like I am, andyou bake in a commercial kitchen
this is still gonna apply to you.
Okay.
We all face unique challengesand it's really easy for work to
spill over into our personal life.
And what that does is it blursthe lines between business
(02:12):
hours and relaxation time.
Especially if you bake at home becauseyour workspace is your life space.
We might find ourselves working lateinto the night or on weekends and that
starts to sacrifice time with loved ones.
How do we achieve work-life balance?
I can tell you that you're notgoing to find the magic ticket or
(02:35):
golden pill all within this episode.
This is going to give you a lot ofinsights that you didn't have and some
things to think about, but on your part,it's going to take practical application
and it's going to take the right fitbecause we all have very distinct lives.
So you're going to find what worksfor you, like with most things.
Achieving work-life balance isnot just about avoiding burnout.
(02:58):
It's also about reaping the benefits ofa more balanced life when we prioritize
our wellbeing and our personal lives.
We are more productive.
We are more creative and focused.
When we do work.
We also have more energy andenthusiasm for our business.
(03:19):
Okay.
So let's talk about the tips.
Tip number one.
I think is probably one of themost they're all so important,
but let's just start here.
Let's start with setting boundaries.
It is a critical step in maintaininga healthy work-life balance.
Let me tell you if you don't haveboundaries right now, I would encourage
you to get out something to write with.
(03:41):
If you can't do it now, go backand maybe watch this video again.
But write down your boundariesbecause having hard boundaries,
you can always refer back to these.
These are
policies and terms and conditionsthat you might find on your website.
If an order doesn't or a requestfrom a customer, maybe doesn't
(04:03):
fulfill all of your terms.
That's when you're saying no,you're not going to do that.
You're going to turn them away.
Same thing with boundaries.
If the thing presented in frontof you, doesn't meet these things
and is outside your boundaries.
That's when you say no.
And we're going to talkabout saying no in a second.
So as a home-based dog treat baker.
(04:23):
It can be challenging toseparate your personal life.
From your work when theycoexist in the same space.
But you can start by establishingclear work hours and sticking to them.
Not only will it help you stay productiveduring designated work times, but it
also allows you to fully disconnectand recharge during personal time.
(04:49):
Creating a dedicatedworkspace within your home.
can also help reinforce boundaries,designate a specific area where
you conduct your business.
Ideally, it's going to beseparate from spaces used from
relaxation or family time.
And this physical boundary cansignal to yourself and others
(05:09):
when you are in work mode.
For me, I have a little.
This is actually part of my bedroom.
But I have it curtained off over there.
My actual bedroom spaces over there behinda curtain what's behind that curtain.
Is a closet full of, sometimesit's clean sometimes.
(05:29):
The doors and show you.
And sometimes it's oh gosh, no.
I need to put something somewhere it'sgoing in the closet, the curtains closing.
But either way, this is my space.
This is my space to record, do thecomputing for my computer stuff.
Make this video, my podcast.
And this is what I have set aside asmy physical working space, even though
(05:52):
it's in my bedroom, it's cordonedoff, if you will and that can help
you wherever that space is for you.
If you don't have one yet Iencourage you to, find something.
It can really go a long way.
Additionally setting boundariesaround technology use is crucial.
Ooh.
I might be the potcalling the kettle black.
This is.
(06:12):
One of the toughest ones for me to do.
Boundaries around technology.
My life revolves around technology.
This is a toughie.
Consider though, establishing specifictimes for checking emails and messages,
rather than constantly like being on call.
So I do.
And how I've, worked around this.
(06:34):
And I've been implementing thisfor about two months now, as I have
something in the morning called powerhour, because what is with me and
the air quotations, I don't know.
But here they go.
So I have power hour and power hour.
Is that very first hour in the morning?
Sometimes I'm still waking up.
I got my tea.
(06:55):
And I'm using that hour it's when I do myquick hits . Quick hits are things that
take less than a few minutes to complete.
And then I also have someother things in there.
I'm checking Facebook,I'm checking comments.
I'm replying to things I'mseeing did my posts that were
scheduled come out correctly.
Do I need to answer an email?
(07:16):
So all of those thingsencompass my power hour.
And that's when I do it.
There are many times though throughoutthe day where I'll be in the dog treat
Facebook group when I'm not supposedto looking at all your posts and your
cookies and your cakes and your questions.
And I'm like, oh, I like that.
Oh, I love that.
Oh, Hey, you did a great job.
(07:36):
That's when I'm doing that.
And really that should beconfined within my power hour.
I'm not saying this is going to be easy.
I'm saying that youshould give it a chance.
Give it a start, give it a try.
Come up with a plan.
And find those business hours.
Okay.
We're that's when you're doing thattype of work and this practice can
(07:57):
prevent work-related stress fromreally intruding on your personal time
and allow you to be fully present.
And lastly, you need to communicate thoseboundaries with the people around you.
Like my family knows, for example,Mondays and Wednesdays, Kara is
out of commission.
Monday's is when I make my Tuesdaypodcast and show Wednesday is when
(08:20):
I make my Thursday podcast and show.
And those days are long days.
I'm not cooking dinner.
I'm not answering the phone.
Those are really the crucialdays for me and everyone around
me at this point knows that.
So I've communicated that.
And I'll also communicate in my workspace.
I put up a curtain.
I let people know when I'm in here.
(08:40):
I wish I had an on air sign.
I'm going to have to tape these fingers.
