September 12, 2024 • 14 mins
Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list and wondering where all your time goes? In this second episode of the "Annual Business Checkup" series, we dive into the power of managing your time with intention and purpose, so you can achieve more without the hustle.
We’ll explore the "Daily Sandwich Technique," a simple yet effective way to structure your day around your non-negotiables while ensuring you stay productive and focused on what truly matters. Plus, we’ll discuss why incorporating self-care into your routine isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for sustainable success.
If you’re ready to reclaim your time, boost your productivity, and build a business that supports the life you truly want, this episode is for you. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to start implementing today.
Tune in now to take control of your time and move your business forward! And don’t forget to check out The MY-T Society for more resources and support to help you achieve your goals.
3:12 - How to pick the right priorities by aligning tasks with your goals and life season
5:25 - Why setting clear priorities is essential and how to use the 90-day goal-setting worksheets
7:29 - How the Daily Sandwich Technique helps you realistically manage your time and avoid burnout
9:42 - The importance of incorporating self-care into your routine for better productivity and well-being
References Mentioned In This Episode:
Episode 179 - Annual Business Checkup: Empower Your Mindset for Growth
Let me know your thoughts! Click here to send me a text.
Leave a Rating and Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/mindyourtime
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Check Out The MY-T Society Membership
Listen to My Free Audio Masterclass
Schedule a 20 Minute Chat with Me
Let’s connect online:
Follow Me On Instagram: @the_shannonbaker
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Are you making the most of your time, or are you
constantly feeling like there'snever enough of it?
It's really easy to get caughtup when you're working in your
business instead of on it.
So in this second episode ofour annual business checkup
series, we're going to talkabout time management and
productivity two of the mostpowerful tools in your arsenal.
(00:23):
But this isn't just aboutcramming more tasks into your
jam-packed schedule.
It's about being strategic andintentional with your time, so
that you can focus on what trulymatters and what moves your
business forward.
So if you're tired of feelingoverwhelmed and ready to take
control of your day, you're inthe right place.
Welcome to the Mind your Timepodcast.
(00:45):
I'm Shannon Baker, yourcoffee-loving host and business
strategist.
Each week, I will sharepractical insights and bold
strategies for six-figureentrepreneurs looking to clean
up their back office and createstreamlined systems.
The weekly episodes will helpyou take control of your time,
scale your business and createsuccess on your own terms.
So grab your cup of coffee oryour favorite beverage and let's
(01:07):
dive into today's topic.
Welcome back to the annualbusiness checkup series.
So if you tuned into the firstepisode of this series, then you
already know how important itis to make sure your mindset is
aligned with your purpose.
We talked about how having theright mindset is the foundation
for everything, because withoutit, even the best strategies and
(01:29):
tools will not get you whereyou want to go Now.
If you haven't had a chance tolisten to that episode yet, no
worries, you can go back andlisten to it later, but the key
takeaway was that you have thepower to define what success
looks like for you, and you needto make sure your business is a
true reflection of your corevalues.
That's how you create abusiness that not only helps you
(01:52):
hit your financial goals but,more importantly, supports the
lifestyle you want and bringsyou fulfillment.
Now, today, we're going to kickthings up a notch.
We're going to really focus inon how you can effectively
manage your time and boost yourproductivity so that you can
start achieving the goals thatyou've set with that new mindset
(02:13):
that you're going to be workingwith, because it's not about
being busy.
It's really about beingintentional with your time and
making sure that every actionyou take is moving you closer to
the life you want and helpingyou build the business you
really want.
My mission is to helppurpose-driven women like you
align your business with yourvalues so that you can make a
(02:36):
bigger impact, but without theoverwhelm.
And let me tell you, mindingyour time is a huge part of that
process.
I mean, let's face it, we allhave the same 24 hours in a day,
but the difference betweenthose who are overwhelmed and
those who are thriving isn'tabout who works harder or gets
(02:57):
the least amount of sleep.
It's about who works smarter onthe right things.
It's really about beingstrategic with your time,
focusing on what truly mattersand cutting out what doesn't.
