February 19, 2024 • 27 mins
Are you dancing to the tune of your business, or is it outpacing you? If you've ever felt the rhythm of work-life could use a little more harmony and a little less hustle, the latest episode of the Brilliant Business Beautiful Life Podcast is your next must-listen!
🌟 "Harmony Not Hustle: Mastering Work-Life Balance As A Female Entrepreneur" 🌟
In a world that glorifies the grind, it's time to slow down and sync up with what truly matters. Success isn't just measured by the scale of your business but also by the richness of your livfe.
This episode peels back the layers of work-life balance myths and lays out a blueprint for:
🛑 Setting non-negotiable boundaries without compromise.
⏱ Mastering time with top productivity hacks.
💡 Creative leisure activities that fuel business innovation.
🧘♀️ Strategies for mental resilience to sharpen your leadership edge.
Get ready to transform how you think about your day, your business, and your well-being with strategies you can start today.
Don't let another day slip by caught in hustle-mode!
Tune in now and step into the life you deserve – one where your business thrives and your personal life sings just as sweetly.
I'd love to know what you enjoyed about today's episode! Leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram @16thavecreative
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Samantha Bell (00:00):
Are you ready to redefine what work-life balance
means for you?
In this week's episode of theBrilliant Business, beautiful
Life podcast, we're unravelingthe myths and sharing the secret
source to thriving in both yourpersonal and professional
worlds.
So you can say goodbye tohustle and hello to harmony.
So keep listening if you wantto discover how to transform
(00:23):
your work weeks from chaotic tocalm.
Don't just dream of balance.
Make it your reality.
Welcome to the BrilliantBusiness, beautiful Life podcast
, where we share simple,actionable strategies plus the
mindset and wellness practicesyou need to build the business
(00:44):
and life you love.
Head to 16thavcreativecomforward slash playbook and
download your free guide todesign the business and life you
deserve.
Today I'm your host, samanthaBell, and this is the Brilliant
Business, beautiful Life podcast.
Are you ready for the businessand life of your dreams?
Let's get started.
(01:06):
Not too long ago, I met awonderful female entrepreneur
I'm going to call her Lucy forthe purposes of the podcast and
Lucy ran a thriving boutiquedesign firm, and it was her
dream job that had blossomed outof a weekend passion project
into her full-time business.
But, like for so many otherentrepreneurs, as her business
(01:29):
grow, so did the hours that shepoured into it.
Her weekends were justswallowed up by work and her
evenings were just extensions ofher office hours, and she said
to me that she could notremember the last time that she
had read her kids a bedtimestory.
And that was her tipping point,as it is for so many of us,
(01:52):
when we think is this worth it?
Something must change Now.
Lucy's struggle isn't unique,but it is really common among
female entrepreneurs like us,who are really determined in our
pursuit of having a businessthat not only succeeds but
shines, all while nurturing adeep need for a personal life
(02:15):
that's just as fun and exciting.
In this episode, we're chattingabout that delicate work-life
balance, about finding harmony,removing the hustle, and about
structuring your business in away that doesn't just allow but
ensures that you do have timefor life's precious moments, for
(02:36):
all those bedtime stories,impromptu coffee dates with
friends or simply taking a quietmoment for yourself.
So, whether you're listeningfrom your office, if you're out
on a run or while unwindingafter a long day, let's move
towards a more balanced andbeautiful life.
So we're going to start withunpacking some work-life balance
(02:58):
myths.
It's really easy to believethat balance means doing
everything perfectly, but weneed to shift that perspective.
We've all heard that to betruly successful, we need to
have our lives and businesses inperfect equilibrium, that all
(03:18):
the ducks need to be in a neatlittle row.
But the truth is that this wayof thinking is not only
unrealistic, it's very harmful.
So many brilliant women outthere are pushing themselves to
the brink of exhaustion bytrying to tick every box and
doing everything impeccably.
They're striving for thatflawless execution of every task
(03:44):
, for the unattainableperfectionism both at work and
at home.
And what's the result of that?
Burnout?
Productivity plummets, healthtakes a backseat and the spark
that they once had begins to dim.
So it's really important toredefine balance.
(04:04):
Balance is not about perfection.
It's about harmony and saying,hey, I'm doing my best and that
is more than enough.
Getting that magical balancesimply means prioritizing and
recognizing that some days, yourbusiness will need to take some
stage and on others, yourpersonal life will need that
(04:27):
spotlight.
So it's about integrating thosespheres into a way that
co-exist in a harmonious,healthy way, and giving yourself
grace to focus on what's reallyimportant isn't just okay, it's
absolutely essential.
Now, true balance is harmonious.
(04:48):
It's giving yourself permissionto focus on what matters in
your business and your personallife, because they both are very
important.
Now the one thing to achievethat that is non-negotiable is
having boundaries.
And one thing I noticed withmany female entrepreneurs is how
(05:08):
really uncomfortable they arearound setting boundaries,
because for many women, it makesthem feel bossy, makes them
feel too rigid or unapproachable, which is very uncomfortable
for their beautiful givinghearts.
