Business Owners, It’s Your Time: 5 Ways to Live Your Best Life!
Let me guess: you have plans for time away – or for something really important to you – but those plans keep getting put on the back burner. Far too often, your business takes precedence over just about everything else in your life.
You feel so ready to live the life you envisioned when you started your business, but you’re not even where to start.
I’ve been there, and I’m here to help. I’m as busy as any other business owner, but I’ve learned how to balance growing my company with living my dream life. (At the time of publication, I’m off-grid in Barcelona, painting with my mom – and I’m not at all stressed about how my company will run without me!)
If you’re ready to take action and start living the life you want to live, keep reading!
Step 1: Take Stock of Your Priorities
At times, the demands of our businesses have to come first. As the owner, the buck really does stop with you, and when something comes up that needs your attention, that’s where your attention needs to go.
However, many of us have a tendency to put our businesses first, even when we don’t have to. We sabotage our own goals of achieving the life we really want to live.
If this is where you find yourself, it’s time to get honest about what you really want your priorities to be.
Do you want more time with your family? Actual vacation time? Do you have hobbies or sports that you would like to spend more time with? Do you want to start a podcast or write a book?
All of these are amazing goals, but they all take time – and in order to have the time to spend on them, you have to prioritize!
Action step: take out your calendar and identify blocks of time that you can dedicate to things that are important to you. Even if those blocks are a few weeks out, put them on your calendar and stick to them!
Step 2: Work Backward to Determine an Action Plan
Once you have your goals and priorities in place, it’s time to create a plan to make them reality!
This step will take a bit of work, but it’s essential – and it’s worth it.
In order to create this plan, you’ll need to take an honest look at which parts of your business tend to take most of your time. Are there processes that consistently break down, requiring your constant attention? Are there team members who could be amazing but need some additional training or mentoring?
These aren’t always fun things to look at, but identifying what needs to be fixed is the first step to actually fixing it (and freeing up your time).
And the good news? My team and I can help you create the action plan, put the right systems in place, and develop your team!
Action step: set aside some time to take an honest look at what needs some work in your business. (I promise, we all have those areas!) If you would like help, contact us – we have solutions to fit your needs.
Step 3: Be Intentional About Implementation
Getting your priorities in order and determining an action plan are essential steps…but if you don’t implement what you set out to do, the life you’re dreaming of will remain a dream.
It’s time to take action!
The good news is, you don’t have to do it all by yourself. You have a team – utilize them!
If you have systems or processes that need to be streamlined, it’s likely that your team already knows this (and has great ideas as to how to do so). Encourage them to submit proposals!
If your systems need to be built from the ground up, don’t try to go it alone. We have Systems Packages, complete with training and editable Systems Manuals, for every department in your business. These allow you to take a proven framework, adjust it slightly to your needs, and implement the systems you need in a matter of weeks.
We’ll even help you develop an implementation plan!
Getting intentional about implementing each step of your action plan and building strong systems will be one of the best choices you could make, both for your business and for yourself!
Action step: Work with your team to put an implementation plan in place for your systems build – and if you would like some help, just contact us!
Step 4: Do Something You Enjoy!
Remember that time you blocked off, back in Step 1? It’s time to take advantage of it!
You’ve put a plan in place, you’ve brought your team on board, and you’ve done the work – now, it’s time to celebrate and enjoy.
It might sound odd that I’ve singled that out as a step, but when you get drawn into the cycle of hectic schedules, it often takes an intentional decision to slow down enough to enjoy what’s important to you.
This is why you have systems and a team!
Seriously, when I take time off, I leave my laptop behind and give my phone to someone else. If I’m gone for several days at a time I may call in once, just to check in, but past that I trust my team. They know how I would handle things, they know the chain of leadership, and they are empowered to figure it out and take action to keep things running smoothly.
And I get some time away to recharge, live my life, and come back refreshed.
Action step: Step 4 is to intentionally take time for yourself – time with no guilt, no stress, and no wondering about how things will run without you. It can be a challenge at first, but it will allow you to come back refreshed, recharged, and better than ever!
Step 5: Make This Process Part of Your Culture
Once you figure out this process for yourself, build it into your culture. Let your team know that you trust them to step up and have your back – and let them know that their wellness is just as important to you as your own.
When I take time for myself, I celebrate it with my team. I thank and recognize them for helping me build a company that values balance!
However, I also do the same for them. When I hold quarterly reviews, one of my first questions is, “When are you taking vacation next quarter? Let’s get it on the calendar.” When they take vacation, I guide them through handing off whatever they’ve got on their plates so that another team member can cover for them – and so they don’t spend their time off worrying about what fires will be waiting when they come back.
And when they take time for themselves, whether it’s a couple of days resting at home or a dream vacation, we all celebrate each other! We love to help each other thrive, and teamwork is an essential part of our culture.
Action step: consider steps you could take to help your team focus more on their own wellness and balance. Doing so doesn’t just build a stronger culture, it also helps to increase both productivity and job satisfaction!
Each of these steps will bring you one step closer to living your best life – and I’m excited for you to do so!