To my hands.
I don't use them.
It would be cool to get likean on air sign, so could put it
outside the door and light it up.
Kind of like my neon paw thatI have in the background.
I haven't done that, butthat would really be fun.
So communicate those boundaries.
To those around you, whetherit's family members or maybe your
(09:02):
housemates or even your clients too.
They've got to know thatyou've got business hours.
Maybe you have a special time duringthe week where you have office hours
and those office hours is when you'regoing to be checking emails are
responding to clients or however youset it up, make sure they know too.
It'll help you for when you'reoff the clock and really
available for that family time.
By setting and maintaining boundaries,you're going to create a healthier balance
(09:26):
between your work and your personal life.
Tip number two, prioritize self care.
You guys, these are all for me.
I'm not kidding.
This podcast is supposed to be for you
I called them, like I sees them.
This one's for me too.
Self care is often.
The first thing to go.
When you're balancing out work life.
(09:46):
Cause we always thinkabout ourselves last.
Our family's first, our dogs are first.
Our businesses firstcustomers first baking first.
There's a whole bunch ofthings that come first.
And as women, we really Excel at doingthat, which takes away time from us.
But honestly, If we are not balanced andwe are good here, All of this going on.
(10:13):
If we're not good here.
We really can't be thebest for anything else.
If we're not good toourselves to start with.
This is one of the most importantaspects of maintaining overall wellbeing.
And as a home-based entrepreneur,it's critical to prioritize activities
that nourish your body and your mind.
(10:33):
This is going to be differentfor everyone, but generally it
would include regular exercise.
Meditation hobbies.
Or just taking breaksthroughout the day to recharge.
My breaks throughout the dayis I take my puppies on a walk.
We have a little, I'm going tocall it a track, but it's like a
long circular driveway and I takemy little puppies for walks there.
(10:57):
Stretching.
I'll do little microsession of stretching.
I tell you what thesefingers get out of here.
Sorry about that.
So I have micro sessions of stretching.
What else do I do?
I have my tea and my water.
So I'm sipping water, butthat's what I'm doing.
I'm doing that while I'm working.
That's okay.
(11:17):
That still counts.
Scheduling self care activitiesinto your routine, just like
you would any other appointment.
What you can do is you can treatthem as non-negotiable time blocks
dedicated to your wellbeing.
If you've seen my calendar, whichof course you probably haven't,
but I would love to show you.
So I schedule time blocks.
(11:39):
And I start doing this on Sundaynight and I schedule my time
blocks throughout the week.
And my time blocks would be of course mypower hour at the beginning of every day.
I've basically broken up all myjob duties into blocks of time.
And if I've got appointments or thingsduring the week, I'll go, okay, there's
a 20 minute session of free time.
(12:01):
And I've got a 20 minute workblock that I've designated for
these duties to take place.
So I'll plug in that work block to that20 minute free space on my calendar.
And that kind of goes like that.
So I work around my life.
And that's how I prioritize.
All of my things.
It used to be where I scheduled inmy walks, but now I just know them.
(12:22):
And if I don't do them on time,my dogs bark and they tell me.
But what I use for this isan app called Meister task.
M E I S T E R and then task T a SK Meister task has saved my bacon.
It has helped me to become.
Way more productive because I amefficient because I have these work blocks
(12:46):
and integrates with Google calendar.
Or if you have.
I Cal from apple or however youdo your calendar, it'll integrate.
I think with most anything.
And that's how I plan my weeks.
And it makes sure thatnothing gets forgotten about
everything is put down there.
I've got time for all of it.
I'm not stressing going to bedthinking, oh, I didn't do this.
(13:08):
Or I didn't do that.
It's all on my MeisterTask.
Cause I've planned it out.
And that converts over to my calendar.
And it just helps me feel areally big sense of peace.
And I'm not wondering at 3:00 AM.
Did I forget to do something becauseI move all my tasks from here's
what I have to do on Tuesday.
And as I do them, I put themin the, in progress column.
(13:28):
Only one task goes in progress at a time.
And when I'm done, I just dragit over to the Done and okay,
next and my day goes along.
And as I, again, I set this up on Sundayfor the week and I would love to be
able to do a video about MeisterTask.
I wish I had it when I wasoperating my dog treat business.
It would have been very convenient.
(13:49):
But I didn't find out about it till after.
So that's one of the things I wish Iwould have done differently in my business
is to have discovered MeisterTask.
So I'm looking forwardto sharing that with you.
For you to become moreproductive and more efficient.
And that really helped withthat work-life balance too.
Let's talk about being mindfulof your work environment.
(14:11):
We talked about creating a spacethat would be conducive to work.
Maybe you need a workspace.
That's also conducive to your wellbeing.
So let's talk about the space thatyou work in, whether it's the office
portion, like the business part.
I think I'm just thinking ofa mullet right business in
the front party, in the back.
(14:31):
I'm thinking business in thefront, baking in the back.
Cause that's all the creativity.
Oh, you guys my mind anyway, createa workspace that is conducive to
your wellbeing, whether it is addingplants, you guys have one plant over.
It's a plastic plant.
But that's okay.
When I look over there, Ithink, oh, green growing nature.
(14:52):
And I don't have to see theresults of my black thumb.
Cause I don't grow anything.
But maybe you're a plant person.
I love plants.
They add a touch of nature.
They make you feel good.
They give off oxygenthat one's not going to.