But setting boundaries iscrucial for every entrepreneur
(05:28):
and are one of the many keys toyour success.
Now I understand that creatingboundaries can be a bit tricky
to put into place and to keep,but they really are vital
because they're the silentprotectors of your time and your
energy.
They are like your personalpolice that say this is how I
(05:51):
will be treated, this is what Iwill accept and this is where I
draw the line.
So how do you establish allthose boundaries without
ruffling too many feathers?
You start with becomingself-aware.
You've got to identify what youvalue most, what's important to
you personally, what'simportant to you in your
(06:13):
business life, and what you needto achieve those.
What can't you afford tocompromise on?
It could be things like makingsure that after 6pm, that time
is reserved for you and yourfamily, or maybe it's your time
to meditate in the morning.
Maybe it is includinguninterrupted focus time on your
(06:37):
business, where you don't takecalls, no one interrupts, no one
knocks on the door, you're notanswering emails, you're not
checking social media, you'rejust focusing on the task at
hand for moving your businessforward.
So have a think about thosethings and, once you've
pinpointed what's essential, youneed to communicate them
(06:58):
clearly and confidently, notjust to others but to yourself,
and then put them into practice.
Do things like setting anautoresponder to manage email
expectations for people sendingyou emails.
Have honest conversations withclients about your working hours
.
Have a conversation with yourfamily about this is my business
(07:22):
.
This is really important.
So between these hours I'm notcontactable, unless it's an
emergency, unless the house ison virus, someone's bleeding to
death.
Having this clarity is beingkind to yourself and kind to
others, so you can see thatboundaries can be very helpful
and they're not making you bossy.
(07:43):
They're just putting guidelinesin place to make sure you can
manage your time effectively.
And don't forget about thepower of no.
No is a complete sentence.
Saying no is really importantevery day, and it's not just
about protecting your currentpriorities and what you need to
(08:06):
do.
It's actually opening the doorto being able to say yes to what
you truly want to do or whattruly matters to you in your
personal life and your businesslife.
So that could be more time foryour health, more time for your
loved ones, and more time forthose things in your business
that light you up for all thenew things you want to introduce
(08:28):
and creative thought processesthat require some dedicated time
.
Boundaries aren't barriers.
They are bridges to creating afulfilling life and a more
focused business.
They define what'snon-negotiable for you and your
well-being, so they're veryhealthy.
(08:50):
The next thing that you probablyshould consider is introducing
some time-saving techniques thatwork in your day, because we
all wish that there were morehours in the day, don't we?
But that's not possible, so wedon't have that option.
So what we've got to do is makethe most of the time that we do
have so you can spend more timegetting things done and
(09:12):
enjoying what you love.
And here are five of myfavorite time management
techniques that are absolutegold for efficiency.
The first is task batching.
It's just tackling tasks inbundles bundles of things that
are similar in nature.
So if you need to do videos foryour social media, for your
(09:36):
past, for your YouTube channel,any sort of video, you would do
them all in one batch.
If you need to create somecontent, whether that's social
media, your blog, your podcastscripts, emails, anything where
you're writing, do that alltogether.
So you can see that by groupingthese things together you can
(09:57):
create lots of efficiencies inyour workflow and, instead of
jumping between different tasksand wasting time, you can have
really focused efforts.
Because when you change tasks,the statistics say it takes you
physically and mentally, 20minutes to switch between tasks.
(10:18):
So, going from writing tofilming or creating graphics,
you'll spend 20 minutes movingbetween tasks.
So if you're skipping betweenthree tasks, you've wasted an
hour.
So group them all together,batch them in bundles and watch
your productivity soar, justlike a cook or a chef prepares
(10:40):
all the ingredients and prepsthings out before starting to
cook.
That's what you're doing there,by task batching.
The second thing isprioritization, because not all
the things you have to do inyour business are critical.
Identify what is critical, whatmust be done first, and do them
first, and that way you aredoing your quality things and
(11:04):
making sure those big, importantthings are done first and never
get missed, and that way you'regoing to save yourself a whole
lot of time.
The next thing is time blocking, and this is where task
batching can be used in its mosteffective way by time blocking
and where you carve out specifictimes in your schedule for
(11:25):
different categories of work.
You created your task batchingand now you plot them on your
calendar into time blocks and itcould be client work or
creative thinking or youradministrative task.
Allocate a block of time,protect it fiercely, and it's
sort of like setting a meetingwith yourself that you can't
(11:46):
afford to miss.
For example, my calendar I havenon-negotiable days where I just
do client work and on thosedays that's where I take
meetings.
I do my Zoom calls, I do mydiscovery calls, my client catch
up calls, plus all of theclient work.
That's on those days.
Then I have a creative daywhere I am just doing all the
(12:09):
creative tasks, like my planning, my writing, creating content.
All of those tasks are done ona particular day.
I don't take any calls on thosedays.
It's purely for contentcreation.
And then I have one day a weekwhere it is just the CEO tasks,
the admin, the hire thinking,all those big, broad tasks that
(12:31):
need deep thought.
They're done on a different dayand, again no calls on those
days, no content creation thosedays.