So today, we're going toexplore how you can do that.
The first thing you need to dois pick the right priorities.
This means you can create aplan that identifies what you
(03:20):
need to do so that it alignswith your priorities.
But how do you know what toprioritize?
Well, this is where your goalscome into play and why you need
to pick the right goals based onthe season that your life is in
.
We talked about this in thefirst episode.
So you need to start byreviewing the goals that you've
(03:40):
set.
You know those purpose-drivengoals.
Ask yourself what things shouldI be doing to get me closer to
that goal?
That is what needs to be at thetop of your get it done list,
and I'm not just talking aboutyour business goals, keep in
mind we have to have work-lifeintegration, so if a lot is
(04:01):
going on in your personal life,you need to scale back a bit on
business tasks so that you haveroom to be present when needed.
And it also works on the otherside.
Prioritization is not just aboutknowing what's important.
It's about being brutallyhonest with yourself about what
isn't really a priority, and Iknow this can be hard for a lot
(04:25):
of people, especially if you'rea people pleaser, because you'll
often find that you fill yourdays with things that you feel
are urgent but don't actuallyneed to be done, or in reality,
they don't need to be done atall at least not by you and a
lot of times this is donebecause you're procrastinating.
So when this happens, you mayfeel productive in the moment,
(04:45):
but in reality it's just adistraction.
That is why having a clear setof priorities is so important.
When you know what trulymatters, you can confidently say
no to things that don't.
And I need you to getcomfortable with using the word
no or understand it's really acomplete sentence.
I am a huge fan of boundariesbecause they protect your time,
(05:10):
your energy and your sanity, andif you've been listening to the
podcast for a while, you'veheard me say this before the
only people who get mad at youfor having boundaries and
sticking to them are the oneswho benefit the most when you
don't have any.
So start practicing now bypassing on any invitations or
so-called opportunities that donot align with your goals and
(05:34):
your priorities.
Now, if you need helpdetermining what those
priorities are, the 90-day goalsetting worksheets inside of the
Mighty Society membership are agreat tool to help you with
this process, because there areweekly planning pages in that
workbook which are designed tohelp you prioritize your tasks
based on what will move youcloser to your goal.
By using these pages, you'regoing to be able to plan your
(05:56):
weeks with intention and stayfocused on what truly matters.
I mean, imagine having a clearplan for every week, knowing
exactly where you should focusyour energy and feeling
confident that everything thatyou do for the most part is
moving you closer to your biggoal.
And then, when life happens andyou have to pivot because we
know we can't control that youhave a plan that you can just
(06:20):
adjust, but you can stay ontrack, but that will not happen
if you don't have a plan, andthe next step is going to help
you start building this plan.
Once you've picked your goal andset your priorities, it's time
to organize your day in a waythat maximizes your productivity
.
One of the strategies that Ihighly recommend is what I call
(06:41):
the daily sandwich technique.
Here's how it works.
Think about the time that youwant to wake up and the time
that you want to go to bed.
This is your bread or thebookends of your day.
Then block out yournon-negotiables, things that are
, for the most part, set andcan't be moved around.
That's dropping off the kids orpicking them up, taking them to
(07:02):
extra activities outside ofschool, family time, doctor's
appointments.
Those things that you can'tmove are your sandwich fillings.
Now, what's left is theavailable time that you have for
focused work, meetings,networking, etc.
These things are yourcondiments or extras, and they
(07:24):
can be changed out as needed oreven left off completely.
The beauty of this dailysandwich technique is that it
forces you to be realistic aboutwhat time you actually have
available, because it's veryeasy to overestimate what you
can get done in a day, which iswhat leads to frustration and
burnout, but when you clearlydefine your non-negotiables and
(07:47):
see exactly how much time youhave left, you can make more
informed decisions about howyou're going to spend your time.
This technique also ensuresthat you're making time for what
matters most, whether it'sself-care, family or focused
work.
Everything that's important toyou has a place and, because
you're working with a definedstructure, you're less likely to
(08:10):
feel overwhelmed by an endlessto-do list that just seems to
keep growing.
