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Time Wasters | Be Mindful Of Your Time

Time Wasters | Be Mindful Of Your Time

by | Planning-Organization-Productivity

Michele Duwe from Miss Task | Time Wasters | Be Mindful Of Your Time

Let me just say it—today’s time waster for me? Trying to get Descript to cooperate long enough to record the podcast episode with this blog post. Technology is usually not a huge hurdle for me, but wow… the struggle was real. And ironically, it was the perfect reminder of how easily we can lose time as business owners.

So let’s talk about it. These five time-wasting habits might seem small, but they can quietly derail your progress as a small business owner. I know this because I’ve dealt with every one of them. And if you’re struggling to stay consistent or feel like you’re always behind, chances are one (or more) of these is working against you.

Let’s break them down, one by one—and talk about how to take back control of your time.

Are You Aware of the Time Wasters That Derail Your Success?

Here’s the thing: most small business owners aren’t even aware of how much time they’re losing. And it’s not because you’re lazy. It’s because your brain is wired to stay comfortable. That means you often don’t notice the distractions and habits that are eating up hours of your week.

But those minutes? They add up.

If you want to grow your business, create consistent content, and stop feeling like you’re spinning your wheels, identifying these hidden habits is the first step.

The 5 Time Wasters That Derail Small Business Success

1. Not Tracking How You Spend Your Time

I know, I talk about this all the time—and I’m going to bring it up again next week too. Because the truth is, what you pay attention to improves. If you want to improve your productivity, you need to know where your time is actually going.

Most entrepreneurs think they know. But once they track it? They’re shocked. You realize you’re spending way more time in certain areas than you thought—like bouncing between browser tabs, checking email constantly, or answering pings and messages that honestly could wait.

Here’s the fix:
Just track your time for a week. That’s it. No need to go crazy. Jot down what you’re doing every 30 to 60 minutes. You’ll start to see patterns:

  • Time lost between meetings
  • Admin tasks that overlap
  • “Quick” social scrolls that turn into 20 minutes

Once you’re aware, you can start shifting those habits.

2. Letting Email Run Your Workday

This one hits hard if you’re coming from corporate life. We’re trained to keep our inbox open all day—but as a business owner, that habit will derail your priorities fast.

If your inbox is open all day, you’re constantly reacting instead of leading. It feels productive, but your actual business-building tasks get pushed aside.

One of my favorite quotes is from David Allen:

“Email is other people’s agenda for your time.”

So how do you stop letting your email run the show?

  • Block time on your calendar to check email—just like a meeting.
  • When a request comes in, schedule the task and reply with when you’ll handle it.
  • Stick to your schedule.

This helps you stay responsive, but still protect the things that matter most in your day.

Michele Duwe from Miss Task | Stay Present: Change Your Mindset and Content Creation

3. Mindless Social Media Scrolling

Whew. This is a big one for me too. And I know it’s easy to justify because, “I’m checking DMs,” or “I need to engage with my audience,” or “I’m staying current on trends.” But if we’re honest—most of that scrolling? It’s not actually helping us grow.

Social media is built to keep your attention. That’s literally how the platforms make money. So if you’re not intentional, you can easily spend hours there without even noticing.

Ask yourself:

  • How often am I opening social media during the day?
  • Am I being intentional or just reacting out of habit?
  • Could this time be better spent writing content, serving a client, or even just taking a real break?

Set clear boundaries. Create a process for how and when you engage on social media. Don’t let it become one of the biggest business time wasters to avoid.

Michele Duwe from Miss Task | Time Wasters | Be Mindful Of Your Time

4. Multitasking

Okay, confession time—I catch myself doing this all the time. Even though I know better, I still slip into it. And maybe you do too. You think multitasking helps you get more done, but research shows it actually decreases your productivity.

Each time you jump between tasks—say writing an email and then quickly checking your calendar—your brain has to reset. That mental reset costs you more time and energy than you think.

If you really want to improve your productivity, focus on one task at a time. Batch similar tasks. Eliminate distractions. Give yourself blocks of deep work time when you know you’re at your best.

You’ll get more done—and feel less scattered while doing it.

5. Not Scheduling Based on Priorities

Here’s the sneaky one: your calendar might be full, but that doesn’t mean you’re productive. One of the biggest time wasters that derail business progress is filling your schedule with low-priority tasks.

Instead of reacting to everything that comes up, start getting proactive:

  • At the beginning of each week, identify your top three business priorities.
  • Block out time for those first—before anything else gets scheduled.
  • Protect that time like you would a client meeting.

Remember, your business is a client too. Treat it like one.

When your calendar reflects your real goals—not just your to-do list—you make real progress.

