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April 3, 2025 18 mins

Let’s be real, if your calendar looks like chaos and your inbox runs your life, it’s not because you’re too busy. It’s because your boundaries are broken... and no, color-coding your planner isn’t going to save you.

In this episode, I’m talking about the real reason your business is running you instead of the other way around. Spoiler alert: It’s not a productivity hack you need, it’s a system that actually respects your time. 

I’m pulling back the curtain on how I ditched the reactive hustle and built a morning routine (that doesn’t start with email!) and a business that backs me up with real structure. You’ll get a breakdown of my POWER in Motion framework and how to use it to stop overdelivering, start delegating to automation, and finally protect your peace like the CEO you actually are.

Tune in if you’re ready to take back control of your time and set clear boundaries.

1:39 – The simple boundary I added to my mornings that completely changed how I run my business

5:10 – The truth bomb that hit me when I realized I was the reason my business felt out of control

6:58 – How your lack of systems is secretly killing your boundaries (and what to do instead)

10:08 – My client’s burnout story—and the one system we built that changed everything

15:26 – Why The MY-T Society isn’t just another membership—it’s your business’s new home base

Related Episodes Mentioned:

Episode 178 - How to Take Control with an Online Scheduling System and Boundaries

Resources Mentioned:

🤝 Join The MY-T Society for tools, templates, and expert support to simplify your business systems and take control of your time!

🧩 Book a Legacy In Motion Session, a personalized 2-hour strategy session, to uncover inefficiencies, set clear 90-day goals, and create an actionable plan to streamline your business and achieve sustainable growth!

Let me know your thoughts! Click here to send me a text.

Tired of feeling stuck behind the scenes?

Book a POWER In Motion Jumpstart Session! A 60-minute call where we’ll pinpoint what’s holding you back and build a 30-day action plan you can use right away.

It’s the perfect first step before joining the Founders Circle.  Book your session here.

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
If your mornings start with coffee and chaos,
then this episode is yourwake-up call.
Today, I'm gonna share the oneboundary that completely changed
how I run my business and whyyour lack of systems might be
the reason you're burned out.
I'm also gonna share a few tipsto help you reclaim your time,
your peace and your power.
Starting today, welcome to theMind your Time podcast.

(00:23):
I'm Shannon Baker, your coffeeloving host and business
operations strategist.
If your business feels chaoticand you're tired of spinning
your wheels, you're in the rightplace.
Each episode contains bothstrategies and practical
insights rooted in my power andmotion framework to help you
streamline your operations,reclaim your time and grow
without burnout.
So, whether you're juststarting out or scaling the six

(00:44):
figures and beyond, I'll helpyou simplify, set boundaries and
build a business that works foryou.
So grab a cup of coffee or yourfavorite beverage and let's
dive in.
Have you ever had one of thosemornings where you sit down to
enjoy your morning cup of coffee, then you open up your laptop
and the list of things that youneed to do overwhelms you before

(01:05):
you've even taken your firstsip?
Well, believe it or not, thatused to be me.
Coffee in hand, I thought I hada plan and within 10 minutes I
got a text from a client with aso-called quick ask and I say
that in air quotes.
Three emails that neededimmediate attention and suddenly

(01:27):
I shifted into reactive mode.
I hadn't even opened the onefile I planned to work on, not
to mention I still had notfinished my coffee.
But guess what?
That's not my story anymore.
Story anymore.

(01:49):
These days, my morning routinedoes not include checking my
email or opening my laptop.
With my morning cup of coffee,I start my day on my terms,
which means I have time to think, pray, enjoy my coffee and get
grounded before I even open mylaptop.
That one thing has been a gamechanger.

(02:10):
It's my morning routine.
That's a boundary that I put inplace, not just for my peace of
mind, but to power myselfthrough the day.
Because when I give myself thatspace in the morning, I lead my
day instead of my day leadingme.
And in that moment, years ago,I had to pause and ask myself

(02:35):
did I let this happen or did Icreate the issue?
Because here's what I'velearned the hard way Every time
I let someone else's urgencysupersede my priorities, it's
not really about them and it'snot their fault.
It's about my boundaries or alack of having them or sticking

(02:58):
to them.
Boundaries, my friend, are notoptional.
Boundaries, my friend, are notoptional.
They're a necessity in life andin your business because they
teach people how to treat you.
So even if you're a peoplepleaser, you've got to set and
stick to your boundaries.
So today I want to talk aboutsetting reasonable boundaries in

(03:30):
your business that actuallywork.
And I'm not talking somesurface level boundaries or
wishful thinking.
I'm talking about real,sustainable boundaries that
support the life you're building.
Because if your business isconstantly pulling you in 10
different directions, it's not aproductivity problem that's
holding you back, it's not evena time management problem Nine
times out of 10, it's aboundaries problem.