Endless to-do list that justseems to keep growing.
Now, if you're new to thisprocess, then I strongly suggest
you go old school and writethis out on paper so you can
physically see it.
I did that for years until itbecame the way that my brain
worked in the way that Ifunctioned every day.
(08:33):
Now I can plan out everythingin my digital calendar, but let
me tell you I went through thisprocess of manually writing
things out for like five or sixyears and I still have all of
the passion planners and a bunchof different multicolored pins
to prove it.
As you implement strategies likethe daily sandwich technique,
(08:54):
if you're a member of the MightySociety, you also have access
to community support.
That way, you can share yourexperiences with others, get
feedback and even pick upadditional tips to help you
refine your approach.
The community aspect of themembership is invaluable because
it can help you stay on trackand, even more importantly, help
you stay motivated.
(09:14):
And again, don't forget aboutthe 90-day goal-setting workbook
that I've talked about.
It doesn't include just theweekly planning pages, but there
are also reflection promptsthat help you to adjust your
plan based on what's working andwhat isn't.
This ongoing reflection is thekey to helping you stay on track
(09:35):
and ensuring that you're notjust busy, but you are truly
productive.
Now that we've got that out ofthe way, the next step is very
important when it comes to beingproductive, but it's one that
people tend to leave out themost.
You have to incorporateself-care into your routine, and
I'm not talking about a big spaday, even though those are
(09:57):
really nice.
We often get so caught up intrying to do everything and take
care of everyone else that wetend to forget to take care of
ourselves.
But here's the truth you can'tpour from an empty cup, and I'm
sure that's not the first timeyou've heard that If you're not
taking care of yourself, yourproductivity, creativity and
overall well-being they're goingto suffer, which has an impact
(10:19):
on your family life and yourbusiness.
So, to help you make self-carea non-negotiable part of your
routine, there is a flexiblemorning routine workbook inside
of the resource section of theMighty Society membership.
This resource was designed tohelp you create a morning
routine that fits your lifestyleand sets you up for a
(10:40):
productive day.
It's about starting your daywith intention, filling your cup
before you start pouringyourself out into others and
ensuring that you are operatingat your best.
So let me share a quick storyfrom my own experience.
When I was in the process ofgrowing my business to replace
the income from my day job, Ihad to be hyper focused on how I
(11:04):
spent my time.
I mean, there were days when Ifelt like there weren't enough
hours to get everything done andI really wanted to give up.
But by prioritizing whataligned with my goal,
implementing strategies like thedaily sandwich technique,
regularly reflecting on myprogress and making adjustments
where needed, talking throughthe frustrations with some very
(11:26):
trusted women in my inner circleand investing in the right help
, I was able to stay on trackand achieve that goal.
Now, I will be honest it wasn'teasy, but it was absolutely
worth it.
That's the power of mindingyour time.
(11:46):
When you're intentional abouthow you spend your time and your
resources, you're able to makemeaningful progress towards your
goals without burning out, andthat's exactly what I want for
you.
Now, as we wrap up today'sepisode, I encourage you to take
some time to implement thesestrategies in your own life.
Start by prioritizing yourtasks with purpose.
Then organize your day usingthat daily sandwich technique
(12:09):
and definitely make self-care adaily priority.
Now, if you're ready to takeyour time management and
productivity to the next level,then please feel free to join us
inside of the Mighty Societymembership.
This is where you're going tofind the resources, support and
accountability to truly masteryour time and achieve your goals
(12:30):
.
Now, in the next episode, we'regoing to talk about how
streamlining your operationswill help your business run like
a well-oiled machine.
So I will see you back herenext week.
Thank you for tuning in thisweek.
Remember, just listening tothis episode will not get you
better results, so I challengeyou to break the mold and take
(12:52):
action today.
If you're unsure where to start,book a call with me to get your
questions answered about theMighty Society membership or
anything else that I mentioned.
A link to my calendar is in theshow notes.
Not ready to take that step yet?
No problem, be sure to connectwith me on Instagram, at the
underscore Shannon Baker.