It's just those high level CEOtasks Works like a treat and you
get so much more done if you dotime blocking, automation and
delegation.
Your time is a premium and itshouldn't be spent on tasks that
(12:54):
can be done by software or bysomeone else.
So automate using tech toolsand delegate what you can't
automate.
So remember you are thevisionary, you're the CEO in
your business, so your focusshould be on the big picture
task, the big picture view thatis, driving the business forward
(13:15):
and making the business money,not all of the tasks that keep
the wheels turning.
I heavily use automation in mybusiness.
Whatever I can automate isautomated with a tech tool, and
what I can't automate, whereverpossible, I get my wonderful VA
to do for me.
She is a godsend.
(13:35):
I have a sauna board set up forher and a list of tasks and
processes that I just put inthere and she just gets to work,
gets them done, and it's likehaving a little magic angel in
my business.
It's amazing.
So using tech and VA is trulyone of the best uses of your
(13:58):
time for freeing up time andallowing you to really drive
your business forward.
The last thing is the two minuterule.
Now, this is really simple, butit transforms your business.
It is this simple If somethingtakes you less than two minutes
to do, do it.
Don't wait, just do it.
(14:19):
It's a fantastic way of keepingyour to-do list really clear
and get all those nigglinglittle tasks out of the way,
because if you don't, theyaccumulate into this big,
massive pile and your to-do listgets quite daunting.
For 10 minutes every morning.
Do the two minute rule and youwill have five things off your
list in 10 minutes.
(14:40):
It really does change the game.
Things like if you've had atext message from a client,
you've got a really quick emailresponse to do to a client,
you've got something that justneeds a quick eye over for your
VA.
All those little things.
Batch them for 10 minutes everymorning.
Get them out of the way andthey're done.
(15:01):
It's fantastic.
So if you do these things,you'll be able to help us craft
a day that's really productiveand leaves you lots of space for
what truly lights up your soul,so that you can achieve things
for your business and foryourself personally.
Really important to focus on isa healthy CEO lifestyle, because
(15:25):
the health of your businessreflects your health, so
maintaining a healthy lifestylethat focuses on harmony, not
hustle, is critical for ahealthy business, and here are
some really smart but simpleways to blend some healthy
habits into your everyday.
Many workouts.
Workouts don't need to be long,they just need to be effective.
(15:49):
So mix up your day with quick10 minute exercise bursts.
It could be a brisk walk, aseries of squats or lunges as
you're walking down the hallwayto go to the bathroom.
It could be a dance to yourfavorite tunes to break up the
day, and these short sessionsthroughout the day can really
add up to big health benefitslong term, and they also
(16:11):
re-energize and revitalize youthroughout the day.
Number two would be smartsnacking.
Have lots of healthy snackswithin arms reach, so I think
when you're hungry or you'regetting a bit of brain fog, you
can just fuel your brain andbody with food that powers both
that's healthy, that's low infat, that's high in nutrition
(16:34):
and that's going to keep yougoing Things like nuts, fruit,
yogurt, hummus, all those greatthings.
Keep them handy and your bodyand brain will thank you.
Keep hydrated.
Hydration is key, so just makeit a ritual.
Start every day with a big glassof water.
Keep a bottle of water by yourside.
If plain water doesn't excite,you add in some orange or lemon
(16:57):
slices or cucumber or some mintwhatever you like to give it a
lovely twist.
I've got this great insulatedwater bottle.
You can have tea or coffee init even, but I love to fill it
up every morning with some icecold water and sip on it through
the day, and it's wonderful.
I drink a whole lot more waterwhenever I get thirsty.
(17:18):
Just sip away and it's great.
Keeps the mind fresh too.
Another great, great tip isprepping your meals.
If you set aside some timeevery Sunday to dedicate a few
hours to preparing wholesomemeals that align with your
health goals, you will thankyourself all week.
This way, you bypass temptationof takeaways and eating
(17:43):
unhealthily, and you know havingthe weight creep.
None of that happens becauseyou've got everything sorted.
You know exactly what you'redoing and you're not rushing at
the last minute trying to findsomething healthy to eat for
dinner.
Schedule in your fitness, justlike you schedule meetings and
calls.
Book out your workout time,treat it like a non-negotiable
(18:04):
appointment and put it in thediary, and by doing that, you're
committing to your health,which is as important as any
business engagement.
Now, all these things aren'tabout finding extra time.
They're about creating dailypractices which become a fabric
of your daily life.
(18:24):
When fitness and nutrition areas habitual as checking your
emails or strolling throughsocials, you are on track not
just for a healthy body, but ahealthy business too.
It's really easy to forget theimportant role that leisure and
play have in sparking our mostinnovative ideas as the CEOs of
(18:49):
our businesses.
Enjoying a regular downtimeisn't just about taking a break.
It's about recharging yourcreative batteries, and
indulging in activities you lovecan be the secret ingredient to
innovating your whole business.
For example, consider thesimple act of gardening.
Gardening is a lesson in bothpatience and growth, qualities
(19:14):
that are both essential tonurturing your business.