Probably give off some chemicals.
But incorporating natural light, which issomething I wish my room had it doesn't.
(15:16):
But anyway, I've gotlots of lights around me.
And they really simulate the goodfeeling that you get from sunlight.
Maybe you have some soothingmusic, but just create a space.
Maybe it's pictures of yourkids, pictures of your dogs.
Make this your own.
If you've worked in an officeI'm talking about cubicle it
up, but for you, okay, go crazy.
(15:37):
You're the boss.
You can do it any way you want.
And these small changes canmake a big difference on how
you feel throughout the day.
I'm going to talk about yourworkspace in the kitchen.
For your baking too.
I'm sure I can make any complete videoabout how to get organized in the
kitchen, but being organized in thekitchen that is also your workspace.
(15:57):
And when you're organized there,you're going to be more efficient.
So maybe you need to gothrough your drawers.
Maybe you need to have certain cupboardsthat like, this is my business cupboard,
all of my business ingredients go here.
This is where all my utensils go here.
And you have areas in your kitchenthat are designated just for your
business and that's, another wayyou can keep work life separate.
(16:19):
Don't underestimate the powerof a good night's sleep.
Y'all.
Ensure that you're getting enough rest torecharge your body mind for the day ahead.
Tip number three, delegate and outsource.
What do I mean about this?
This can be something that youmight have the resources to do now.
(16:41):
And it might be something youhave the resources to do later.
maybe this doesn't apply to you.
I'm not sure.
I'm gonna throw it out there anyway.
As a home-based dog treat bakerwearing multiple hats is part of
the job description that's forany business owner, for sure.
But especially as home-baseddog treat business owners.
A lot of times we don't have staff.
(17:03):
We don't have anyone on payroll.
It's us, we're doing all ofthe things for our business.
Not only that, we're moms, we'rewives, girlfriends, dog moms We've
got going on, that's for sure.
So recognizing when to delegate oreven outsource tasks can significantly
impact your work-life balance.
(17:25):
So this is really not takingon too much and realizing.
Being able to identify thosetasks that somebody else could do.
So when you identify the tasksthat are time consuming, maybe
repetitive maybe they're evenoutside your expertise or they just
don't align with your priorities.
(17:45):
You can considerdelegating them to others.
So if you're really heavy onthe business end of it, virtual
assistants can be invaluable inhandling administrative tasks.
So I hear.
I don't have one, but I'd like one.
And it can free up your time to focuson the core aspect of your business.
Additionally outsourcing production toa local bakery or enlisting the help of
(18:10):
family members for packaging and shippingcan alleviate some of that workload.
So here's what I did.
I identified the tasks that Ithought an entry level person in
this business could do while Ifocused more on advanced things.
So I taught my kids.
Hey man.
Here's a peanut butter dog treat recipe.
Let's review.
(18:31):
And they become like my main bakersand I did all the decorating.
We had someone that did all the baking.
Some did all the decorating.
We had some that did all the packaging.
And then they took turns with events.
So we really had a cool cycle goingon and that also translated over to
(18:52):
the things that we did during the day.
So how I got into this , I had aday where I just made all my dough.
And so whether I'm making two or threeor four different kinds of, dough,
that's all I did that day dough for sure.
And don't forget I was in a commercialkitchen and it had the resources and
(19:14):
the equipment to do high capacity.
The next day I would come in and Iwould roll it and then do all the
cookie cutters and press it all.
Bake it.
So first was dough day.
Second day is doing all the baking.
And then the third day is all about thedehydrating and then after dehydrator.
They can hang outovernight, go do your thing.
(19:35):
I'm going to decorate then packagingand it would start all over again.
So that's what our week looked like.
So I knew on any givenday, this is dough day.
This is baking day, then dehydrating daydecorating day packaging day market day.
So those are also work blocks as well.
You can divide them up that way too.
And these are some of the thingsthat family members can do.
(19:59):
Lord knows.
I wouldn't have gotten anywherehad my family not stepped in to
help me with a lot of those tasks.
Especially packaging parties.
Hey, man, I'm going to buy pizza.
Yeah, I'll come over.
We're going to package some dog treats.
That was fun.
No, that really didn't happen too often,but really family did help me out a lot.
(20:20):
Delegating tasks.
It also lightens your workloadand allows you to focus on the
aspects of your business thatyou enjoy and that you Excel at.
And this is a strategic move thatcan increase your productivity.
And that's in turn can have thiscascade waterfall effect where it's
(20:40):
just going to increase productivity.
You increase your happiness.
And so on.
It's actually like a snowball.
There's so many analogies.
Anyway, you're going to be happy.
Alright, it's going to leadto a more balanced life.
Tip number four, we'vegot five, by the way.
We're on number four.
Organization is key to managing yourtime effectively and reducing stress.
(21:03):
As a home-based entrepreneur y'all canwe get disorganized in the kitchen,
especially when we're baking andthings are like everywhere and you're
picking, up ingredients from the store.
You have stuff bags you'resupposed to get to it.
And you're wondering where to find it.
And it's in a bag somewhere.
(21:25):
Maybe you've got shipmentsfrom Amazon coming in.
You've got tasks, you've got appointments.
You've got deadlines.
There's a lot going on in our lives.
Either invest in a planner or adigital calendar to keep everything
organized and easily accessible.
I have to say planner because noteveryone is in the digital age.
Sorry.
I realized that and what did wehave before keyboards and internet?
