Today I wanted to give you a real life example of how I make my time work for me — I posted this in Tribe and they found it really helpful, so I’d like to share it with you.
And it starts with a little news that’s KINDA worthy of a drum-roll, so if you please…
In the middle of being a parent and step-parent to two tween girls, in the middle of running a 6 figure business and planning launches, up-leveling, AND training team members to take on more responsibility, in the middle of being an active community member, a half-way decent friend, having time for social life, self-care, and down time with my family…
I have made the time and space to spark a dream: we have just incorporated as a non-profit to begin a pit bull rescue and sanctuary here in Maine.
And although this has been my dream for over 20 years, I didn’t actually think it would happen, and here’s why.
My role models in dog rescue are men and women who have given EVERY SECOND of their existence to dog rescue. They live with 20 animals in their house. They go bankrupt, or live at the edge of financial destitution, with mountains of debt. They burn out, get ill, occasionally suicide under the weight of the trauma and heartbreak they witness and experience.
And I lived in fear of giving up my life in exchange for saving dogs.
But last November, at the retreat I had with MY coach, I had an epiphany.
I’ve NEVER done things the way they were modeled for me. I’ve NEVER lived by other people’s guidelines. I didn’t do it when I started In Arms Coaching- I started it not even making ends meet financially, with 4 hours a week to build it, emotionally exhausted and physically depleted. No loan. No start-up time. No plan B. And nothing other than my vision and my determination to do it ON MY TERMS, putting my kid and my self first, ALWAYS.
And what I realized in November, was that there was no reason to do the rescue any differently. If the old paths and models don’t work for me, I’ll build a DIFFERENT PATH. One where I nurture myself and my family first, so we have the energy to rescue the dogs. One where we build the rescue with a business model, instead of just adding more and more dogs to our house until we are FORCED to do something differently. One where I ask for help and build in support from the beginning, so that we DON’T lose our personal life to the effort.
And just to give you a little glimpse in, because for me this is often helpful, this is how I’ve structured my week so that there’s space and time for it all (and remember, a key was that I did this in late fall for this year, so I was planning ahead and could move things around a little).
Monday:
- 7am-9 or 10: Time ON my biz (checking in with VIP clients, reading FB posts from groups and responding, checking in on anything I need from Amanda, writing a post or two for SM, answering emails so I start my week feeling on point and caught up)
- 9/10-12: client calls
- 12-12:45: lunch and team meeting (often done at same time)
- 12:45-3/4: client calls
- 4 pm: done for day, unplug, family time, shopping, dinner, etc
Tuesday:
- 7 am- 11: Time ON Biz: content creation, funnel work, blog writing, FB group responses (including in my own groups and showing up in the few groups I’m a part of), interviews or connecting with colleagues, meetings with my web goddess and funnel/online strategist or my coach.
- 11-12: MY TIME: lunch, walk on the beach, read in bed, etc.
- 12-3: group calls: facilitating my group program calls
- 3 pm: done for day, unplug, family time, social stuff, shopping, dinner, etc (once in a while I’ll jump back on when we get home to wrap up loose ends. The kid likes an hour or so to herself when we just get home, so I use that time to do any other work I need to do before she wants access to me)
Weds:
- 7am-9 or 10: Time ON my biz (checking in with VIP clients, reading FB posts from groups and responding, checking in on anything I need from Amanda, writing a post or two for SM, answering emails so I start my week feeling on point and caught up)
- 9/10-3/4: client calls
- (Lunch breaks on Wednesdays come at different times, depending on what calls we have on the books.)
- 3 pm: done for day, unplug, family time, social stuff, coffee/tea/meals with friends, shopping, dinner, etc
Thursday:
- 8-12/1: Rescue and Sanctuary Time! 🙂
- 12/1-3/4: Misc: random group calls (we’ll change this for next cycle so ALL group calls are on Tuesdays to keep this day clear for rescue work, but I was working with an existing group call schedule for you guys, so I’m making changes in steps), acupuncture appointments, networking meetings, JV connections, etc.
- 3/4: 3 pm: done for day, unplug, family time, social stuff, coffee/tea/meals with friends, shopping, dinner, etc
Friday:
- 7/8-9: Time to wrap up week: I only do things I enjoy here, like write blog posts, answer emails and FB questions, etc.
- 9 am: Money date: I take myself and my finances to a favorite cafe and connect. Check all balances, pay bills, do tax prep, etc.
- 9:30/10-1:30: Self-care time! Massage. Coffee with friends. Exercise.
- 1:30: pick kid up: family fun, mother-daughter dates, pick up other friends, etc. I have time at home to bake, clean up a little, organize, call my mom, see friends, etc.
Saturday & Sunday:
Family fun days. Occasionally if I get up early and feel excited about it, I’ll do some creative work in the morning before anyone’s up, just because it feels fun. But lately I’ve been avoiding that and sleeping so late that the coffee my hubby puts next to the bed for me is cold when I wake up 🙂 Cuz that’s what feels good.
Does this help you guys at all? Come on into Tribe and let me know if it helps, how, what else would be helpful to know.
Love and sharpies,
Britt
PS. Let me know when you come in if this helped you or not, and if you’d like to have more “behind the scenes” info– if that’s helpful for you!
