Relief For When You Are Overworked and Out Of Time.
I used to believe that the secret to having more time for myself was to “just be more organized".
Scheduling to the minute meant that I could stuff my “miles-long to-do list” into each day.
Of course, it didn’t work.
I would end up exhausted at the end of the day, not to mention feeling demoralized by the fact that I had only been able to check a few items off my list.
Many of us can relate to trying to do "all the things" and working around the clock.
And, I’ll bet you’ll agree that a 24/7 schedule is not enjoyable or sustainable!
The big issue with being “always” on is that it keeps our nervous system in a state of fight or flight. (More about that here...)
Running from one thing to another, with our “gas pedal floored” leads us to burnout.
Time and time again I see women (myself included) overestimating our capacity.
It’s time to stop doing more and embrace doing less.
Doing less, better, is how we create sustainability and space.
I’ll let you in on a little secret...
The key to success is not fitting more into your day/week.
The key to success is fitting more of yourself into your day/week.
A novel concept for many of us, right?
Taking care of yourself ensures that you show up fully for your work & relationships.
In other words, your best self does your best work.
Your people get the best version of you when your cup is full, and that version of you brings out the best in them as well.
It’s so simple and yet you might be asking yourself...
How DO I fit more of myself into my days?
The key is to prioritize yourself first.
Make YOU “top of your to-do list” in the areas of wellness, joy, and connection.
I’ve learned through much practice that in order to be my “best self doing my best work”, I need to be intentional and block my time.
Otherwise, things get busy, and let’s face it, the things you WANT to be doing don’t seem to materialize.
Today, I want to share with you an easy, insightful exercise that will help you get crystal clear on your priorities and map your time.
My clients love doing this because it helps them quickly see:
- what is important & meaningful
- what is possible
- where to focus your time & energy
The exercise allows you to create a structure for prioritizing yourself.
You'll answer the question:
How am I going to utilize my time & focus on the things that are important to me?
By focusing on what is meaningful and important to you, you’ll see a shift in how you approach your days, and your week.
You’ll get more done in less time, with more ease and a lot less stress.
I call this exercise 168 Hours.
Why? Because each week has 168 hours.
Once you take away the “essentials”, you have 90 - 100 hrs.
(Essentials are the basics: sleeping, eating & meal prep, showering, commuting, carpooling kiddos).
Plugin your workweek and the remaining time leaves about 60 - 70 hrs to fill.
In this exercise, you'll experiment to better understand what is meaningful to you and your capacity for those activities.
We use the Your Best Business Life pillars of Business, Wellness, Joy, and Connection.
These pillars act as a framework and create harmony between your business and your personal life. They are guideposts for ensuring that YOU are receiving the “fuel” that you need to become your best self so you can do your best work.
My weekly schedule looks something like this:
In each pillar, you’ll experiment by prioritizing the categories (activities) that are most important to you.
Then you’ll determine how many hours you can allot to each category (activity).
Have fun with this and experiment until you find the right balance that will add up to your 168 Hours.
Once you’ve completed the exercise, you can use the information to strategically plan your week in ways that are meaningful & light you up.
Want to use my template? Download template and instructions here!
I’m excited to share this exercise with you because I know that it will help you “see” how much capacity you have for your work, what is meaningful to you, and what is possible.
My goal is to support you in creating sustainability by doing less and fitting more of what lights you up into your life.
Let me know your thoughts and your insights from your experiments in the comments below!
💕, Jordan
Want more support and to go deeper?
Schedule an Eliminate the Overwhelm Power Session!
Hi there! I’m Jordan Eades, Holistic Business Coach and founder of Your Best Business LIfe. My passion is guiding women business owners who want to make a big impact in business—without sacrificing what matters most.
Your Best Business Life coaching provides the keys to overcoming overworking; allowing you to create a sustainable and profitable business, focus on the work that fuels your passion, unapologetically invest in self-care, prioritize experiences that light you up, and provide the support you need to thrive.