Or painting, where the blendingof colours can inspire the way
you blend your services in yourbusiness portfolio.
Or have you ever tried pottery?
It's so much fun that tactileexperience of shaping clay can
translate into the way you mouldyour business strategies.
(19:35):
And then there's yoga.
Not only does it provide amental reset, but the practice
of flexibility and strength onthe mat can lead to a more
resilient and adaptable businessmodel.
Even a culinary adventure inyour very own kitchen can be
enlightening.
Experimenting with recipesteaches you about risk and
(19:59):
improvisation, and it stirs upcreativity that you can then
take back to your business.
Each of these activities ismore than just an enjoyable
pastime.
They're a playground for anentrepreneurial mind, because
they help you to step back andview challenges from different
angles, and they help you returnto work equipped with a
(20:23):
refreshed mind and a bundle offresh new ideas.
And talking about mindset, it'sreally important to nurture the
CEO mind.
The strength of your businessis actually a reflection of your
mental and emotional agility.
As CEOs of our businesses, ourability to lead with clarity, to
(20:46):
strategize effectively and tokeep innovating all depend on
how well we nurture our minds.
So I want to walk you throughsome powerful strategies that
can enhance your ability to leadwith insight and creativity.
The first is mindfulnessmeditation Common to some, not
(21:07):
to others.
So just begin your day by beingmindful.
It doesn't have to be a seatedmeditation.
It can just be taking abeautiful walk outside and being
mindful, where every steprounds you into the present and
it prepares your mind for allthe strategic decisions you'll
need to make in the day ahead.
(21:28):
Creative unwinding replacetraditional downtime with
creative unwinding, and thatcould mean if you're musical,
playing an instrument, playingthe guitar, playing the piano,
playing the drums, whateverinstrument you play, writing, do
some free writing creativewriting, not business writing,
nothing related to the business,creative writing or any other
(21:53):
creative outlet that allows yoursubconscious thoughts to
surface, because when you dothat, it can bring solutions and
innovations that you've beensearching for but have been
unable to find.
You're actually freeing up thatpart of your brain to do that
with no pressure.
You'll be surprised at howpowerful that is.
(22:13):
One of my favourite strategiesI like to call social
sabbaticals.
Taking a social sabbatical issimply disconnecting from all
the digital chatter of socialmedia, temporarily stepping back
from social media, fromnetworking, from all that noise,
and clear your mind and allowyou to reconnect with your own
(22:39):
voice and your own vision, whichquite often get drowned out by
everyone else's opinions and allthe things you see on social
media that you should be doingor this person's doing.
Why am I doing that, whichconfuses your brain?
So just give it a rest.
Take a social sabbatical andyou'll be amazed at how powerful
(23:00):
that is for your CEO mind.
The next thing is immersingyourself in nature.
Regularly immerse yourself innature.
Studying show that times spentin green spaces dramatically
reduce stress and enhancecreative problem-solving
abilities.
So it can be as simple as goingfor a walk in the park,
(23:24):
spending time in your garden,whatever it is.
Let nature be your muse.
Listen to the birds, feel thesun on your skin, feel the
breeze swim in the ocean, hearthe waves, feel the sand under
your feet or the grass underyour feet, whatever it is, get
into nature and allow that tospeak to you.
(23:47):
Just don't overthink it.
Just get into it and do it andjust enjoy.
Feel the experiences withoutthinking.
That is so powerful, sopowerful.
The last strategy for your CEOmindset that I want to talk
about today is cognitivediversity, and that is engaging
(24:07):
with ideas that are outside ofyour field of expertise.
Cognitive diversity is exposingyourself to different
perspectives, differentdisciplines, and that can really
dramatically enhance yourleadership and innovative
thoughts.
It could be something likeattending a lecture on art
history, reading about quantumphysics, exploring a new culture
(24:32):
, learning a new language,attending an art gallery or just
reading a different type ofbook than you normally read,
going into a different genre,learning about a different
business model, anything that isoutside of your realm of
expertise.
This is all rewiring your brain, getting different neural
(24:57):
pathways sparking, encouragingyour brain to think broader,
more expansively, and thenyou'll bring new concepts and
ideas back to your own business.
It's very powerful.
If you weave all of thesestrategies into your life, you
will find that your mental andemotional resilience strengthens
(25:18):
and your leadership becomesmore impactful and your
innovations take on new depth.
To help you deepen your journeyto having that balance,
fulfilling entrepreneurial life,I've created the Brilliant
Business, beautiful LifePlaybook, which has six simple
principles to help you focus onall those things that actually
(25:41):
matter.
So download that today it's at16thcreativecom forward slash
playbook and that will help youfocus on things that are really
going to help you move theneedle forward and take care of
your body, mind and soul, aswell as your business.
So that's the end of today'sepisode.
Just like that, we're at theend of our time together today.
(26:04):
Thank you for having me in yourworld.
I hope that these strategieswe've explored today can help
light a path for you to a placewhere harmony in work and life
isn't just a dream but is yourreality, and that you can kiss
the hustle mentality goodbye,where your well-being and your
business can blossom together.
(26:26):
So please take a moment toreflect on the beauty of balance
.