(21:48):
We had y'all are trustee planner.
We had that little minibinder looking thing.
And that was our life.
It was like our address book.
You guys remember address books?
I'm really showing my age.
Or if you're like me I have adapted.
I have changed now I'm usingMeisterTask and Google calendar
(22:09):
and everything is online.
It's also handy because I'm notgoing to lose my address book.
I'm not going to lose my planner.
If I did, I'd be.
Oh, I didn't even know what I would do.
These kinds of things areavailable across all of my devices.
So no matter where I am.
Even if I forgot my phone, great.
(22:29):
I'm logging in, husband, give me yourphone, let me see what Im have to do.
So there's that too.
Breakdown larger projects intosmaller, more manageable tasks,
work blocks, and prioritize thosebased on urgency and importance.
I'd love to have a whole class on this.
Y'all.
This approach can prevent overwhelmand ensure that you're consistently
(22:52):
making progress towards your goals.
Nothing gets forgotten aboutand nothing gets overlooked.
And it's really a great feelingwhen you're moving your task
into the done column trust.
Utilize tools and technologyto stay organized.
Project management,software time tracking apps.
(23:12):
That's a good one too.
Y'all MeisterTask has time-tracking.
So you know exactly how long it'staking you to run your business.
And if you don't know how manyhours it takes to run your business.
I would encourage you.
To find out.
I hate to be talking about myMeistertask so much, but they have a
program it's called mind Meister andMindMeister helps you lay out a mind map.
(23:38):
So I've taken my business,Pawsitive Profit.
And then I have all the differentbranches of my business.
And then all the tasks that it takes to doone thing, for example this show has a ton
of different tasks, of course, that aredependent on each other to produce a show.
And I do this twice a week, both forvideo and then for a podcast as well.
(24:01):
Along with the business side,I factor in my power hours.
I factor in all kinds of things.
And I've estimated, how longdoes it take to do these project
objectives during the week?
And I track it with my time.
I first I just guessed and thenI sorted fine tuned it down.
So I know how long it takesme to run my business.
(24:21):
And that helps me to understand awhole bunch of things from there.
So if you don't have somethinglike that, it's really handy.
Staying organized can also helpyou minimize distractions avoid
last minute rushes and maintaina healthy work-life balance.
If you're like me, I was the galthat couldn't say no, I couldn't
(24:42):
say no to all kinds of things andother things that I had committed to.
Sometimes those suffered.
Family life that suffered.
Promises I made to do this and that.
Man, I got spread so thin.
Which leads me to tip numberfive, learn to say no.
It's easier said than done, but I'mtelling you this will happen and
(25:04):
it's a good thing and it should.
And if you've got your boundary setup, remember like your policies,
your terms and conditions.
If something doesn't meet those youget a request in whatever it is,
you run them across your boundariesand your priorities and your
terms and conditions and policies.
And if it doesn't meet thosethings, you're saying no.
And learning to say no is a valuable skillthat can help you maintain boundaries
(25:28):
and really prioritize your wellbeing.
As a home-based entrepreneur, youmight encounter those requests for your
time and your energy that don't alignwith your priorities or your values.
It's okay to decline the requestin order to protect your time and
maintain your balance in your life.
I'm not saying.
say no to everything, because we're goingto make those exceptions for friends or
(25:52):
for family or for whatever reason it is.
And that's okay too.
If you let it become how you operateand that's your normal, that is
something that is gonna, it's probablygonna shoot you in the, foot later on.
So you can practice a sort ofcommunication when saying no.
Really you just if they don't alignwith the things that you have set,
(26:15):
it makes it easier saying, no, yourterms and conditions are saying, no,
your boundaries are saying no, butyou can offer alternative solutions.
If possible.
So saying no isn't aboutbeing selfish by any means.
It's really about honoring yourown needs and your own priorities.
By setting boundaries and learning tosay no when it's necessary, you create
(26:39):
a more balanced and fulfilling life.
By implementing these tips,you're creating, fulfillment
in both areas of your life.
That's really what wewant as human beings.
It's an ongoing process, really?
And it requires self-awareness.
Discipline consistency and acommitment to your wellbeing.
(26:59):
You've gotta be okay.
To do all the things.
By finding the balance it's going toenhance your business in the long run.
And that's all for today'sepisode of Pawsitive Profit.
We're going to wrap it up.
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure tosubscribe to the podcast or the YouTube
channel for more tips and insights.
And don't forget to join our freeFacebook group, dog treat bakers at
(27:22):
facebook.com/groups/startdogatreatbiz toconnect with other bakers, just like you.
Thanks for tuning in andremember to treat yourself well.
undefined
(00:00):
This is Kara with Pawsitive Profit.
Thank you so much for joiningme on another episode.
Are you struggling to find balancebetween your passion for baking?
And the demands of daily life.
It's a thing.
We're going to talk about it right now.
So join me as we uncover the secretsto achieving work-life harmony
as a home-based dog treat baker.
(00:21):
Stay tuned for expert tips and tricksto help you thrive in both your
business and your personal life.
Are you ready?
I am.
Let's go.
My name is Kara thanks for being here.
And on Pawsitive Profit.
We empower and support dog treat bakers.
In their entrepreneurial journey,whether you are just starting out or
(00:41):
maybe you've already launched yourdog treat business, and you've been
going for a while, anywhere in between,maybe you're just thinking about it.
