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Get More Done With Time Blocking

Get More Done With Time Blocking

Michele Duwe from Miss Task | Get More Done With Time Blocking

Now, I know what you're thinking. Will time blocking help me get more done? Yes, it will!

As online entrepreneurs, you're trying to conquer so many things, and instead of feeling accomplished, you feel unproductive, stuck, and frustrated. At the end of most days, it seems as if the day ran away with a lack of focus, leaving you feeling overwhelmed.

Are you tired of feeling this way and ready to be clear about your day and what needs to be done to move your business forward?

First, jumping around from project to project isn't the secret sauce to success. It all boils down to getting laser-focused and completing essential tasks.

You must be wondering how this happens. 

The solution is simple: it's with time blocking your day. Time blocking breaks your day into an achievable structure. What would it feel like to look back at your day and feel productive and efficient? You'd feel like you won the day, just saying.

No worries, friend, if you're not a planner. It's a life skill you can improve, I pinky swear. I'm guessing you're ready to let go of running your business like a disorganized, headless chicken.

Here’s how you’ll time block:

Power Hours

When are you in your power hours? Do you know the time of day when your productivity superpower comes out? You're about to find out this is different for everyone.

If you're not sure, start paying attention and simply jot down the time of day that you easily and effortlessly completed your work. This would indicate that you're in the power hours of productivity.

Let's make this your first official time block. During this time, use it for a creative project or a project you've been procrastinating on. For me, this is not the first hour of my day. I need a slow start in the first hour of my day. Otherwise, I'll find myself sitting and staring at my computer screen.

Here is an excellent post about Eating Frogs! https://misstask.com/eat-your-frogs/

What are Things to Time Block? 

Let me break it down for you; you can time block hours or choose to have theme days.

But what does that mean? It's simple. You may want to select the days and times for your coaching calls and meetings with your team. You can also designate content creation days.

Perhaps you like to have variety in your day, so you sprinkle in a little bit of everything with themed time blocks. With theme days, you'd pick one primary day for all your meetings and coaching and a secondary day for any overflow meetings or coaching sessions.

In a similar fashion, if you conduct discovery calls in your online business, it would be nice to have a specific day for these calls. Could they possibly be on your overflow meeting day?

Now, this is important: your most productive day of the week should be for creative work only. Here's what I mean: no meetings or anything else that will drain your energy. I love the trend that corporate America is following with designated no-meeting days.

Let me clarify: You may want to divide your days into halves. The trick is to work with your personal power hours. If you find that you're very productive in the afternoons, you could schedule meetings in the mornings and plan your creative work in the afternoons.

During your creative block, you will record your podcast, write your blog, and create your course outline. Here's the big secret: time blocking goes hand in hand with batch creation. When you batch similar work, it will get you into the flow and keep you in the state of flow versus bouncing from one thing to another without completing it from start to finish.

This can be done in many different ways; finding when you feel like a productivity rock star is essential. When I ask a new client about time blocking or batch work, they usually don't do it very well.

Start Small 

You must wonder how to start when this whole time blocking and batching is new to you. 

Start small.

The answer? Begin with 45 minutes of dedicated time scheduled 2-3 times a week and see how it goes. What is something you're getting behind on that you find you're doing at the last minute EVERY SINGLE WEEK?

Michele Duwe from Miss Task | Get More Done With Time Blocking

Do A Time Audit to Figure Out Your Time Blocks

Another great way to figure out time blocking is to do a time audit for one week. I understand even the thought of time tracking feels like a burden; I say this with love, suck it up, buttercup, it's only for a week.

Most people don't realize how much time they spend on tasks or how easily they are distracted and waste time. 

Here's how it works: time tracking can be done on paper by jotting down the time along with what you're working on or by using time tracking software to track everything. 

If you'd like to try tracking software, I suggest Toggl Track, a great tool offering a free task-tracking plan. https://toggl.com/track/

 

My Own Example From the Past 

When client work began to fill my days, the creative work for my business went out the window. I was an inconsistent content creator.

Blah, all that time I'd spent building up an audience—well, y'all, that doesn't stay without being nurtured. Unfortunately, this was a business lesson I had to learn for myself.

Then it finally dawned on me that my power hours are in the morning, and my brain is done by 2 or 3 p.m. every day. Now, the first two hours of my workday are dedicated to creating content or the top priorities for my business—also known as the things I'll procrastinate on until the last minute.

Fortunately, there's a simple solution: I work in sprints of time; I set the timer for 50 minutes and pour out all the words. I take a quick break and complete another sprint. And during that time, some days I'll have it all done, others the struggle is real, and I start over a bazillion times.