It's not just something you do,it should be your way of life.
Now, remember to be brilliant,stay beautiful, and I'll see you
next week.
Thanks so much for listening.
(26:47):
I'd love to know your biggesttakeaway from today's episode,
so leave me a comment below orsend a DM on Instagram.
If you enjoyed this episode,hit the subscribe button
wherever you listen to theBrilliant Business, beautiful
Life podcast and feel free toshare it with someone else
who'll love it too.
I look forward to seeing youfor the next episode and
remember the time is now foryour Brilliant Business and the
(27:10):
beautiful life you adore.
Are you ready to redefine what work-life balance
means for you?
In this week's episode of theBrilliant Business, beautiful
Life podcast, we're unravelingthe myths and sharing the secret
source to thriving in both yourpersonal and professional
worlds.
So you can say goodbye tohustle and hello to harmony.
So keep listening if you wantto discover how to transform
(00:23):
your work weeks from chaotic tocalm.
Don't just dream of balance.
Make it your reality.
Welcome to the BrilliantBusiness, beautiful Life podcast
, where we share simple,actionable strategies plus the
mindset and wellness practicesyou need to build the business
(00:44):
and life you love.
Head to 16thavcreativecomforward slash playbook and
download your free guide todesign the business and life you
deserve.
Today I'm your host, samanthaBell, and this is the Brilliant
Business, beautiful Life podcast.
Are you ready for the businessand life of your dreams?
Let's get started.
(01:06):
Not too long ago, I met awonderful female entrepreneur
I'm going to call her Lucy forthe purposes of the podcast and
Lucy ran a thriving boutiquedesign firm, and it was her
dream job that had blossomed outof a weekend passion project
into her full-time business.
But, like for so many otherentrepreneurs, as her business
(01:29):
grow, so did the hours that shepoured into it.
Her weekends were justswallowed up by work and her
evenings were just extensions ofher office hours, and she said
to me that she could notremember the last time that she
had read her kids a bedtimestory.
And that was her tipping point,as it is for so many of us,
(01:52):
when we think is this worth it?
Something must change Now.
Lucy's struggle isn't unique,but it is really common among
female entrepreneurs like us,who are really determined in our
pursuit of having a businessthat not only succeeds but
shines, all while nurturing adeep need for a personal life
(02:15):
that's just as fun and exciting.
In this episode, we're chattingabout that delicate work-life
balance, about finding harmony,removing the hustle, and about
structuring your business in away that doesn't just allow but
ensures that you do have timefor life's precious moments, for
(02:36):
all those bedtime stories,impromptu coffee dates with
friends or simply taking a quietmoment for yourself.
So, whether you're listeningfrom your office, if you're out
on a run or while unwindingafter a long day, let's move
towards a more balanced andbeautiful life.
So we're going to start withunpacking some work-life balance
(02:58):
myths.
It's really easy to believethat balance means doing
everything perfectly, but weneed to shift that perspective.
We've all heard that to betruly successful, we need to
have our lives and businesses inperfect equilibrium, that all
(03:18):
the ducks need to be in a neatlittle row.
But the truth is that this wayof thinking is not only
unrealistic, it's very harmful.
So many brilliant women outthere are pushing themselves to
the brink of exhaustion bytrying to tick every box and
doing everything impeccably.
They're striving for thatflawless execution of every task
(03:44):
, for the unattainableperfectionism both at work and
at home.
And what's the result of that?
Burnout?
Productivity plummets, healthtakes a backseat and the spark
that they once had begins to dim.
So it's really important toredefine balance.
(04:04):
Balance is not about perfection.
It's about harmony and saying,hey, I'm doing my best and that
is more than enough.
Getting that magical balancesimply means prioritizing and
recognizing that some days, yourbusiness will need to take some
stage and on others, yourpersonal life will need that
(04:27):
spotlight.
So it's about integrating thosespheres into a way that
co-exist in a harmonious,healthy way, and giving yourself
grace to focus on what's reallyimportant isn't just okay, it's
absolutely essential.
Now, true balance is harmonious.
(04:48):
It's giving yourself permissionto focus on what matters in
your business and your personallife, because they both are very
important.
Now the one thing to achievethat that is non-negotiable is
having boundaries.
And one thing I noticed withmany female entrepreneurs is how
(05:08):
really uncomfortable they arearound setting boundaries,
because for many women, it makesthem feel bossy, makes them
feel too rigid or unapproachable, which is very uncomfortable
for their beautiful givinghearts.
But setting boundaries iscrucial for every entrepreneur
(05:28):
and are one of the many keys toyour success.
Now I understand that creatingboundaries can be a bit tricky
to put into place and to keep,but they really are vital
because they're the silentprotectors of your time and your
energy.
They are like your personalpolice that say this is how I
(05:51):
will be treated, this is what Iwill accept and this is where I
draw the line.
So how do you establish allthose boundaries without
ruffling too many feathers?
You start with becomingself-aware.
You've got to identify what youvalue most, what's important to
you personally, what'simportant to you in your
(06:13):
business life, and what you needto achieve those.