I'd be happy to helpyou along your journey.
I'll be your host and your treatcoach here to guide you through the
ins and outs of running a successfuldog treat business from home.
Today, we're diving into a topicthat's crucial for all of us.
(01:04):
Juggling the demands of entrepreneurshipwith daily life and finding that
elusive work life balance, or asI like to call bake life balance.
Let's talk about work-lifebalance and let's start by really
defining what does it mean?
It's really more than justabout dividing your time.
(01:25):
Between your work zones and your personalactivities, it's really about feeling
that sense of fulfillment in both areas.
Because that's when you startto really minimize your stress
and maximize your happiness.
Let's talk about.
The challenges we face asa home-based entrepreneur.
(01:48):
We're just going to get on into it.
As a home-based dog treat baker,or even if you are in the lovely
state of California, like I am, andyou bake in a commercial kitchen
this is still gonna apply to you.
Okay.
We all face unique challengesand it's really easy for work to
spill over into our personal life.
And what that does is it blursthe lines between business
(02:12):
hours and relaxation time.
Especially if you bake at home becauseyour workspace is your life space.
We might find ourselves working lateinto the night or on weekends and that
starts to sacrifice time with loved ones.
How do we achieve work-life balance?
I can tell you that you're notgoing to find the magic ticket or
(02:35):
golden pill all within this episode.
This is going to give you a lot ofinsights that you didn't have and some
things to think about, but on your part,it's going to take practical application
and it's going to take the right fitbecause we all have very distinct lives.
So you're going to find what worksfor you, like with most things.
Achieving work-life balance isnot just about avoiding burnout.
(02:58):
It's also about reaping the benefits ofa more balanced life when we prioritize
our wellbeing and our personal lives.
We are more productive.
We are more creative and focused.
When we do work.
We also have more energy andenthusiasm for our business.
(03:19):
Okay.
So let's talk about the tips.
Tip number one.
I think is probably one of themost they're all so important,
but let's just start here.
Let's start with setting boundaries.
It is a critical step in maintaininga healthy work-life balance.
Let me tell you if you don't haveboundaries right now, I would encourage
you to get out something to write with.
(03:41):
If you can't do it now, go backand maybe watch this video again.
But write down your boundariesbecause having hard boundaries,
you can always refer back to these.
These are
policies and terms and conditionsthat you might find on your website.
If an order doesn't or a requestfrom a customer, maybe doesn't
(04:03):
fulfill all of your terms.
That's when you're saying no,you're not going to do that.
You're going to turn them away.
Same thing with boundaries.
If the thing presented in frontof you, doesn't meet these things
and is outside your boundaries.
That's when you say no.
And we're going to talkabout saying no in a second.
So as a home-based dog treat baker.
(04:23):
It can be challenging toseparate your personal life.
From your work when theycoexist in the same space.
But you can start by establishingclear work hours and sticking to them.
Not only will it help you stay productiveduring designated work times, but it
also allows you to fully disconnectand recharge during personal time.
(04:49):
Creating a dedicatedworkspace within your home.
can also help reinforce boundaries,designate a specific area where
you conduct your business.
Ideally, it's going to beseparate from spaces used from
relaxation or family time.
And this physical boundary cansignal to yourself and others
(05:09):
when you are in work mode.
For me, I have a little.
This is actually part of my bedroom.
But I have it curtained off over there.
My actual bedroom spaces over there behinda curtain what's behind that curtain.
Is a closet full of, sometimesit's clean sometimes.
(05:29):
The doors and show you.
And sometimes it's oh gosh, no.
I need to put something somewhere it'sgoing in the closet, the curtains closing.
But either way, this is my space.
This is my space to record, do thecomputing for my computer stuff.
Make this video, my podcast.
And this is what I have set aside asmy physical working space, even though
(05:52):
it's in my bedroom, it's cordonedoff, if you will and that can help
you wherever that space is for you.
If you don't have one yet Iencourage you to, find something.
It can really go a long way.
Additionally setting boundariesaround technology use is crucial.
Ooh.
I might be the potcalling the kettle black.
This is.
(06:12):
One of the toughest ones for me to do.
Boundaries around technology.
My life revolves around technology.
This is a toughie.
Consider though, establishing specifictimes for checking emails and messages,
rather than constantly like being on call.
So I do.
And how I've, worked around this.
(06:34):
And I've been implementing thisfor about two months now, as I have
something in the morning called powerhour, because what is with me and
the air quotations, I don't know.
But here they go.
So I have power hour and power hour.
Is that very first hour in the morning?
Sometimes I'm still waking up.
I got my tea.
(06:55):
And I'm using that hour it's when I do myquick hits . Quick hits are things that
take less than a few minutes to complete.
And then I also have someother things in there.
I'm checking Facebook,I'm checking comments.
I'm replying to things I'mseeing did my posts that were
scheduled come out correctly.
Do I need to answer an email?
(07:16):
So all of those thingsencompass my power hour.
And that's when I do it.
There are many times though throughoutthe day where I'll be in the dog treat
Facebook group when I'm not supposedto looking at all your posts and your
cookies and your cakes and your questions.
And I'm like, oh, I like that.
Oh, I love that.
Oh, Hey, you did a great job.
(07:36):
That's when I'm doing that.
And really that should beconfined within my power hour.
I'm not saying this is going to be easy.
I'm saying that youshould give it a chance.
Give it a start, give it a try.
Come up with a plan.
