Isn’t the relativity of time incredible?
Back in your old 9-5, you may have been chewing on your pen and watching the clock as time seemed to literally stand still. A 40-hour workweek seemed more like a 100-hour workweek.
But now that you’re an entrepreneur, getting lit up by all the work you’re doing, 40 hours slip away.
Time flies when you’re having fun, right?
This is a trap that sucks in many entrepreneurs– especially new ones.
You jump around from exciting project to exciting project. You have 50 tabs open at any given time, and that doesn’t even begin to include all the tabs open in your brain.
And then time leaks. And when time leaks, money leaks. And when money leaks, energy leaks.
No bueno.
Here are the Top 3 Time, Money, and Energy Leaks I see in my discovery calls, and how to plug the leaks:
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Figuring Out What To Do and When To Do It
This sounds simple enough. Your to-do list is pages long, right? Just do those things. But we both know it’s not that simple.
Most entrepreneurs set up their perfect workspace, colour-code their pens and sticky notes, but then sit down at their computer and get lost. They don’t know where to start. Or, they have the opposite problem and they jump around from task to task and never really get anything done.
If you feel like you’re playing (and losing) entrepreneurial whack-a-mole, your schedule needs a makeover.
PLUG THE LEAK: Do a time study. Set your alarm to go off every 20 minutes for 3 days. When the alarm goes off, jot down what you’ve been working on. This is going to give you a really clear picture of where you are spending your time (and therefore your money and energy).
BONUS SOLUTION: Pick up My Weekly Strategy for Getting More Time and Making More Money
2. Checking In On Your Team
If you are required to touch, check, and recheck every part of your business, you will quickly see time, money, and energy leaks. Hiring a team is about more than finding people to work in your business. Strategic hires should be aligned with company values and philosophy. They should be good at what they do so that you can trust them to do it.
Company culture starts at the top. If you want a trustworthy team, you first have to be willing to trust them.
PLUG THE LEAK: Once you start bringing on aligned team members, work with them to set up processes and checklists to get the jobs done. Clearly communicate the company’s outcomes, and invite your team to be invested in those outcomes. Once your team member is comfortable, give yourself permission to let them do their job.
3. Duct-Taping Your Backend Systems
What is your tech set-up these days? Does it look like a smooth, well-communicating network? Or is it more of a haphazard quilt of budget-friendly software and apps that don’t speak to one another?
If you’re running around like a one-woman Zapier (if you don’t know what Zapier is, you probably need Zapier) trying to make your invoicing connect to your banking, and your banking connect to your bookkeeping, and your Zoom to connect with your calendar, and your calendar to connect with your booking service, and your VA doesn’t even exist yet because you couldn’t possibly explain all these moving pieces… you’re wasting a lot of time, money, and energy.
PLUG THE LEAK: Invest in the right tech. It is essential for online businesses. Your software is the equivalent of your brick-and-mortar. You’re not paying rent, so it’s time to pony up for good tools that speak to one another. I recommend starting with a project management tool to keep all your to-dos in one place and accessible to your team and clients (I love ClickUp). Next, I recommend getting yourself a virtual booking system like Acuity or Calendly that syncs up with your calendar and Zoom so folks can book themselves into your schedule.
The three leaks I laid out in this post are directly connected to my system for turning stressed-out entrepreneurs into Unburdened CEOs.
First, we streamline your brain by getting your time and to-dos organized.
Second, we streamline your team by improving your communication and trust.
Finally, we streamline your business by getting all your tech to talk to one another and run seamlessly in the background.
We do all of this so that you can spend more time in service to your clients, or building your next big offer. AKA– We do this so you can make more money in a business you love.
Are you ready to move toward the freedom, fun, and alignment of The Unburdened CEO?
Start by swiping My Weekly Strategy for Getting More Time and Making More Money.