(13:13):
You can ask me your questionsthere or let me know that you
enjoyed the episode by taking ascreenshot, sharing it and
tagging me.
Now, if you haven't alreadygrabbed my free audio
masterclass, why don't you juststart there?
It's a great first step toassess your back office on your
(13:33):
own, and this masterclassprovides valuable insights and
practical steps to help youorganize your processes, reduce
chaos and improve efficiency.
Go to theshannonbakercomforward slash audio masterclass
Now.
If you haven't left a reviewfor the podcast yet, please do
so.
(13:53):
I would love to hear from you,and it's an easy way to show
some love to the podcast andhelp me reach more small
business owners who are ready todefy the status quo.
I can't wait to hear from you.
So until next time, keep calmand streamline.
Are you making the most of your time, or are you
constantly feeling like there'snever enough of it?
It's really easy to get caughtup when you're working in your
business instead of on it.
So in this second episode ofour annual business checkup
series, we're going to talkabout time management and
productivity two of the mostpowerful tools in your arsenal.
(00:23):
But this isn't just aboutcramming more tasks into your
jam-packed schedule.
It's about being strategic andintentional with your time, so
that you can focus on what trulymatters and what moves your
business forward.
So if you're tired of feelingoverwhelmed and ready to take
control of your day, you're inthe right place.
Welcome to the Mind your Timepodcast.
(00:45):
I'm Shannon Baker, yourcoffee-loving host and business
strategist.
Each week, I will sharepractical insights and bold
strategies for six-figureentrepreneurs looking to clean
up their back office and createstreamlined systems.
The weekly episodes will helpyou take control of your time,
scale your business and createsuccess on your own terms.
So grab your cup of coffee oryour favorite beverage and let's
(01:07):
dive into today's topic.
Welcome back to the annualbusiness checkup series.
So if you tuned into the firstepisode of this series, then you
already know how important itis to make sure your mindset is
aligned with your purpose.
We talked about how having theright mindset is the foundation
for everything, because withoutit, even the best strategies and
(01:29):
tools will not get you whereyou want to go Now.
If you haven't had a chance tolisten to that episode yet, no
worries, you can go back andlisten to it later, but the key
takeaway was that you have thepower to define what success
looks like for you, and you needto make sure your business is a
true reflection of your corevalues.
That's how you create abusiness that not only helps you
(01:52):
hit your financial goals but,more importantly, supports the
lifestyle you want and bringsyou fulfillment.
Now, today, we're going to kickthings up a notch.
We're going to really focus inon how you can effectively
manage your time and boost yourproductivity so that you can
start achieving the goals thatyou've set with that new mindset
(02:13):
that you're going to be workingwith, because it's not about
being busy.
It's really about beingintentional with your time and
making sure that every actionyou take is moving you closer to
the life you want and helpingyou build the business you
really want.
My mission is to helppurpose-driven women like you
align your business with yourvalues so that you can make a
(02:36):
bigger impact, but without theoverwhelm.
And let me tell you, mindingyour time is a huge part of that
process.
I mean, let's face it, we allhave the same 24 hours in a day,
but the difference betweenthose who are overwhelmed and
those who are thriving isn'tabout who works harder or gets
(02:57):
the least amount of sleep.
It's about who works smarter onthe right things.
It's really about beingstrategic with your time,
focusing on what truly mattersand cutting out what doesn't.
So today, we're going toexplore how you can do that.
The first thing you need to dois pick the right priorities.
This means you can create aplan that identifies what you
(03:20):
need to do so that it alignswith your priorities.
But how do you know what toprioritize?
Well, this is where your goalscome into play and why you need
to pick the right goals based onthe season that your life is in
.
We talked about this in thefirst episode.
So you need to start byreviewing the goals that you've
(03:40):
set.
You know those purpose-drivengoals.
Ask yourself what things shouldI be doing to get me closer to
that goal?
That is what needs to be at thetop of your get it done list,
and I'm not just talking aboutyour business goals, keep in
mind we have to have work-lifeintegration, so if a lot is
(04:01):
going on in your personal life,you need to scale back a bit on
business tasks so that you haveroom to be present when needed.