And find those business hours.
Okay.
We're that's when you're doing thattype of work and this practice can
(07:57):
prevent work-related stress fromreally intruding on your personal time
and allow you to be fully present.
And lastly, you need to communicate thoseboundaries with the people around you.
Like my family knows, for example,Mondays and Wednesdays, Kara is
out of commission.
Monday's is when I make my Tuesdaypodcast and show Wednesday is when
(08:20):
I make my Thursday podcast and show.
And those days are long days.
I'm not cooking dinner.
I'm not answering the phone.
Those are really the crucialdays for me and everyone around
me at this point knows that.
So I've communicated that.
And I'll also communicate in my workspace.
I put up a curtain.
I let people know when I'm in here.
(08:40):
I wish I had an on air sign.
I'm going to have to tape these fingers.
To my hands.
I don't use them.
It would be cool to get likean on air sign, so could put it
outside the door and light it up.
Kind of like my neon paw thatI have in the background.
I haven't done that, butthat would really be fun.
So communicate those boundaries.
To those around you, whetherit's family members or maybe your
(09:02):
housemates or even your clients too.
They've got to know thatyou've got business hours.
Maybe you have a special time duringthe week where you have office hours
and those office hours is when you'regoing to be checking emails are
responding to clients or however youset it up, make sure they know too.
It'll help you for when you'reoff the clock and really
available for that family time.
By setting and maintaining boundaries,you're going to create a healthier balance
(09:26):
between your work and your personal life.
Tip number two, prioritize self care.
You guys, these are all for me.
I'm not kidding.
This podcast is supposed to be for you
I called them, like I sees them.
This one's for me too.
Self care is often.
The first thing to go.
When you're balancing out work life.
(09:46):
Cause we always thinkabout ourselves last.
Our family's first, our dogs are first.
Our businesses firstcustomers first baking first.
There's a whole bunch ofthings that come first.
And as women, we really Excel at doingthat, which takes away time from us.
But honestly, If we are not balanced andwe are good here, All of this going on.
(10:13):
If we're not good here.
We really can't be thebest for anything else.
If we're not good toourselves to start with.
This is one of the most importantaspects of maintaining overall wellbeing.
And as a home-based entrepreneur,it's critical to prioritize activities
that nourish your body and your mind.
(10:33):
This is going to be differentfor everyone, but generally it
would include regular exercise.
Meditation hobbies.
Or just taking breaksthroughout the day to recharge.
My breaks throughout the dayis I take my puppies on a walk.
We have a little, I'm going tocall it a track, but it's like a
long circular driveway and I takemy little puppies for walks there.
(10:57):
Stretching.
I'll do little microsession of stretching.
I tell you what thesefingers get out of here.
Sorry about that.
So I have micro sessions of stretching.
What else do I do?
I have my tea and my water.
So I'm sipping water, butthat's what I'm doing.
I'm doing that while I'm working.
That's okay.
(11:17):
That still counts.
Scheduling self care activitiesinto your routine, just like
you would any other appointment.
What you can do is you can treatthem as non-negotiable time blocks
dedicated to your wellbeing.
If you've seen my calendar, whichof course you probably haven't,
but I would love to show you.
So I schedule time blocks.
(11:39):
And I start doing this on Sundaynight and I schedule my time
blocks throughout the week.
And my time blocks would be of course mypower hour at the beginning of every day.
I've basically broken up all myjob duties into blocks of time.
And if I've got appointments or thingsduring the week, I'll go, okay, there's
a 20 minute session of free time.
(12:01):
And I've got a 20 minute workblock that I've designated for
these duties to take place.
So I'll plug in that work block to that20 minute free space on my calendar.
And that kind of goes like that.
So I work around my life.
And that's how I prioritize.
All of my things.
It used to be where I scheduled inmy walks, but now I just know them.
(12:22):
And if I don't do them on time,my dogs bark and they tell me.
But what I use for this isan app called Meister task.
M E I S T E R and then task T a SK Meister task has saved my bacon.
It has helped me to become.
Way more productive because I amefficient because I have these work blocks
(12:46):
and integrates with Google calendar.
Or if you have.
I Cal from apple or however youdo your calendar, it'll integrate.
I think with most anything.
And that's how I plan my weeks.
And it makes sure thatnothing gets forgotten about
everything is put down there.
I've got time for all of it.
I'm not stressing going to bedthinking, oh, I didn't do this.
(13:08):
Or I didn't do that.
It's all on my MeisterTask.
Cause I've planned it out.
And that converts over to my calendar.
And it just helps me feel areally big sense of peace.
And I'm not wondering at 3:00 AM.
Did I forget to do something becauseI move all my tasks from here's
what I have to do on Tuesday.
And as I do them, I put themin the, in progress column.
(13:28):
Only one task goes in progress at a time.
And when I'm done, I just dragit over to the Done and okay,
next and my day goes along.
And as I, again, I set this up on Sundayfor the week and I would love to be
able to do a video about MeisterTask.
I wish I had it when I wasoperating my dog treat business.
It would have been very convenient.
(13:49):
But I didn't find out about it till after.
So that's one of the things I wish Iwould have done differently in my business
is to have discovered MeisterTask.
So I'm looking forwardto sharing that with you.
For you to become moreproductive and more efficient.
And that really helped withthat work-life balance too.
Let's talk about being mindfulof your work environment.
(14:11):
We talked about creating a spacethat would be conducive to work.