When planning my day, I know client work does not begin until 9 am. Blocking this time and setting the boundary have also taught me not to say yes to all the things and projects. 

With my people-pleasing, helpful personality, I must not overbook myself. Which was also another business lesson I had to learn for myself. If this is you, be sure to read “Yes to Everything” mindset. https://misstask.com/mindful-yes/

Book A 1-Hour Virtual Session

Discover the Secret to Effortless Content Creation –

From Overwhelmed to Thriving: Your Content Creation Simplified Journey Starts Here!

My Time Blocks are Simple 

You must be wondering how I schedule my day. I have a morning routine that was significantly simplified. 

I don't know about you, but when I started my business, I heard people talk about 2-3 hour morning routines. What I found was that an extensive morning routine simply stressed me out. 

For quite a while now, the first hours have been spent with Bible reading, meditation, journaling, and the daily Wordle, and then I go into the office for my priority work block.

Once I'm at my desk, every weekday is content-focused while I enjoy several cups of coffee. A bulk of my day is reserved for my done-for-you content repurposing clients, and coaching clients are in the afternoons or every other Friday.

Stay with me now; 98% of the time, the block is consistently scheduled at the same time every day. Keeping the schedule consistent has the added bonus of reducing the decisions I must make about what I'm working on.

Flexible Friday! This day is a wildcard for me. I may have coaching calls, podcast interviews, or a travel day. Fridays are the days that I enjoy the freedom that comes with entrepreneurship.

This is a typical Monday – Thursday Schedule
5:30-6:30: Morning Routine
6:30-8: Power Block: Top Priorities for the day
8-9: Eat, Get Ready, Walk With The Dogs 
9-10: Client Block 
10-11: Client Block
11-12: Client Block
12-1: Client Block
1-2: Client Block
2-3: Client Block
3-4:30: Walk With The Dogs, Strength Training
4:30-5:30: Wrap Up Work Day, Look Ahead to Tomorrow and Finish Anything Undone

Will this schedule stay the same for years to come? Nope, but it is what works right now in this season of my life.

Michele Duwe from Miss Task | Get More Done With Time Blocking

It Is Time To Wrap This Up!

If you're ready to stop feeling overwhelmed and start making tangible progress in your business, now is the time to take action. With the power of time blocking and focused productivity strategies, you can transform your daily routine and achieve more than you ever thought possible. Don't let another day slip by feeling unproductive and frustrated.

By identifying your power hours, creating a structured schedule, and focusing on essential tasks, you can break free from the overwhelming cycle of unproductivity and take control of your business. Remember, it's okay to start small and make adjustments as you go. Embrace the journey of self-discovery and be patient with yourself as you develop these new habits. With consistency and dedication, you'll soon find yourself accomplishing more than you ever thought possible, all while enjoying the freedom and satisfaction that comes with a thriving online business. Once you take that first step with time blocking, you will be amazed at how much more productive you become.

5 Tips for Dealing With Creative Burnout and Staying Motivated

5 Tips for Dealing With Creative Burnout and Staying Motivated

Michele Duwe from Miss Task | 5 Tips for Dealing With Creative Burnout and Staying Motivated

It is all too common for online entrepreneurs to suffer from creative burnout. In my experience, this was another reason for my inconsistency with long-form content. Motivating yourself can be difficult when you lack inspiration. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent burnout when it comes to your creative output.

What are the signs of creative burnout? Here are 5 tips for dealing with creative burnout and staying motivated during periods of low energy and lackluster creativity.

Recognize the Signs of Creative Burnout

You likely have a pretty good idea of what creative burnout feels like for you. Here are a few common signs to watch out for:

* Overwhelming exhaustion

* Lack of motivation

* Difficulty focusing

* Procrastination and missed deadlines

* Irritability and reduced creativity

* Low energy

If these symptoms sound familiar, it's time to take a step back and evaluate your workload and stress management strategies. Look at it through the lens of the four D's: Do, Defer, Delegate, Delete. While tracking your time may sound daunting, it is necessary to get a scope on where you're spending your time.

Consider if there are any tasks that you could delegate or outsource. Once I let go of the fear of having to support another person with my business, outsourcing to a Content VA increased my revenue. 

For more information on what to prepare before hiring a content assistant, refer to my earlier post: What to Prepare Before Hiring a Content Assistant

 

1. Taking Breaks and Recharging:

It's funny how when our to-do list is endless, taking a break doesn't sound like the thing to do. But here's the thing: regular breaks throughout the day are essential for maintaining your energy levels and preventing burnout.