What can't you afford tocompromise on?
It could be things like makingsure that after 6pm, that time
is reserved for you and yourfamily, or maybe it's your time
to meditate in the morning.
Maybe it is includinguninterrupted focus time on your
(06:37):
business, where you don't takecalls, no one interrupts, no one
knocks on the door, you're notanswering emails, you're not
checking social media, you'rejust focusing on the task at
hand for moving your businessforward.
So have a think about thosethings and, once you've
pinpointed what's essential, youneed to communicate them
(06:58):
clearly and confidently, notjust to others but to yourself,
and then put them into practice.
Do things like setting anautoresponder to manage email
expectations for people sendingyou emails.
Have honest conversations withclients about your working hours
.
Have a conversation with yourfamily about this is my business
(07:22):
.
This is really important.
So between these hours I'm notcontactable, unless it's an
emergency, unless the house ison virus, someone's bleeding to
death.
Having this clarity is beingkind to yourself and kind to
others, so you can see thatboundaries can be very helpful
and they're not making you bossy.
(07:43):
They're just putting guidelinesin place to make sure you can
manage your time effectively.
And don't forget about thepower of no.
No is a complete sentence.
Saying no is really importantevery day, and it's not just
about protecting your currentpriorities and what you need to
(08:06):
do.
It's actually opening the doorto being able to say yes to what
you truly want to do or whattruly matters to you in your
personal life and your businesslife.
So that could be more time foryour health, more time for your
loved ones, and more time forthose things in your business
that light you up for all thenew things you want to introduce
(08:28):
and creative thought processesthat require some dedicated time
.
Boundaries aren't barriers.
They are bridges to creating afulfilling life and a more
focused business.
They define what'snon-negotiable for you and your
well-being, so they're veryhealthy.
(08:50):
The next thing that you probablyshould consider is introducing
some time-saving techniques thatwork in your day, because we
all wish that there were morehours in the day, don't we?
But that's not possible, so wedon't have that option.
So what we've got to do is makethe most of the time that we do
have so you can spend more timegetting things done and
(09:12):
enjoying what you love.
And here are five of myfavorite time management
techniques that are absolutegold for efficiency.
The first is task batching.
It's just tackling tasks inbundles bundles of things that
are similar in nature.
So if you need to do videos foryour social media, for your
(09:36):
past, for your YouTube channel,any sort of video, you would do
them all in one batch.
If you need to create somecontent, whether that's social
media, your blog, your podcastscripts, emails, anything where
you're writing, do that alltogether.
So you can see that by groupingthese things together you can
(09:57):
create lots of efficiencies inyour workflow and, instead of
jumping between different tasksand wasting time, you can have
really focused efforts.
Because when you change tasks,the statistics say it takes you
physically and mentally, 20minutes to switch between tasks.
(10:18):
So, going from writing tofilming or creating graphics,
you'll spend 20 minutes movingbetween tasks.
So if you're skipping betweenthree tasks, you've wasted an
hour.
So group them all together,batch them in bundles and watch
your productivity soar, justlike a cook or a chef prepares
(10:40):
all the ingredients and prepsthings out before starting to
cook.
That's what you're doing there,by task batching.
The second thing isprioritization, because not all
the things you have to do inyour business are critical.
Identify what is critical, whatmust be done first, and do them
first, and that way you aredoing your quality things and
(11:04):
making sure those big, importantthings are done first and never
get missed, and that way you'regoing to save yourself a whole
lot of time.
The next thing is time blocking, and this is where task
batching can be used in its mosteffective way by time blocking
and where you carve out specifictimes in your schedule for
(11:25):
different categories of work.
You created your task batchingand now you plot them on your
calendar into time blocks and itcould be client work or
creative thinking or youradministrative task.
Allocate a block of time,protect it fiercely, and it's
sort of like setting a meetingwith yourself that you can't
(11:46):
afford to miss.
For example, my calendar I havenon-negotiable days where I just
do client work and on thosedays that's where I take
meetings.
I do my Zoom calls, I do mydiscovery calls, my client catch
up calls, plus all of theclient work.
That's on those days.
Then I have a creative daywhere I am just doing all the
(12:09):
creative tasks, like my planning, my writing, creating content.
All of those tasks are done ona particular day.
I don't take any calls on thosedays.
It's purely for contentcreation.
And then I have one day a weekwhere it is just the CEO tasks,
the admin, the hire thinking,all those big, broad tasks that
(12:31):
need deep thought.
They're done on a different dayand, again no calls on those
days, no content creation thosedays.
It's just those high level CEOtasks Works like a treat and you
get so much more done if you dotime blocking, automation and
delegation.
Your time is a premium and itshouldn't be spent on tasks that
(12:54):
can be done by software or bysomeone else.
So automate using tech toolsand delegate what you can't
automate.
So remember you are thevisionary, you're the CEO in
your business, so your focusshould be on the big picture
task, the big picture view thatis, driving the business forward
(13:15):
and making the business money,not all of the tasks that keep
the wheels turning.
I heavily use automation in mybusiness.
Whatever I can automate isautomated with a tech tool, and
what I can't automate, whereverpossible, I get my wonderful VA
to do for me.