Maybe you need a workspace.
That's also conducive to your wellbeing.
So let's talk about the space thatyou work in, whether it's the office
portion, like the business part.
I think I'm just thinking ofa mullet right business in
the front party, in the back.
(14:31):
I'm thinking business in thefront, baking in the back.
Cause that's all the creativity.
Oh, you guys my mind anyway, createa workspace that is conducive to
your wellbeing, whether it is addingplants, you guys have one plant over.
It's a plastic plant.
But that's okay.
When I look over there, Ithink, oh, green growing nature.
(14:52):
And I don't have to see theresults of my black thumb.
Cause I don't grow anything.
But maybe you're a plant person.
I love plants.
They add a touch of nature.
They make you feel good.
They give off oxygenthat one's not going to.
Probably give off some chemicals.
But incorporating natural light, which issomething I wish my room had it doesn't.
(15:16):
But anyway, I've gotlots of lights around me.
And they really simulate the goodfeeling that you get from sunlight.
Maybe you have some soothingmusic, but just create a space.
Maybe it's pictures of yourkids, pictures of your dogs.
Make this your own.
If you've worked in an officeI'm talking about cubicle it
up, but for you, okay, go crazy.
(15:37):
You're the boss.
You can do it any way you want.
And these small changes canmake a big difference on how
you feel throughout the day.
I'm going to talk about yourworkspace in the kitchen.
For your baking too.
I'm sure I can make any complete videoabout how to get organized in the
kitchen, but being organized in thekitchen that is also your workspace.
(15:57):
And when you're organized there,you're going to be more efficient.
So maybe you need to gothrough your drawers.
Maybe you need to have certain cupboardsthat like, this is my business cupboard,
all of my business ingredients go here.
This is where all my utensils go here.
And you have areas in your kitchenthat are designated just for your
business and that's, another wayyou can keep work life separate.
(16:19):
Don't underestimate the powerof a good night's sleep.
Y'all.
Ensure that you're getting enough rest torecharge your body mind for the day ahead.
Tip number three, delegate and outsource.
What do I mean about this?
This can be something that youmight have the resources to do now.
(16:41):
And it might be something youhave the resources to do later.
maybe this doesn't apply to you.
I'm not sure.
I'm gonna throw it out there anyway.
As a home-based dog treat bakerwearing multiple hats is part of
the job description that's forany business owner, for sure.
But especially as home-baseddog treat business owners.
A lot of times we don't have staff.
(17:03):
We don't have anyone on payroll.
It's us, we're doing all ofthe things for our business.
Not only that, we're moms, we'rewives, girlfriends, dog moms We've
got going on, that's for sure.
So recognizing when to delegate oreven outsource tasks can significantly
impact your work-life balance.
(17:25):
So this is really not takingon too much and realizing.
Being able to identify thosetasks that somebody else could do.
So when you identify the tasksthat are time consuming, maybe
repetitive maybe they're evenoutside your expertise or they just
don't align with your priorities.
(17:45):
You can considerdelegating them to others.
So if you're really heavy onthe business end of it, virtual
assistants can be invaluable inhandling administrative tasks.
So I hear.
I don't have one, but I'd like one.
And it can free up your time to focuson the core aspect of your business.
Additionally outsourcing production toa local bakery or enlisting the help of
(18:10):
family members for packaging and shippingcan alleviate some of that workload.
So here's what I did.
I identified the tasks that Ithought an entry level person in
this business could do while Ifocused more on advanced things.
So I taught my kids.
Hey man.
Here's a peanut butter dog treat recipe.
Let's review.
(18:31):
And they become like my main bakersand I did all the decorating.
We had someone that did all the baking.
Some did all the decorating.
We had some that did all the packaging.
And then they took turns with events.
So we really had a cool cycle goingon and that also translated over to
(18:52):
the things that we did during the day.
So how I got into this , I had aday where I just made all my dough.
And so whether I'm making two or threeor four different kinds of, dough,
that's all I did that day dough for sure.
And don't forget I was in a commercialkitchen and it had the resources and
(19:14):
the equipment to do high capacity.
The next day I would come in and Iwould roll it and then do all the
cookie cutters and press it all.
Bake it.
So first was dough day.
Second day is doing all the baking.
And then the third day is all about thedehydrating and then after dehydrator.
They can hang outovernight, go do your thing.
(19:35):
I'm going to decorate then packagingand it would start all over again.
So that's what our week looked like.
So I knew on any givenday, this is dough day.
This is baking day, then dehydrating daydecorating day packaging day market day.
So those are also work blocks as well.
You can divide them up that way too.
And these are some of the thingsthat family members can do.
(19:59):
Lord knows.
I wouldn't have gotten anywherehad my family not stepped in to
help me with a lot of those tasks.
Especially packaging parties.
Hey, man, I'm going to buy pizza.
Yeah, I'll come over.
We're going to package some dog treats.
That was fun.
No, that really didn't happen too often,but really family did help me out a lot.
(20:20):
Delegating tasks.
It also lightens your workloadand allows you to focus on the
aspects of your business thatyou enjoy and that you Excel at.
And this is a strategic move thatcan increase your productivity.
And that's in turn can have thiscascade waterfall effect where it's
(20:40):
just going to increase productivity.
You increase your happiness.
And so on.
It's actually like a snowball.
There's so many analogies.
Anyway, you're going to be happy.
Alright, it's going to leadto a more balanced life.