Michele Duwe from Miss Task | Time Wasters | Be Mindful Of Your Time

Take Back Control of Your Time

If any of these habits sound familiar, don’t beat yourself up. They’re common, and they’re sneaky. But the good news is: you can change them.

Let’s do a quick recap:

5 Time Wasters That Derail Your Success:

  1. Not tracking how you spend your time
  2. Letting email control your day
  3. Mindless social media scrolling
  4. Multitasking instead of deep work
  5. Filling your calendar with the wrong priorities

Start small. Pick one time-wasting habit to shift this week. That’s it. You don’t need to overhaul your life—just start noticing, and then take one step forward.

When you take control of your time, you take control of your results.

Thank you so much for reading! I appreciate you and I hope you make it a wonderful week. Enjoy your day, friend.

Stay Present: Change Your Mindset and Content Creation

Stay Present: Change Your Mindset and Content Creation

by | Content Creation, Life and Success

I tend to share past entries out of my journal with my email list. Today, I want to share something a bit reflective with you. It’s about being present, really being where your feet are. I’ll be honest—I struggle with this. My mind is always darting from one thought to another, hardly ever just being still. But there’s a beautiful lesson in learning to be present, not just for our mental health but also for our spiritual journey. This is actually from a journal entry from a couple of years ago, but it got me thinking a lot about your mindset and content creation.

The Struggle with Presence

You know, the concept of ‘being where your feet are' sounds simple, right? But it's anything but that for most of us. Our minds are crowded places, bustling with the noise of ‘what ifs’ and ‘I need to.’ It's tough just to be still. And here’s something interesting—while we're talking about presence, we're also talking about awareness. Awareness of the moment, of our feelings, and our blessings in our daily life.

The Power of Awareness

This awareness is crucial. Even now, I rarely sit down with a hot cup of coffee, get cozy, snuggle with my puppies, and enjoy that moment. Take the time to truly feel all my blessings and give that magical cup of coffee my full focus.

What I’m finding is the days that I take those moments of gratitude. It pays forward with how I approach the day ahead. But it takes practice to have these moments. The Bible says in Psalm 46:10, ‘Be still, and know that I am God!’ That’s about finding peace in presence and knowing that there’s profound faith and understanding in the stillness. The awareness that we are not in this life alone. God is with us, and he puts the right people in our lives. It is up to us to cherish what we have.

​

Spiritual Perspective on Contentment

How often do you find yourself always striving for more? Rushing through the present with a temptation to always want more? That urge doesn’t come from a place of gratitude. It can lead us away from our path, from what God wants for us. He wants us to thrive, to follow His ways, His rules—and oh, how I love following rules! But part of what Paul tells us in Philippians 4:11, ‘I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.' It’s not about what we accumulate but what we appreciate.

Practical Steps to Increase Presence (Professional Focus)

Let’s shift gears to how being present influences you and your business. To truly have the impact your heart desires.

This impact comes from the pieces of content that you create. Isn’t the best content the pieces that you are fully present when you create it. Being present in your work means being deeply engaged with the task, whether strategizing your content calendar or creating compelling, impactful material. 

Here are a few steps I've implemented that you might find useful:

  1. Single-Tasking Over Multi-Tasking: Focus on one project at a time. This improves the quality and speeds up the process because your attention isn't divided. When you switch tasks, your energy can have small shifts, so keep the right mindset to create great content.
  2. Scheduled Check-Ins: Regularly step back to assess the direction of your work. Are you aligned with your business goals? Is your content doing what it’s supposed to do? Are you using your long-form content and repurposing it to social posts? 
  3. Mindful Meetings: Whether it’s with clients or team members, being fully present in meetings ensures more productive outcomes and fewer misunderstandings.
  4. Embrace Automation: Use tools and systems to handle repetitive tasks. This frees up mental space, allowing you to be more creative and strategic with your content.

Embracing Change and Letting Go

Change is hard. We resist it, even when it’s good for us. But to truly embrace presence, we sometimes need to let go. Let go of the clothes that just sit in our closet, the tasks we do out of obligation, and the stress that doesn’t serve us. This isn’t just cleaning out; it’s making room for new growth and blessings. When we let go it allows us to have a growth mindset instead of staying stuck in a fixed mindset and not looking for possibility.

Breaking Down the Overwhelm

Let's talk about those moments when the weight of everything on our shoulders feels too heavy—when our to-do lists seem a mile long and our minds buzz with wants, needs, and what-ifs. It's natural to feel overwhelmed in these moments, but a strategy can bring us back to a state of effectiveness and calm: focusing on the present moment. I know, right, It is easy to say and sometimes hard to do. 

Here's a quick story that brings this idea to life. A few weeks ago, my husband, our youngest daughter, who was home from college on spring break, and I were playing Rummikub. Bryar can easily see how to move around the tiles. My competitive family likes to keep tabs on who wins, and she has signed the box the most out of the three of us. Well, during the game, my husband had to step away to take a phone call, and we paused the game until he returned.