(03:50):
So we're going to have a blackcoffee conversation about this,
because I know you didn't startyour business because you wanted
to hustle harder.
And if you're like me and Ibelieve you are you started your
business because you wantedmore freedom, more flexibility
and you wanted to make a biggerimpact.
But somewhere along the way,all of that got buried under a

(04:15):
mountain of client demands, yourinconsistent processes and the
self-imposed pressure to beeverything to everybody because
you feel that's great customerservice and if you're nodding
along with me saying yep, that'sme, I see you.
I won't say I've been where youare because, trust me, I have

(04:40):
no problem saying no and to me,by the way, no is a complete
sentence and I get to decidewhether or not I justify my no.
But I understand this becausemy clients have the same problem
.
They think that ignoring orbending, or you know their

(05:02):
boundaries that that is goodcustomer service.
But, like I said earlier, yourboundaries train people how to
treat you.
Now let me tell you a bit moreabout how I know this.
When I made the decision to shutdown my virtual assistant
business years ago, it wasn'tbecause I couldn't find clients.
I had plenty of work.

(05:22):
Sometimes it was actually toomuch, but I was constantly
rearranging my life around myclients.
I had an onboarding process andit worked.
I had a scope of work that setexpectations for both of us.
I even had clear business hoursthat I communicated in multiple

(05:43):
ways when I first startedworking with a new client and I
sent yearly reminders.
But my business was stillrunning me and I was exhausted.
But it's because I didn't haveall the right boundaries in
place.
I was showing up for everyoneelse first, no matter what, and

(06:04):
I wasn't showing up for myselfand I definitely was not showing
up for my family.
And that, my friend, is thefastest way to burnout.
So here's the thing Boundariesare not selfish, don't let
anyone tell you differently.
They're not about shuttingpeople out or even about boxing
yourself in.
Boundaries are actually astrategy and they're definitely

(06:28):
a form of self-care.
And in the power of motionframework, boundaries are built
into every single step.
So I'm going to break that downfor you.
The P is for pick one goal,because when your goals are
scattered, your boundaries aregoing to be blurred as well.
Focus brings clarity, andclarity makes it easier for you

(06:52):
to say no to distractions andyes to what really matters.
Now.
The O is for organize youroperations.
This is where your boundariesstop being that wishlist and
they start becoming a reality.
Your systems, automations,templates, processes this is

(07:14):
what puts your expectations onautopilot and teach people how
to treat you, especially youronboarding process.
Now let me be clear If youdon't have systems, you don't
have boundaries or business.
You have wishful thinking andit's dependent on you.
And this is exactly what I canhelp you build inside of the

(07:38):
Mighty Society, because whenyou're in a season of growth,
you don't need more information.
You need systems that willevolve with you, and that
membership is designed to helpyou build a back office that
supports your boundaries andhelps you stick to the things
you start so that you can finishthem and grow your business

(07:58):
while enjoying life.
Now the W is for work on theplan.
This is where we take that bigvision you have and make it
doable.
You need to carve out CEO time.
You can take time off.
Then, when you create systemsthat support your routines,
guess what?
Those boundaries come into play, because boundaries without

(08:22):
implementation.
Well, guess what?
It's just good intentions.
But this step is how you stayconsistent with what you said
you were going to do, becauseyou stick to the plan.
And then the E is for executeconsistently, because this is
where the transformation happens.
Setting boundaries once, that'snot going to change your life.

(08:45):
But when you reinforce thoseboundaries through clear
communication, getting yoursystems in place and making
sound decisions, that's wheneverything starts to shift.
And inside of the MightySociety, you get access to tools
, templates and support, becauseyou need that to make this

(09:07):
process easier.
You don't have to wing itanymore, you need to just plug
into something that's alreadyworking.
And finally, the R is forremember, refine and review,
because things change, youevolve, your business evolves,
boundaries get tested.
That's why I encourage theMighty Society members to review

(09:29):
their operations quarterly tomake sure that what worked last
quarter is still serving themnow.
Because, let's be real, everyquarter that you delay putting
your processes in place,creating those backend systems
and building your boundaries,you risk another three months of
chaos, being overworked andyou're definitely missing

(09:53):
opportunities, and you don'thave to do that.
Now.
Let's talk about one of thebiggest boundary mistakes that
entrepreneurs make, which isletting their clients dictate
their processes.
I worked with a business ownerwho's actually a brilliant
marketing strategist.

(10:14):
She used to jump straight intoclient work without a clearly
defined onboarding process.
Because of that, she would endup chasing people for passwords,
waiting on photos and videosfor them so she can create their
content.
She was waiting on contentapprovals.

(10:34):
Basically, overall, she wasfrustrated and wasting valuable
time, and having to chase peoplefor what she needed to do her
job it was burning her out.
Now she has a detailedonboarding system and a project
management system for everyclient that ensures that she

(10:55):
gets everything she needs beforeshe even gets on the phone on a
discovery call with them.
No more wasting time on peoplewho aren't a good fit.
No more chasing folks down forwhat she needs to do her job.
No more drama, just a smooth,consistent process that respects
her time and positions her asthe professional she is.

