How + When Can People Contact You?
This is such a deceptively simple question. On the one hand, I could say… “pick your dream work hours! Go on, do it now!”; but for most of us it just isn’t that simple.
If you like the 9am – 5pm then great, go for it… or play around with it and make micro-adjustments, truthfully 10am – 6pm is just more me. Perhaps you only need to work for three hours a day to have a business that booms. Or maybe you want split hours, 9am – 12pm and 3pm – 6pm… the world is your oyster!
If you can pick your times in this way then fabulous, skip ahead. However, for most of us, the challenge comes with the inconvenient truth that our businesses just aren’t that simple. We have busy periods, seasonal rushes and days when we’re simply more motivated than others. For those of you reading this who have a menstrual cycle, that may also play into how, when and what kind of work you feel able to do on any given week. That’s ok… it all comes back to: BOUNDARIES!
That magical word, I keep being drawn back to. I’m a big fan of structure… but with some flexibility built in. I have start and end times that I like to stick to, but I don’t beat myself up if that gets shifted around slightly. What I do have is non negotiables. For example, I won’t work past later than x’ o clock. Or, I won’t start working until I’ve done Y. If you wake up one morning and are just brimming with energy then great, harness that! What I would say though is have certain non-negotiables that you start your day with. Is it important to you that you stretch or exercise before you start work? Do you need to get out the house and have some fresh air before switching your laptop on?
For me, I love to have some hot water and lemon in the morning and then do some deep breaths over a steaming bowl, before splashing my face with cold water. It feels refreshing and helps me ground myself at the start of each day. Even on days when I wake up with an idea in my head that I can’t wait to crack on with, I do this first. I’ll be talking more about the value of routine in this next chapter but, as human beings, we really do need it.
The other non-negotiable you may want to set is how many hours you work in any given day. It may shift when you do that work, but have a limit on how much you do. This can help you spread yourself out more evenly and prevent burnout. I run events which means I have to work in the evening. I enjoy that (I’m a night owl!) but I’m certainly not going to work until 11pm on the days when I don’t have events. When you work may need to shift around slightly depending on your other responsibilities, but cap yourself with how much you’re going to work each day.
It’s also important to manage your time with regular breaks throughout the day. I spoke to Tammy Whalen Blake, Founder of The Yellow Mastermind, to find out more about her experience with this: “I commonly see business owners with back-to-back meetings, but these quickly lead to wasted time. Taking regular 15-minute breaks can boost productivity by 6%. If you were told that you could increase your revenue by that same percentage simply by taking breaks, you would jump at the opportunity. Now is your chance to do the same. Additionally, learning to delegate tasks and setting clear boundaries are essential strategies that can help free up mental space and prevent feelings of overwhelm.” Take some space to reflect on how you can be more mindful with the ways in which you balance your time going forward. Let’s not be busy fools! Deciding when you’ll start & stop working has huge benefits for our wellbeing.
MY ACTION PLAN:
· Does your business allow you to set exact work hours you can stick to? E.g. 10am – 6pm?
· What hours would you ideally like to work? (Never work more than is needed for the business to be operational or growing if that’s your goal! We want to work smart, not harder.)
· Can you set a definite limit on how many hours you work each day?
· When will you definitely not work before or after?
· What things are non-negotiables for you before you start working?