Tip number four, we'vegot five, by the way.
We're on number four.
Organization is key to managing yourtime effectively and reducing stress.
(21:03):
As a home-based entrepreneur y'all canwe get disorganized in the kitchen,
especially when we're baking andthings are like everywhere and you're
picking, up ingredients from the store.
You have stuff bags you'resupposed to get to it.
And you're wondering where to find it.
And it's in a bag somewhere.
(21:25):
Maybe you've got shipmentsfrom Amazon coming in.
You've got tasks, you've got appointments.
You've got deadlines.
There's a lot going on in our lives.
Either invest in a planner or adigital calendar to keep everything
organized and easily accessible.
I have to say planner because noteveryone is in the digital age.
Sorry.
I realized that and what did wehave before keyboards and internet?
(21:48):
We had y'all are trustee planner.
We had that little minibinder looking thing.
And that was our life.
It was like our address book.
You guys remember address books?
I'm really showing my age.
Or if you're like me I have adapted.
I have changed now I'm usingMeisterTask and Google calendar
(22:09):
and everything is online.
It's also handy because I'm notgoing to lose my address book.
I'm not going to lose my planner.
If I did, I'd be.
Oh, I didn't even know what I would do.
These kinds of things areavailable across all of my devices.
So no matter where I am.
Even if I forgot my phone, great.
(22:29):
I'm logging in, husband, give me yourphone, let me see what Im have to do.
So there's that too.
Breakdown larger projects intosmaller, more manageable tasks,
work blocks, and prioritize thosebased on urgency and importance.
I'd love to have a whole class on this.
Y'all.
This approach can prevent overwhelmand ensure that you're consistently
(22:52):
making progress towards your goals.
Nothing gets forgotten aboutand nothing gets overlooked.
And it's really a great feelingwhen you're moving your task
into the done column trust.
Utilize tools and technologyto stay organized.
Project management,software time tracking apps.
(23:12):
That's a good one too.
Y'all MeisterTask has time-tracking.
So you know exactly how long it'staking you to run your business.
And if you don't know how manyhours it takes to run your business.
I would encourage you.
To find out.
I hate to be talking about myMeistertask so much, but they have a
program it's called mind Meister andMindMeister helps you lay out a mind map.
(23:38):
So I've taken my business,Pawsitive Profit.
And then I have all the differentbranches of my business.
And then all the tasks that it takes to doone thing, for example this show has a ton
of different tasks, of course, that aredependent on each other to produce a show.
And I do this twice a week, both forvideo and then for a podcast as well.
(24:01):
Along with the business side,I factor in my power hours.
I factor in all kinds of things.
And I've estimated, how longdoes it take to do these project
objectives during the week?
And I track it with my time.
I first I just guessed and thenI sorted fine tuned it down.
So I know how long it takesme to run my business.
(24:21):
And that helps me to understand awhole bunch of things from there.
So if you don't have somethinglike that, it's really handy.
Staying organized can also helpyou minimize distractions avoid
last minute rushes and maintaina healthy work-life balance.
If you're like me, I was the galthat couldn't say no, I couldn't
(24:42):
say no to all kinds of things andother things that I had committed to.
Sometimes those suffered.
Family life that suffered.
Promises I made to do this and that.
Man, I got spread so thin.
Which leads me to tip numberfive, learn to say no.
It's easier said than done, but I'mtelling you this will happen and
(25:04):
it's a good thing and it should.
And if you've got your boundary setup, remember like your policies,
your terms and conditions.
If something doesn't meet those youget a request in whatever it is,
you run them across your boundariesand your priorities and your
terms and conditions and policies.
And if it doesn't meet thosethings, you're saying no.
And learning to say no is a valuable skillthat can help you maintain boundaries
(25:28):
and really prioritize your wellbeing.
As a home-based entrepreneur, youmight encounter those requests for your
time and your energy that don't alignwith your priorities or your values.
It's okay to decline the requestin order to protect your time and
maintain your balance in your life.
I'm not saying.
say no to everything, because we're goingto make those exceptions for friends or
(25:52):
for family or for whatever reason it is.
And that's okay too.
If you let it become how you operateand that's your normal, that is
something that is gonna, it's probablygonna shoot you in the, foot later on.
So you can practice a sort ofcommunication when saying no.
Really you just if they don't alignwith the things that you have set,
(26:15):
it makes it easier saying, no, yourterms and conditions are saying, no,
your boundaries are saying no, butyou can offer alternative solutions.
If possible.
So saying no isn't aboutbeing selfish by any means.
It's really about honoring yourown needs and your own priorities.
By setting boundaries and learning tosay no when it's necessary, you create
(26:39):
a more balanced and fulfilling life.
By implementing these tips,you're creating, fulfillment
in both areas of your life.
That's really what wewant as human beings.
It's an ongoing process, really?
And it requires self-awareness.
Discipline consistency and acommitment to your wellbeing.
(26:59):
You've gotta be okay.
To do all the things.
By finding the balance it's going toenhance your business in the long run.
And that's all for today'sepisode of Pawsitive Profit.
We're going to wrap it up.
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure tosubscribe to the podcast or the YouTube
channel for more tips and insights.
And don't forget to join our freeFacebook group, dog treat bakers at
(27:22):
facebook.com/groups/startdogatreatbiz toconnect with other bakers, just like you.
Thanks for tuning in andremember to treat yourself well.
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