You may not love the Pomodoro Method; however, it is helpful to remind yourself to take a break. One thing that I've discovered for myself is that the 25-minute sprint is a little short for me. The 25-minute mark is when I'm just hitting my groove.

If you've tried this method in the past and it hasn't worked for you, play with different timings.

Take a break each day to reenergize and reconnect with what matters most. You'll feel rejuvenated when you take a break from work to refresh and renew yourself with activities such as a quick walk, loading the dishwasher, or listening to music during a ten-minute clean. Try a guided meditation if you're feeling lazy and need a complete recharge. When I'm feeling like the life has been sucked out of me, I'll grab my earbuds and hit the sofa with a Yoga Nidra practice.

Make sure you are getting enough restful sleep as well; this will help ensure that you have the energy necessary to tackle any project enthusiastically.

 

2. Setting Boundaries and Prioritizing Tasks:

What most people don't realize is how long tasks actually take. Because of this, they feel daunting. Begin to set boundaries around how much work you take on is important when it comes to avoiding burnout. If you struggle with saying no, be sure to read my post on Overcoming the “Yes to Everything” Mindset. 

​If you would like to listen to this episode on Overcoming the “Yes to Everything” Mindset, it is episode 66.

Focus on one task at a time. New studies have shown that we really aren't great at multitasking. If you focus on one task, it will take you less time. Are you terrible at prioritizing what to work on next?

Begin with the deadline and put the tasks in order in that manner. I'm not sure about you, but I have to lay out my plan for what I'll be working on during the week before it begins. Otherwise, I'll get a hair-brained idea, and before I know it, I'm six hours in and wondering what the heck I did.

Stop chasing shiny objects by planning ahead. Prioritize tasks according to importance so that the most pressing matters are tackled first.

Once you have prioritized tasks according to importance based on deadlines, you'll understand the urgent matters before moving on to less pressing ones.

Choose icons or emojis and add them to the front of the tasks that are priorities. While I know in a project management software you can add a priority, if you're easily distracted, having those call out right in the task works the best. The same thing can be done in your paper planner as well. Be sure that you create a little “key” until you have formed the habit. You'll love this system.

By implementing simple strategies for dealing with creative burnout, you can help yourself stay motivated and productive.

3. Staying Motivated During Difficult Times

Remaining consistent with content creation when you're not seeing the fruits of your labor can be tough. It's important to remember that you are not alone in this crazy online world of entrepreneurship.

Always remember to pray about it. There have been countless times in my life and business journey when I dropped to my knees out of frustration and worry. When you're not sure where to turn, turn to our Heavenly Father. When you're not sure what is the next right step, pray about it. All I can say is pray about it, pray about it, pray about it. If that upsets you, I'm not your person.

Let's also not forget about celebrating small wins and progress along the way. This is one of the best ways to stay on track and remain focused. Friends, episode 50 is about celebrating your small wins. Check it out here: Content Systems for Growth Project Management Software.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/content-systems-for-growth-project-management-software/id1680728514?i=1000639804619 

Read it here: https://misstask.com/woohoo-celebrate-your-small-wins/ 

Please, for the love, acknowledge your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem. When you look for the small everyday win, it will help keep you motivated even when things get tough.

Also, drawing motivation from your business besties is a great way to stay on track. Find motivation by seeking out those who have achieved what you aspire to, and use their words as encouragement, as the proof that anything is possible with dedication.

Understand what motivates you and reward yourself periodically along the way! You may want to treat yourself to a nice meal or some chill-out time – it'll help keep you going when you feel like giving up.

Staying motivated during difficult times is a key factor in maintaining creative productivity. By managing stress levels and developing healthy habits, you can avoid burnout and remain productive even when the going gets tough.

Michele Duwe from Miss Task | 5 Tips for Dealing With Creative Burnout and Staying Motivated

 4. Managing Stress Levels to Avoid Burnout

Dealing with creative burnout and staying motivated is a real issue affecting many entrepreneurs, especially those working in the online business and health and wellness coaching fields. It's funny how we can encourage others to recognize and manage stress levels effectively, but it is something we quickly overlook for ourselves. The best way to avoid burnout is to establish healthy routines, say no to additional tasks, and take regular breaks.

Forming beneficial routines can be a great way of dealing with creative burnout and staying motivated. Establishing a balanced lifestyle that includes regular meal times away from your desk, sufficient sleep each night, and consistent exercise while avoiding overdoing it can help prevent burnout. Additionally, setting up a daily routine or time blocks with specific tasks at certain times can help keep your workflow organized and prevent overwhelm from taking over your life, ultimately helping you in dealing with creative burnout and staying motivated.