When he returned and sat down, he immediately placed his tiles in ways he hadn’t noticed before. Surprised, he said, ‘Why did I not see these before?' And that’s when I told him, ‘Sometimes, you need to step back and come back with fresh eyes.' He agreed, saying, ‘Yes, it does.'

This simple moment in our family game night is a perfect metaphor for what we often face in our busy lives. Just like stepping away from the game gave my husband a new perspective, taking a moment to pause and assess our small business and personal challenges can reveal solutions and opportunities we might not see. At the same time, we’re caught up in the hustle.

So, when you feel overwhelmed, remember the power of a short break. It's not just about stepping away; it's about returning with a fresh perspective that can make all the difference.

Applying Presence to Content Creation

Now, let’s take this concept of presence and apply it directly to content creation, which, as many of you know, is a big part of my world. Just like in our personal and business lives, being present can transform the content creation process. Successful content creators understand their best work is done with a present and positive mindset. 

When we’re overwhelmed with ideas, deadlines, and the pressure to produce, it’s easy to lose sight of the creativity and purpose behind our work. Here’s how we can apply the ‘Pause and Assess' strategy specifically to content creation:

  1. Clear the Clutter: Before you start working on a new piece of content, take a moment to clear away any unnecessary distractions. This could be physical clutter on your desk or digital clutter on your computer. I don’t know about you, but I have many open windows, which can be distracting.
  2. Focus on One Piece at a Time: Instead of juggling multiple content pieces simultaneously, focus intensely on one. This could mean taking one piece of content from start to finish. Maybe you’re not someone that can batch-create. You may need to take one idea from start to finish. While batching is effective, it may not work for everyone.
  3. Reflect on Your Goals: What is the purpose of the content you’re creating? Who is it for? Realigning with your goals can refresh your perspective and inspire new ideas.
  4. Take a Creative Break: If you're stuck, step away for a while. Just like my husband found new ways to lay down his tiles after his break, you might find new inspiration for your content after some time away from the screen. Get up, move your body, and let your mind wander to your next great idea.
  5. Return with Fresh Eyes: When you return, look at your content as if seeing it for the first time. Sometimes, this fresh perspective can help you spot opportunities for improvement or new angles you hadn’t considered before.

By being fully present in each step of the content creation process, you will produce work that aligns with you and creates the desired impact. Remember, every piece of content you create is an extension of your presence in the online world. Show up how you want to be seen and make it count.

Call to Listeners:

Before I wrap up this post, I want to take a moment to talk about something close to my heart—helping you make the most of your content. As a content manager and podcaster, I understand how overwhelming it can feel to keep up with the demands of creating, managing, and repurposing content.
That’s where I come in. My content marketing services are designed to take the load off your shoulders, whether you want to streamline your content systems or breathe new life into old posts.

From setting up efficient content systems in your favorite project management tool to repurposing your podcast into blog posts, social media snippets, and beyond, I’m here to help you maximize your impact with minimum stress. View my service if you’re ready to transform your content strategy and free up more time to focus on what you truly love. Let’s make your content work smarter, not harder.
​

Time To Wrap This Up:

As I wrap up, remember that the journey to being more present—personally and professionally—is paved with intentional, small steps. By focusing on what we can do right now, we not only manage our daily tasks more effectively but also live our lives more fully. This is the essence of being where our feet are—fully immersed, fully engaged, and fully alive to the opportunities of the present moment.

How to Create a Simple Social Media Post with Canva

How to Create a Simple Social Media Post with Canva

by | Content Marketing

Michele Duwe from Miss Task | Creating a Simple and Efficient Social Media System in Canva

Have you ever spent way too long searching through Canva to find that one graphic you know you made—but can't find? If your social media graphics feel scattered, your branding inconsistent, and your storage nonexistent, you're not alone. The good news? Canva can transform this chaos into a streamlined, stress-free social media system that's easy for you and your team to maintain. Here’s exactly how to set it up.

1. Create and Name Your Project Folders Clearly

Canva’s folders are the foundation of your organized storage system. Start by creating dedicated folders. How you organize is up to you. It can be based on campaigns, different content types or chronologically by year and month. Clearly structured folders save significant time and frustration by allowing you and your Content VA to quickly locate, reuse or repurpose existing graphics. Plus, structured folders simplify the onboarding process for any new team member joining your business.

Ideas for folders

  • Create folders for different content types (quotes, promotions, testimonials).
  • Organize your folders by campaign
  • Organize by date (year and month or year and platform i.e. Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok) to easily track and find graphics.

Why is this important?

