You might think that “spring cleaning” doesn’t sound like business terminology, but let me explain.
I’ve learned that in order to run a business and have a life, one has to have some serious time management skills. From serving clients or producing products to getting the kids to baseball practice, a mompreneur’s job is never done and that can be extremely stressful. In the past I allowed myself to become so rattled with stress and “to-do’s” that anxiety attacks had become a daily occurrence. You might not deal with anxiety attacks, but I’m sure you know how overwhelming being a mompreneur can feel and I’m on a mission to help you, so keep reading.
The Spring Cleaning Process is Born
Early on in my journey, I realized the importance of a balanced schedule. It not only helps you keep your sanity, but it helps you hit goals like a mother. 😊 We all start with good intentions to create a schedule and stick to it, but life often gets in the way… or worse, that very schedule gets in the way of life. And that is exactly what happened to me. I didn’t seem to have time for anything besides my endless scheduled appointments and tasks. I didn’t have any margin and that is when the “Spring Clean” Process was born.
The Spring Clean Process in a Nutshell
Simply, the spring clean process is my process for purging my schedule down to the bare minimum. I mean, I am canceling so many things that my boys think we’re becoming hermits. I do this a few times a year or whenever I start feeling on edge. By bringing things down to the “have-to’s”, I restart my focus so that I can see the necessity in the middle of the mess that is my calendar. Once I am at that place, I can add items back as they are needed instead of just continuing to do things because “I always have”.
How I “Spring Clean” My Schedule
#1 Review
#The first step is reviewing all of my daily, weekly, or monthly tasks. Most of these are in my calendar, but some are not, so I always get out a notepad and pen and begin writing out my list.
#2 Prioritize
Once I have my list done, I move onto prioritizing. This is harder than it sounds. I normally have to take a few passes at this, so I recommend doing this in pencil or on a computer so things can be easily adjusted.
#3 Trimming Down
After you have the priority narrowed down, it’s time to decide what things make the cut for daily, weekly, and monthly. And don’t get too stuck on things that were daily, weekly, or monthly staying that way either. You would be surprised at how many things I used to do daily or weekly I now do monthly or the things that I used to do monthly that I now do weekly. I have even moved tasks to quarterly before.
#4 Rebuilding
Add only the necessary items back and leave out the rest (but keep them handy). By keep them handy, I mean you mean have to add them back at some point so don’t lose sight of them. Sometimes I will stop doing a task for a few weeks to just see if I feel a difference in my business. For example, I use to post every day of the week, but I stopped posting on weekends to see if I noticed a drop in engagement and I didn’t. The posts I do during the week are now more thought out and get more engagement
#5 Build in Margin
This is the last and most important step I take, SCHEDULE MARGIN. I am serious when I tell you to actually schedule free time. Now, this does not mean you have to sit and stare at your walls all day. This simply means that you allow for enjoyment and space.
I typically use Saturday’s. I use this time to enjoy a deep bible study and spend time with my family. Sometimes we go to the park or the boys have baseball and I enjoy watching them with my husband. Sometimes we just hang around the house all day and I get some things around the house done (that I actually enjoy).
Giving yourself breathing room in your schedule will allow you to recharge and refocus. This can lead to more energy for your other 5 or 6 days and better results in the long run. Plus, it can keep your hubby happy because you’re not always glued to your laptop.
If you need help spring cleaning your schedule, schedule a free discovery call to see if we’re a good fit. I offer one on one coaching for $99 for 1 hour a month (2 30-minute calls) or $149 for 2 45 minute coaching calls monthly. Also, check out my partnership’s site www.ProfitableChristianEntrepreneurs.com for our group mastermind program starting at $97 a month. (Edited 3/18/2020)
If you’re not ready to hire a coach, but still need help with spring cleaning your schedule, sign up for my free newsletter to be notified when my “Spring Clean My Schedule” E-course is launched. Plus you’ll get exclusive content you won’t find anywhere else.