She is a godsend.
(13:35):
I have a sauna board set up forher and a list of tasks and
processes that I just put inthere and she just gets to work,
gets them done, and it's likehaving a little magic angel in
my business.
It's amazing.
So using tech and VA is trulyone of the best uses of your
(13:58):
time for freeing up time andallowing you to really drive
your business forward.
The last thing is the two minuterule.
Now, this is really simple, butit transforms your business.
It is this simple If somethingtakes you less than two minutes
to do, do it.
Don't wait, just do it.
(14:19):
It's a fantastic way of keepingyour to-do list really clear
and get all those nigglinglittle tasks out of the way,
because if you don't, theyaccumulate into this big,
massive pile and your to-do listgets quite daunting.
For 10 minutes every morning.
Do the two minute rule and youwill have five things off your
list in 10 minutes.
(14:40):
It really does change the game.
Things like if you've had atext message from a client,
you've got a really quick emailresponse to do to a client,
you've got something that justneeds a quick eye over for your
VA.
All those little things.
Batch them for 10 minutes everymorning.
Get them out of the way andthey're done.
(15:01):
It's fantastic.
So if you do these things,you'll be able to help us craft
a day that's really productiveand leaves you lots of space for
what truly lights up your soul,so that you can achieve things
for your business and foryourself personally.
Really important to focus on isa healthy CEO lifestyle, because
(15:25):
the health of your businessreflects your health, so
maintaining a healthy lifestylethat focuses on harmony, not
hustle, is critical for ahealthy business, and here are
some really smart but simpleways to blend some healthy
habits into your everyday.
Many workouts.
Workouts don't need to be long,they just need to be effective.
(15:49):
So mix up your day with quick10 minute exercise bursts.
It could be a brisk walk, aseries of squats or lunges as
you're walking down the hallwayto go to the bathroom.
It could be a dance to yourfavorite tunes to break up the
day, and these short sessionsthroughout the day can really
add up to big health benefitslong term, and they also
(16:11):
re-energize and revitalize youthroughout the day.
Number two would be smartsnacking.
Have lots of healthy snackswithin arms reach, so I think
when you're hungry or you'regetting a bit of brain fog, you
can just fuel your brain andbody with food that powers both
that's healthy, that's low infat, that's high in nutrition
(16:34):
and that's going to keep yougoing Things like nuts, fruit,
yogurt, hummus, all those greatthings.
Keep them handy and your bodyand brain will thank you.
Keep hydrated.
Hydration is key, so just makeit a ritual.
Start every day with a big glassof water.
Keep a bottle of water by yourside.
If plain water doesn't excite,you add in some orange or lemon
(16:57):
slices or cucumber or some mintwhatever you like to give it a
lovely twist.
I've got this great insulatedwater bottle.
You can have tea or coffee init even, but I love to fill it
up every morning with some icecold water and sip on it through
the day, and it's wonderful.
I drink a whole lot more waterwhenever I get thirsty.
(17:18):
Just sip away and it's great.
Keeps the mind fresh too.
Another great, great tip isprepping your meals.
If you set aside some timeevery Sunday to dedicate a few
hours to preparing wholesomemeals that align with your
health goals, you will thankyourself all week.
This way, you bypass temptationof takeaways and eating
(17:43):
unhealthily, and you know havingthe weight creep.
None of that happens becauseyou've got everything sorted.
You know exactly what you'redoing and you're not rushing at
the last minute trying to findsomething healthy to eat for
dinner.
Schedule in your fitness, justlike you schedule meetings and
calls.
Book out your workout time,treat it like a non-negotiable
(18:04):
appointment and put it in thediary, and by doing that, you're
committing to your health,which is as important as any
business engagement.
Now, all these things aren'tabout finding extra time.
They're about creating dailypractices which become a fabric
of your daily life.
(18:24):
When fitness and nutrition areas habitual as checking your
emails or strolling throughsocials, you are on track not
just for a healthy body, but ahealthy business too.
It's really easy to forget theimportant role that leisure and
play have in sparking our mostinnovative ideas as the CEOs of
(18:49):
our businesses.
Enjoying a regular downtimeisn't just about taking a break.
It's about recharging yourcreative batteries, and
indulging in activities you lovecan be the secret ingredient to
innovating your whole business.
For example, consider thesimple act of gardening.
Gardening is a lesson in bothpatience and growth, qualities
(19:14):
that are both essential tonurturing your business.
Or painting, where the blendingof colours can inspire the way
you blend your services in yourbusiness portfolio.
Or have you ever tried pottery?
It's so much fun that tactileexperience of shaping clay can
translate into the way you mouldyour business strategies.
(19:35):
And then there's yoga.
Not only does it provide amental reset, but the practice
of flexibility and strength onthe mat can lead to a more
resilient and adaptable businessmodel.
Even a culinary adventure inyour very own kitchen can be
enlightening.
Experimenting with recipesteaches you about risk and
(19:59):
improvisation, and it stirs upcreativity that you can then
take back to your business.
Each of these activities ismore than just an enjoyable
pastime.
