Making Time

Making time seems to be the hardest thing to do in life. In our busy lives, we are caught up with what is going on around us we forget what the endgame is, for an entrepreneur this is a dangerous situation to be in. Being focused on the here and now usually makes you lose focus on the end result. 

Today and I am not sure why but I woke up at 4:30 am, an hour and a half before my alarm was to go off. I had convinced myself that it was too light in the room to be early thus I had over sleep. I panicked! Now, I am wide-awake.

Realizing the time I decided to take advantage of this situation without any kids crawling on me demanding my attention or a spouse wanting an adult conversation.  I proceeded to read one of my many entrepreneur books. 

The one I decide upon is Essential Ingredients for your Business Success by Annmarie McArthur.

Her first chapter in the book is titled Week One: Your Time.  As I read the chapter, I could not help but chuckle at how true her comments are about making time. In summary, Annmarie states, “you have to make time for yourself to work on your business without interruption”. Like what I am doing this morning with no kids around. The one thing she does call her readers out on is to not kid yourself, do not set a time then decide not to keep it. I’m embarrassed to say this is me and I suspect I am not alone in this, I’ll state that I work on my business X amount of time each week. Reality is I think about my business maybe X amount of time, if I am lucky. 

Annmarie asks the questions: How many hours per week have you determined you need of interrupted office time? Do you want or need to have this time during one day a week or more? What is your best time of the day? Are you a morning, afternoon, or evening person? When is your brain clear and ready so that you can initiate conversations with energy and focus? What day will be yours?

Consider what she is asking. Not only do you have to set aside time but you need to realize what is a good time for you to work your best at and how often do you need to take that time.

I had a boss who was never able to get any work done, she had an open door policy and many distractions walked through it. She went to a seminar and when she came back, she incorporated an hour a day where her door was shut. In that hour, no one was to interrupt her unless it was life or death. She was claiming her uninterrupted work time and she did this normally after lunch, when she believed she could focus the best and would have the least amount of interruptions. We all need that as entrepreneurs.

The tricky part for many entrepreneurs, especially those who are parents, is the fact we wear several hats and finding the time and making time seem nearly impossible. (Unless you are like me and wake up at 4:30am ready to conquer the world!) For me personally, I am a mother of four, grandmother of two (with one on the way), a wife, an ex-wife (and if you do not think this is a hat, it is), a full time employee, an entrepreneur, a friend etc… When will I find any time to set aside that will not take me away from my responsibilities and not kill me from exhaustion?

Saturday mornings…

I am a true morning person. I do my best work first thing in the morning. When 2 pm comes along you should just tuck me into bed. I am tired and stopped thinking hours before. I know when I function the best and when I have the clearest mind! Do you?

The only person who is up on Saturday mornings is my ten-year-old son who is either watching TV or playing video games. If he happens to come in to my work area I make him work for me so he avoids me during that time unless he is very desperate to not be alone then I have the cleanest bookshelves on our block (maybe even town). 

So what am I going to do during that time? That is for another blog…

Let us sum this blog up with those questions from Annmarie:

1)      How many hours per week have you determined you need of un-interrupted office time?

2)      How often do you need this time (daily, weekly)?

3)      What is your best time of the day? Are you a morning, afternoon, or evening person?

4)      When is your brain clear and ready so that you can initiate conversations with energy and focus?

5)      What day will be yours?

Answer the questions with what best fits you. One of the most important things to remember is you are in control of your time, so make it your time. 

You can find Annmarie here on linkedin.

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Thank you!