5. Learning To Say No & Set Limits On Workload:

As an entrepreneur, it's easy to get caught up in trying to please everyone around you by saying yes too often; however, this could lead to overextending yourself, which could result in burnout down the line. While we hit on setting boundaries earlier, it's important enough to circle back on when dealing with creative burnout and staying motivated.

Learning when it's appropriate (and necessary) to say “no” is key here. Setting boundaries on how much work you take on each week is also important – make sure not only that your workload isn't too heavy but also that there's still room left for being present with your family and a little downtime.

Always prioritize looking after yourself above anything else. Make sure you're carving out time during the day just for yourself where you don't have any obligations or expectations – whether it be going for a walk outside or reading a book – whatever helps bring peace into your life should be done without hesitation. This will help ensure that both your mental health and productivity remain high even when faced with challenging tasks ahead, ultimately helping you in dealing with creative burnout and staying motivated.

Managing stress levels is essential for avoiding burnout and should be taken seriously. By understanding your triggers, developing coping mechanisms, and creating support networks, you can prevent future burnouts and stay on track when dealing with creative burnout and staying motivated.

 

Building Resilience to Prevent Future Burnouts

The effects of burnout can be crippling to your business. You see, taking a year off from creating organic content in my business was a huge setback for me. But I understand now that things happen for you, not to you. This happened for me so that I could truly embrace creating content and fall in love with it.

With that said, if you even think you're on the road to burnout, take a step back and figure out what is the root cause. This is crucial when dealing with creative burnout and staying motivated.

The key to avoiding future burnouts is to build self-resilience. Understanding your boundaries is essential for avoiding burnout.

It is important to identify what causes you stress and learn how to deal with it in order to avoid burnout in the future. For example, if deadlines cause you undue stress, consider breaking up tasks into smaller chunks or creating a timeline that allows for more flexibility when completing projects.

The ability to cope with stressful situations is also crucial to building resilience against burnout in the future. This could include taking breaks throughout the day or engaging in calming activities such as meditation or yoga. It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes nutritious eating, adequate rest, and regular physical activity in order to feel energized and ready to tackle challenging duties without feeling overwhelmed. These strategies can be highly effective when dealing with creative burnout and staying motivated.

Managing stress and overcoming challenges may be easier with the support of a business bestie who gets the online business world. Having someone there who understands your struggles and is willing to listen can make all the difference when dealing with challenging situations. By building strong relationships with people with similar lifestyles, you can express yourself without fear of judgment and get emotional support during difficult times, which can help you avoid burnout in the future and stay on track when dealing with creative burnout and staying motivated.

Book A 1-Hour Virtual Session

Discover the Secret to Effortless Content Creation –

From Overwhelmed to Thriving: Your Content Creation Simplified Journey Starts Here!

It’s Time To Wrap This Up

Realizing the signs of exhaustion and taking measures to prevent it are essential when dealing with creative burnout and staying motivated. By implementing some simple tips such as identifying triggers, managing stress levels, building resilience, and setting achievable goals, you can ensure that your creativity remains intact in times of difficulty. Taking proactive measures will help you stay focused on achieving success while avoiding unnecessary fatigue or frustration.

Take control of your creative burnout and stay motivated by downloading your free copy of our organic content creation workflow. We all know that creating a workflow may be daunting but necessary to help you create quality, engaging content that keeps your audience engaged, ultimately helping you in dealing with creative burnout and staying motivated!

Thank you so much for reading, I appreciate you and I hope you make it a wonderful week.

The Hidden Side Effects of Giving Away Your Services for Free

The Hidden Side Effects of Giving Away Your Services for Free

Michele Duwe from Miss Task | The Hidden Side Effects of Giving Away Your Services for Free

Have you stopped to consider the hidden side effects of giving away your services for free? When I started my online business I struggled with the belief that the services I provided were valuable and worth paying for. I don’t know about you but I feel going from employee to business owner requires a lot of mindset work. Don’t get me wrong, I believe there is a time and place for giving away your services for free. However, if the decision is driven by self-doubt that the coaching you provide is not worthy that is another thing. How do you prevent free coaching when you’re unsure about the service you offer?

Be Honest, How Do You View Free?

When you come across a service for free, do you question the value? Is this coach really able to help solve my problem? Or what’s the catch if this is free? Are they trustworthy?

Come on really, examian what you think of free? Take a step back and be honest with yourself, if you're given something for free do you appreciate it or give it much value?

Granted something may unexpectedly surprise and delight you, but more times than not it will be pushed to the side and disgarded. 