And it also works on the otherside.
Prioritization is not just aboutknowing what's important.
It's about being brutallyhonest with yourself about what
isn't really a priority, and Iknow this can be hard for a lot
(04:25):
of people, especially if you'rea people pleaser, because you'll
often find that you fill yourdays with things that you feel
are urgent but don't actuallyneed to be done, or in reality,
they don't need to be done atall at least not by you and a
lot of times this is donebecause you're procrastinating.
So when this happens, you mayfeel productive in the moment,
(04:45):
but in reality it's just adistraction.
That is why having a clear setof priorities is so important.
When you know what trulymatters, you can confidently say
no to things that don't.
And I need you to getcomfortable with using the word
no or understand it's really acomplete sentence.
I am a huge fan of boundariesbecause they protect your time,
(05:10):
your energy and your sanity, andif you've been listening to the
podcast for a while, you'veheard me say this before the
only people who get mad at youfor having boundaries and
sticking to them are the oneswho benefit the most when you
don't have any.
So start practicing now bypassing on any invitations or
so-called opportunities that donot align with your goals and
(05:34):
your priorities.
Now, if you need helpdetermining what those
priorities are, the 90-day goalsetting worksheets inside of the
Mighty Society membership are agreat tool to help you with
this process, because there areweekly planning pages in that
workbook which are designed tohelp you prioritize your tasks
based on what will move youcloser to your goal.
By using these pages, you'regoing to be able to plan your
(05:56):
weeks with intention and stayfocused on what truly matters.
I mean, imagine having a clearplan for every week, knowing
exactly where you should focusyour energy and feeling
confident that everything thatyou do for the most part is
moving you closer to your biggoal.
And then, when life happens andyou have to pivot because we
know we can't control that youhave a plan that you can just
(06:20):
adjust, but you can stay ontrack, but that will not happen
if you don't have a plan, andthe next step is going to help
you start building this plan.
Once you've picked your goal andset your priorities, it's time
to organize your day in a waythat maximizes your productivity
.
One of the strategies that Ihighly recommend is what I call
(06:41):
the daily sandwich technique.
Here's how it works.
Think about the time that youwant to wake up and the time
that you want to go to bed.
This is your bread or thebookends of your day.
Then block out yournon-negotiables, things that are
, for the most part, set andcan't be moved around.
That's dropping off the kids orpicking them up, taking them to
(07:02):
extra activities outside ofschool, family time, doctor's
appointments.
Those things that you can'tmove are your sandwich fillings.
Now, what's left is theavailable time that you have for
focused work, meetings,networking, etc.
These things are yourcondiments or extras, and they
(07:24):
can be changed out as needed oreven left off completely.
The beauty of this dailysandwich technique is that it
forces you to be realistic aboutwhat time you actually have
available, because it's veryeasy to overestimate what you
can get done in a day, which iswhat leads to frustration and
burnout, but when you clearlydefine your non-negotiables and
(07:47):
see exactly how much time youhave left, you can make more
informed decisions about howyou're going to spend your time.
This technique also ensuresthat you're making time for what
matters most, whether it'sself-care, family or focused
work.
Everything that's important toyou has a place and, because
you're working with a definedstructure, you're less likely to
(08:10):
feel overwhelmed by an endlessto-do list that just seems to
keep growing.
Endless to-do list that justseems to keep growing.
Now, if you're new to thisprocess, then I strongly suggest
you go old school and writethis out on paper so you can
physically see it.
I did that for years until itbecame the way that my brain
worked in the way that Ifunctioned every day.
(08:33):
Now I can plan out everythingin my digital calendar, but let
me tell you I went through thisprocess of manually writing
things out for like five or sixyears and I still have all of
the passion planners and a bunchof different multicolored pins
to prove it.
As you implement strategies likethe daily sandwich technique,
(08:54):
if you're a member of the MightySociety, you also have access
to community support.
That way, you can share yourexperiences with others, get
feedback and even pick upadditional tips to help you
refine your approach.
The community aspect of themembership is invaluable because
it can help you stay on trackand, even more importantly, help
you stay motivated.