(11:18):
And if you want to avoid scopecreep, well, this is how you do
it with boundaries.
Boundaries without a documentedprocess of automation, which is
a system that is just fragile.
But when you back yourboundaries with structure, you
don't have to keep explainingyourself.

(11:39):
You don't have to justifydelays when a client misses a
deadline.
Your systems do the talking foryou.
So let me offer you somethingsimple but powerful that you can
do today.
That's gonna make a difference.
I want you to take 10 minutesand ask yourself two questions.
What's one boundary that you'vebeen struggling to enforce

(12:01):
that's draining you?
Then think about what systemwould automate this boundary.
Here's an example If it'sclients messaging you after
hours, maybe you need anautoresponder or a note in your
welcome kit that clearlyexplains your working hours and

(12:22):
how to communicate with you.
If the issue is people tryingto book last minute meetings,
maybe you need a schedulingsystem with a built-in buffer
that shows your availability inreal time, and this is one of
the six core systems that everybusiness owner needs.
I even did an entire episode onthis one system.

(12:44):
I'll put a link to that in theshow notes.
But my point is, these are thekind of tweaks that we make
inside of the Mighty Societymembership.
We don't just talk aboutboundaries, we build the systems
that make them stick.
So it protects your time andyour energy.
Imagine sitting down everymorning knowing exactly what to

(13:04):
focus on after your cup ofcoffee, because your systems are
doing the heavy lifting for you.
So you're no longer playingcatch up, you're not scattered,
you're not putting out firesinstead of doing productive work
, and you're not doubtingwhether or not your business can
support your lifestyle.
That's the kind of structurethat we can create together.

(13:27):
So whether you need help withyour onboarding process,
creating a welcome kitdocumenting your standard
operating procedures, or evenjust figuring out where to start
, I have got you covered.
Join us inside of the MightySociety membership, because that
gives you access to plug andplay templates, guided support
from me and, most importantly, aspace to connect with others

(13:50):
that can support you and helpyou build momentum that lasts.
So go to theshannonbakercomforward slash membership to
check it out and join today.
And if you're craving clarityand a personalized strategy from
me, then go ahead and book alegacy in motion session.
We're going to audit yoursystems together, identify the

(14:11):
biggest gaps in your operations.
Then I'm going to give you acustom plan that simplifies your
operations so I can protectyour energy and support those
boundaries.
You'll walk away with clearnext steps so that you can take
aligned action right now.
A link for you to book.
That is in the show notes aswell.

(14:32):
Now let's quickly recap the keypoints from today.
One burnout isn't just aboutyou doing too much.
It's about you not protectingwhat matters most, and
boundaries are how you protectyour peace and your energy,
which is why you need them.
They're not optional Now.
Weak boundaries, that leads tochaos, frustration and

(14:53):
inconsistent results.
But when you have strongboundaries that are backed by
systems, that leads to growth,clarity and the freedom that you
want Now.
Keep in mind your onboardingprocess and a welcome kit are
two of the simplest ways tostart reinforcing boundaries
with new clients right from thebeginning.
And when it comes to buildingthese boundaries well, the Power

(15:17):
in Motion framework helps youdo that at every level of your
business, and that's from goalsetting to streamlining and
refining your systems.
Because inside of the MightySociety membership, you'll get
access to the resources, supportand structure that you need to

(15:39):
finally be able to run yourbusiness with confidence and
you'll be able to take backcontrol of your time.
So here's your next step.
If you're ready to stopabandoning strategies halfway
through and you want to finallycreate consistent systems that
help you scale and give you roomto breathe and think, then join
the Mighty Society membershiptoday.
You don't need another DIYguide.

(16:02):
You need the structure andsupport so that you can stay
focused on what actually works.
And if you want that customroadmap to move forward with
clarity, then book a legacyemotion session with me.
Let's create a strategy thatfits your business and supports
your lifestyle.
You didn't start your businessto be on call 24-7.

(16:23):
You started this for freedom,flexibility and impact, so let's
build systems that make thatreal.
You've got this.
Now it's time for us to putyour power in motion.
Thanks for hanging out with methis week.
If you've made it this far,it's clear you're ready to shake

(16:44):
things up and take control ofyour business and I'm here for
it.
But remember, just listening tothis episode won't get you
better results.
I challenge you to break themold and take action today.
Your next move, let's connectHead to the show notes and book
a call with me to learn how theMighty Society membership can
help you streamline your backoffice and reclaim your time.

(17:06):
If you're not ready for thatstep yet, no worries, connect
with me on Instagram at theunderscore, shannon Baker and
tell me what resonated most fromtoday's episode.
And if you're loving thepodcast, leaving a review is a
quick way to show your supportand help more entrepreneurs like
you break free from the chaos.
Listening is great, but actioncreates transformation.

(17:28):
Go, make it happen.
And until next time, keep calmand streamline.
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