  • Quickly locate content to reuse or repurpose.
  • Save significant time by avoiding endless scrolling through designs.
  • Clearly structured folders make onboarding a new Content VA simple and intuitive.

2. Utilize Canva’s Brand Kit

The Brand Hub in Canva is essential for keeping your branding assets centralized and easily accessible. Store the basics like your logo, brand colors, and fonts. In addition, add brand voice, photos, graphics and icons. Keeping it here in the brand kit means they are always within reach whenever you're creating or updating graphics.

Doing this ensures your branding stays consistent across all platforms, reducing confusion and speeding up the creation process. A centralized Brand Kit also provides clarity and saves time for your Content VA when they step into your workflow.

Ensure your branding elements are centrally located and accessible:

  • Store your logo, brand colors, and fonts within Canva’s Brand Kit.
  • Easily access your branding assets when creating or updating graphics.

Why is this important?

  • Your branding remains consistent across all platforms.
  • Avoid confusion about brand standards among your team.
  • Streamline the creation and updating process by having everything in one location.

3. Set Up and Use Consistent Templates

Creating reusable templates for your social media posts significantly simplifies your graphic design process. My personal favorite, you are not starting from scratch. Label each template clearly by the type of post or content theme, and include your essential brand elements so they're ready to use anytime. Templates eliminate the repetitive and time-consuming task of designing graphics from scratch, ensuring consistent quality and allowing you or your Content VA to quickly refresh existing content whenever needed.

Create and store reusable templates to simplify graphic design:

  • Clearly label templates by type of social media post or content theme.
  • Include your brand elements so they’re ready to use at any moment.

Why is this important?

  • Saves time and reduces repetitive design work.
  • Ensures consistency and quality in every social media graphic.
  • Allows for easy and quick updates when refreshing existing content.

4. Integrate Canva with Google Drive for Seamless Storage and Backup

If you prefer keeping all your graphics stored in Google Drive, Canva offers a straightforward integration. You can easily search Google Drive directly from Canva, quickly locating and accessing your stored files. Additionally, you can upload your designs directly from Canva to the correct folder location within Google Drive. This integration simplifies storage, ensures seamless organization, and provides secure backup for your valuable content.

Keep your designs secure and easily accessible:

  • Use Canva’s integration with Google Drive for additional storage and backup.
  • Effortlessly organized for seamless collaboration

Why is this important?

  • Reduces risk of losing valuable content.
  • Provides easy access and sharing options outside Canva.
  • Enhances team collaboration by having everything in one centralized location.
Michele Duwe from Miss Task | Creating a Simple and Efficient Social Media System in Canva

5. Use Canva to Create a Content Calendar and Schedule Posts

Canva’s Content Planner offers an easy way to create and manage your content calendar directly within Canva. Schedule posts directly to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. This feature provides visual clarity, ensures consistent posting, prevents content gaps, and eliminates the need for additional scheduling tools, significantly streamlining your social media workflow.

Canva’s Content Planner allows you to seamlessly schedule and manage your social media posts:

  • Schedule posts directly to platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
  • View your entire content calendar at a glance for effective planning.
  • Adjust scheduled content quickly and easily.

Why is this important?

  • Simplifies content management and ensures consistent posting.
  • Provides visual clarity and helps prevent gaps or overlaps in your content schedule.
  • Saves valuable time by reducing the need for additional scheduling tools.

Bonus: Streamline Communication and Client Approval

One of Canva’s convenient features is its built-in commenting and sharing system. You can effortlessly communicate with your Content VA about design changes or questions directly within Canva, and quickly share designs with clients for review and approval. This clear communication streamlines feedback, accelerates revisions, and simplifies the client approval process.

Canva’s built-in commenting and sharing features simplify communication:

  • Use comments to discuss or clarify design changes with your Content VA.
  • Easily share designs with clients for approval directly from Canva.

Why is this important?

  • Improves clarity and reduces communication back-and-forth.
  • Speeds up approval and revision processes.
  • Provides a simple, professional method for client feedback.

Show Up Consistently—Without Doing It All Yourself

Your Podcast, Repurposed into a Full Marketing Strategy

A done-for-you repurposing service where we turn one piece of content into 5 Days of Marketing Content so you can grow your audience and impact in less time.

5 Days of Content from 1 Podcast Episode

  • 2 vertical video clips
  • 1 Carousel post graphic and caption
  • 1 Quote/Static post graphic and caption
  • 1 Graphic and caption to specifically promote the podcast episode
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I Want This Done for Me

Time To Wrap This Up

When you're limited on time, never start from scratch. Organize your Canva account clearly to leverage existing designs efficiently. Ask yourself, where are you starting fresh when you could simply update something you already have?

Pro Tip:

By organizing your Canva account clearly, your Content VA can easily step into the system, keeping content creation stress-free, organized, and efficient.