Based solely on my past experience, when I gave away my services for free, they weren't appreciated. It can be difficult enough to get people to show up for a coaching session, but when it’s a free coaching session, let’s just say I’ve spent time sitting on a Zoom call alone.

 

Your coaching will be undervalued and underappreciated is a hidden side effect of giving away your services for free.

The Hard Truth Ah-Ha

Hey, I'll admit I did this longer than I should've and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. You see providing my time, energy, and knowledge for free or little to nothing wasn't going to allow me to support my family and give me the freedom to be present for them. 

Continuing down this path of fear and self-doubt about charging money for my coaching, wasn't going to allow me to support my family or actually create an impact. 

You will limit your ability to create an impact and support your family is a hidden side effect of giving away your services for free. 

 

The Mindset Shift Needed to Prevent Free Coaching

Once I had my hard trust ah-ha, then I finally understood I had to become mindful of giving away my services for free. But that's not all, it pushed me to start to do the mindset work necessary to move from employee thinking to business owner thinking. 

 

Because Friend, not stepping into business owner thinking is a hidden side effect of giving away your services for free.

Should you Ever Work For Free?

Should you ever work for free? Now, I know what you are thinking how do I gain experience and confidence in my services if I don't work for free? What most service providers don't realize when they start out, it doesn't always have to be an exchange of money.

Okay, now some are not a fan of swapping services with other service providers. In the beginning, this is exactly what I did to gain experience to give me the confidence to charge for my services.

Another idea is to work for a testimonial to provide social proof of your work. It's a great way to help create raving fans that talk about you and the fabulous service that you provided.

It all boils down to this, time is your most important nonrenewable resource, you need to have something of value traded for your time. Because that is the one thing I can guarantee you'll never get back. 

It's important that the exchange feels in alignment with you. It can be a testimonial, a referral, whatever. Stay with me now, you need to get something, otherwise, it will be for nothing. Nothing doesn't keep your business doors open.

 

This is where new coaches run into trouble when they are gaining experience. They are afraid to ask for something in return, a hidden side effect of giving away their services for free.

Michele Duwe from Miss Task | The Hidden Side Effects of Giving Away Your Services for Free

You Have To Get Good At Asking

The solution is simple, you have to get good at asking. Friend, if you don't ask, the answer is always no. Not asking will leave you sitting in the world of the unknown, struggling to make ends meet in your online business.

It's okay to ask for something in return even if you're not comfortable with charging money as you gain experience.

Let me clarify for every service you provide for experience, it needs to have a clearly defined agreed-upon in writing exchange. The first time starts at zero, the next time you charge for the service, it can be $10 an hour, then the next time $20 per hour.

All that experience is causing you to become an expert, a specialist at that service.

Clients pay for your experience. They pay for someone that can do it better than they can in less time. That's what you're building up too. 

When you step into your power it's a beautiful thing.

 

When we don't ask, the answer is always no this is a hidden side effect of giving away your services for free. 

If you need more on this subject here are a few other great articles that are in alignment with working for free for potential clients. 

Should You Ever Work for Free? at Women Who Money https://womenwhomoney.com/work-for-free-exposure-experience/ external_link 

The Marketing for Health Coaches Podcast Episode #9 How to Avoid Coaching for Free

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-marketing-for-health-coaches-podcast/id1667866641?i=1000605953298 

 

One Final Point | Consistent Content Creation

You had to know this one was coming, right? One final point, the content that you create on a consistent basis is your free coaching.  

By consistently creating content, you build trust with your ideal clients. All of this free content will increase your visibility, and build relationships with potential clients. 

When you consistently provide valuable content, you give your ideal client a sneak peek into your knowledge and how you can help them solve a problem. 

You see, if your content is helpful the right people will find you. When you’re consistent this is a gateway to success, so it is essential to make sure it's packed with valuable content.

Book A 1-Hour Virtual Session

Discover the Secret to Effortless Content Creation –

From Overwhelmed to Thriving: Your Content Creation Simplified Journey Starts Here!

Time To Wrap This Up

The journey from employee to business owner mindset is not an easy one, but it is essential for the success and impact of your coaching business. 

By being mindful of when and how you offer your services for free, you can prevent the hidden side effects that can undermine your value and limit your ability to create change. 

Remember, your time and expertise are valuable resources that deserve to be exchanged for something of worth, whether it's money, testimonials, or referrals. 

As you continue to grow and develop your skills, don't be afraid to ask for what you deserve. 

And finally, by consistently creating valuable content, you can attract the right clients and build lasting relationships based on trust and expertise. Embrace your role as a content creator and watch your coaching business thrive.