(09:14):
And again, don't forget aboutthe 90-day goal-setting workbook
that I've talked about.
It doesn't include just theweekly planning pages, but there
are also reflection promptsthat help you to adjust your
plan based on what's working andwhat isn't.
This ongoing reflection is thekey to helping you stay on track
(09:35):
and ensuring that you're notjust busy, but you are truly
productive.
Now that we've got that out ofthe way, the next step is very
important when it comes to beingproductive, but it's one that
people tend to leave out themost.
You have to incorporateself-care into your routine, and
I'm not talking about a big spaday, even though those are
(09:57):
really nice.
We often get so caught up intrying to do everything and take
care of everyone else that wetend to forget to take care of
ourselves.
But here's the truth you can'tpour from an empty cup, and I'm
sure that's not the first timeyou've heard that If you're not
taking care of yourself, yourproductivity, creativity and
overall well-being they're goingto suffer, which has an impact
(10:19):
on your family life and yourbusiness.
So, to help you make self-carea non-negotiable part of your
routine, there is a flexiblemorning routine workbook inside
of the resource section of theMighty Society membership.
This resource was designed tohelp you create a morning
routine that fits your lifestyleand sets you up for a
(10:40):
productive day.
It's about starting your daywith intention, filling your cup
before you start pouringyourself out into others and
ensuring that you are operatingat your best.
So let me share a quick storyfrom my own experience.
When I was in the process ofgrowing my business to replace
the income from my day job, Ihad to be hyper focused on how I
(11:04):
spent my time.
I mean, there were days when Ifelt like there weren't enough
hours to get everything done andI really wanted to give up.
But by prioritizing whataligned with my goal,
implementing strategies like thedaily sandwich technique,
regularly reflecting on myprogress and making adjustments
where needed, talking throughthe frustrations with some very
(11:26):
trusted women in my inner circleand investing in the right help
, I was able to stay on trackand achieve that goal.
Now, I will be honest it wasn'teasy, but it was absolutely
worth it.
That's the power of mindingyour time.
(11:46):
When you're intentional abouthow you spend your time and your
resources, you're able to makemeaningful progress towards your
goals without burning out, andthat's exactly what I want for
you.
Now, as we wrap up today'sepisode, I encourage you to take
some time to implement thesestrategies in your own life.
Start by prioritizing yourtasks with purpose.
Then organize your day usingthat daily sandwich technique
(12:09):
and definitely make self-care adaily priority.
Now, if you're ready to takeyour time management and
productivity to the next level,then please feel free to join us
inside of the Mighty Societymembership.
This is where you're going tofind the resources, support and
accountability to truly masteryour time and achieve your goals
(12:30):
.
Now, in the next episode, we'regoing to talk about how
streamlining your operationswill help your business run like
a well-oiled machine.
So I will see you back herenext week.
Thank you for tuning in thisweek.
Remember, just listening tothis episode will not get you
better results, so I challengeyou to break the mold and take
(12:52):
action today.
If you're unsure where to start,book a call with me to get your
questions answered about theMighty Society membership or
anything else that I mentioned.
A link to my calendar is in theshow notes.
Not ready to take that step yet?
No problem, be sure to connectwith me on Instagram, at the
underscore Shannon Baker.
(13:13):
You can ask me your questionsthere or let me know that you
enjoyed the episode by taking ascreenshot, sharing it and
tagging me.
Now, if you haven't alreadygrabbed my free audio
masterclass, why don't you juststart there?
It's a great first step toassess your back office on your
(13:33):
own, and this masterclassprovides valuable insights and
practical steps to help youorganize your processes, reduce
chaos and improve efficiency.
Go to theshannonbakercomforward slash audio masterclass
Now.
If you haven't left a reviewfor the podcast yet, please do
so.
(13:53):
I would love to hear from you,and it's an easy way to show
some love to the podcast andhelp me reach more small
business owners who are ready todefy the status quo.
I can't wait to hear from you.
So until next time, keep calmand streamline.
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3. Crime Junkie
If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people.