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.

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/

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.

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.

You've finally just shy of the six-figure revenue mark in your online business; you’ve reached this point through sheer will, determination, and hustle. Lots and lots of hustle. You know what got you here will not grow you any further. Because you’re burnt out and exhausted from saying yes to everything and anything that needs to be done to grow your online business. You’re tired of wearing all the hats in your business. It is time to say no to the distractions that keep you from focusing on what matters the tasks necessary to grow your business.

You Know That You Have To Say No To Doing It All

Overcoming the yes to everything mindset, starts with knowing what you need to say no to doing. It is figuring out the tasks that are distracting you and keeping you stuck. It is that mindset that keeps you holding on tight out of fear that it will not be done right. You have to let go of control in areas of your business that you can offload to a virtual team member.

If you’re like others, this brings on a whole new set of worries because now you’ll be required to manage a team member.

It is time for you to say no to doing all the things in your business. 

With continued growth, it has you questioning what tasks you must say yes to and tasks that you must say no to. 

What are the tasks you want to let go of? What are the ones that maybe you love to do, but someone else can do this easily to allow you more time to work with more clients? 

For me, it was the realization that I was holding on to all the pieces of the content creation because I love that piece. Obviously, since content management is the main service I offer in my business. By keeping all the things to get my podcast from recorded to published, it limited the number of clients I could take on. For me, the decision to say no to all the steps after the podcast was recorded became a lot simpler. 

Once I realized that it was time to expand my content creation team past me. Once I said yes to hiring and let go of control, I felt a weight off my shoulders. 

You see, long-form content is necessary for marketing and lead generation in your business. Ask yourself, does this get your “yes”? Are you the one that needs to do it all? 

Perhaps, it is something else that needs to be a hard no and what must be a mindful yes in your business. Here are the steps to help you figure out how to Say No to the Distractions that Keep You from Focusing on What Matters.

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3 key points I want you to consider for a Mindful Yes:

1. Let the Pressure of Guilt Make the Decision:

When faced with difficult decisions, it's common for business owners like you to feel the pressure to say “yes” to everyone and everything. This mindset stems from a desire to please and a fear of missing out. However, it's important to understand that it's okay to say no to certain tasks or opportunities. Instead of relying on mindfulness, you allow the pressure of guilt to make the decision for you. Trust your gut and listen to your inner voice, which will guide you towards saying no to the things that don't align with your priorities.

2. Sacrificing Time with Clients or Family:

One consequence of saying yes to everything can be giving up valuable time with your clients or family. When you take on too many commitments, you risk neglecting the people who matter most to you. Remember, saying no to some tasks or projects allows you to give more time to those who truly deserve your attention. Prioritizing your relationships and making time for self-care are key factors in maintaining a successful and fulfilling coaching career.

3. Guilt for Saying Yes:

The guilt associated with saying no can weigh heavily on your mind. You may feel like you're letting others down or missing out on that one valuable opportunity. However, it's important to remember that saying yes to everything often leads to overwhelm and burnout. By learning to say no, you can minimize the guilt associated with your decisions. Remember that saying no lets you focus on what truly matters and make conscious choices about your time and commitments.

When you say yes to something that is not in alignment with your life and business, you’ll likely have to say no to something that would be a better fit. Or if you said yes, you'll have to back out. Or worse, you'll say yes and have to miss time with your family. 

Friends, I learned this lesson before I started my business journey, but I’m saving that story for my email list.

How to Pick Your Mindful Yes:

1. Listen to Your Body:

Your body is often a giveaway when it comes to decision-making. Are you feeling drained or exhausted? Are you experiencing physical discomfort or stress? If yes, it's a sign that you need to say no. Listen to your body's cues. Saying no to things that are draining your energy or distract you from the bigger picture opens up room to say yes to the opportunities that truly energize and will impact your business growth.

2. Evaluate the Significance:

Before saying yes to anything, take a moment to evaluate the significance it holds in your life and business. Consider how it will align with your values and help you achieve your goals. If it's not a top priority or doesn't align with your long-term impact, it's okay to say no. Remember that saying no to less important tasks opens up space for more meaningful work. If you’re not sure, it is okay to sleep on it. If someone needs an answer right now without giving you time to figure out if it fits into your life, it may be a good idea to say no.