They're a playground for anentrepreneurial mind, because
they help you to step back andview challenges from different
angles, and they help you returnto work equipped with a
(20:23):
refreshed mind and a bundle offresh new ideas.
And talking about mindset, it'sreally important to nurture the
CEO mind.
The strength of your businessis actually a reflection of your
mental and emotional agility.
As CEOs of our businesses, ourability to lead with clarity, to
(20:46):
strategize effectively and tokeep innovating all depend on
how well we nurture our minds.
So I want to walk you throughsome powerful strategies that
can enhance your ability to leadwith insight and creativity.
The first is mindfulnessmeditation Common to some, not
(21:07):
to others.
So just begin your day by beingmindful.
It doesn't have to be a seatedmeditation.
It can just be taking abeautiful walk outside and being
mindful, where every steprounds you into the present and
it prepares your mind for allthe strategic decisions you'll
need to make in the day ahead.
(21:28):
Creative unwinding replacetraditional downtime with
creative unwinding, and thatcould mean if you're musical,
playing an instrument, playingthe guitar, playing the piano,
playing the drums, whateverinstrument you play, writing, do
some free writing creativewriting, not business writing,
nothing related to the business,creative writing or any other
(21:53):
creative outlet that allows yoursubconscious thoughts to
surface, because when you dothat, it can bring solutions and
innovations that you've beensearching for but have been
unable to find.
You're actually freeing up thatpart of your brain to do that
with no pressure.
You'll be surprised at howpowerful that is.
(22:13):
One of my favourite strategiesI like to call social
sabbaticals.
Taking a social sabbatical issimply disconnecting from all
the digital chatter of socialmedia, temporarily stepping back
from social media, fromnetworking, from all that noise,
and clear your mind and allowyou to reconnect with your own
(22:39):
voice and your own vision, whichquite often get drowned out by
everyone else's opinions and allthe things you see on social
media that you should be doingor this person's doing.
Why am I doing that, whichconfuses your brain?
So just give it a rest.
Take a social sabbatical andyou'll be amazed at how powerful
(23:00):
that is for your CEO mind.
The next thing is immersingyourself in nature.
Regularly immerse yourself innature.
Studying show that times spentin green spaces dramatically
reduce stress and enhancecreative problem-solving
abilities.
So it can be as simple as goingfor a walk in the park,
(23:24):
spending time in your garden,whatever it is.
Let nature be your muse.
Listen to the birds, feel thesun on your skin, feel the
breeze swim in the ocean, hearthe waves, feel the sand under
your feet or the grass underyour feet, whatever it is, get
into nature and allow that tospeak to you.
(23:47):
Just don't overthink it.
Just get into it and do it andjust enjoy.
Feel the experiences withoutthinking.
That is so powerful, sopowerful.
The last strategy for your CEOmindset that I want to talk
about today is cognitivediversity, and that is engaging
(24:07):
with ideas that are outside ofyour field of expertise.
Cognitive diversity is exposingyourself to different
perspectives, differentdisciplines, and that can really
dramatically enhance yourleadership and innovative
thoughts.
It could be something likeattending a lecture on art
history, reading about quantumphysics, exploring a new culture
(24:32):
, learning a new language,attending an art gallery or just
reading a different type ofbook than you normally read,
going into a different genre,learning about a different
business model, anything that isoutside of your realm of
expertise.
This is all rewiring your brain, getting different neural
(24:57):
pathways sparking, encouragingyour brain to think broader,
more expansively, and thenyou'll bring new concepts and
ideas back to your own business.
It's very powerful.
If you weave all of thesestrategies into your life, you
will find that your mental andemotional resilience strengthens
(25:18):
and your leadership becomesmore impactful and your
innovations take on new depth.
To help you deepen your journeyto having that balance,
fulfilling entrepreneurial life,I've created the Brilliant
Business, beautiful LifePlaybook, which has six simple
principles to help you focus onall those things that actually
(25:41):
matter.
So download that today it's at16thcreativecom forward slash
playbook and that will help youfocus on things that are really
going to help you move theneedle forward and take care of
your body, mind and soul, aswell as your business.
So that's the end of today'sepisode.
Just like that, we're at theend of our time together today.
(26:04):
Thank you for having me in yourworld.
I hope that these strategieswe've explored today can help
light a path for you to a placewhere harmony in work and life
isn't just a dream but is yourreality, and that you can kiss
the hustle mentality goodbye,where your well-being and your
business can blossom together.
(26:26):
So please take a moment toreflect on the beauty of balance
.
It's not just something you do,it should be your way of life.
Now, remember to be brilliant,stay beautiful, and I'll see you
next week.
Thanks so much for listening.
(26:47):
I'd love to know your biggesttakeaway from today's episode,
so leave me a comment below orsend a DM on Instagram.
If you enjoyed this episode,hit the subscribe button
wherever you listen to theBrilliant Business, beautiful
Life podcast and feel free toshare it with someone else
who'll love it too.
I look forward to seeing youfor the next episode and
remember the time is now foryour Brilliant Business and the
(27:10):
beautiful life you adore.
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