The Beauty of the Big Ole Brain Dump (or, How I Decided What to Take Off My Plate)

The Beauty of the Big Ole Brain Dump (or, How I Decided What to Take Off My Plate) Im finding my way, originally uploaded by knottednes found via kind over matter Even though yesterdays Tough (Question) Tuesday (What can you take off your plate?) was an easy one (compared to Do you believe in passion? Whats your definition of success?), it totally stumped me. I looked at it looked at it, hoping the answer would jump out of the screen show itself to me, all spooky word-jumble-by-a-ghost-style (like the letters of What can you take off your plate? suddenly form can of pea that would somehow tell me something). But nope. The Otherworld did not send my messages via my 7 year old computer (thats getting upgraded this week! Hurry up for spooky things, Ghosts. I know youre in here). Instead, I knew a Big Ole Brain Dump was gonna show me the way. Yup, Im about to share my process everything thats on the said daily/weekly/monthly (!) To Do list (despite the fact that maybe I shouldnt!). Hence, the Big Ole Brain Dump along with the estimated time that goes with each task, as I think itll help me sort through things: 7 group coaching sessions: 15 hours/week for sessions back end work 13 private client sessions (email phone): 15 hours/week for sessions back end work rewriting my Services copy with new packages pricing (forcing Luke into) updating it to go live (Note: Once it does, Im gonna be charging $99/session instead of $79. You better contact me now if youre thinking of working with me, cause theres no going back once that babys updated): 3 hours weekly Skype Boozin Brainstormin meetings with Jess Swift (for our top secret project!): 2 hours/wk because we force ourselves to stop gabbing. Otherwise, 84 hours/wk. writing copy for said top secret project: 3 hours/wk, ideally. monthly newsletter: 5 hours/month Spring all that goes with it (monthly calls, taping videos, communicating with collaborators, writing publishing posts, etc): 20 hours/month (approximately) 2 new written exercises/wk for group coaching sessions: 3 hours / wk Taking Flight content: 3 hrs/wk Running 3 mornings/wk: 3 hrs/wk weekly business building check-in/updates: 90 min/wk monthly finance reconciliations: 90 min/month daily Hootsuite/Twitter communication: 30 min/day blogging 3x/wk answering comments: 4 hrs/wk This doesnt include the project to do list that contains the e-book I wanna write researching/buying a scanner   going back to tag every blog post rolling over my 401K from my previous employer writing a Go Here First page on my blog you get the point. OK, so, this equals about 247 hours/month, or over 60 hours a week. Holy guacamole I never thought of it like that! No wonder Im overwhelmed! Not that Im looking to slack off or nothin, but having 30 hours/week of committed projects (sounds like Im in the nuthouse!) then about 15 hours/wk of uncommitted projects to work on along with about 10 hrs/wk of business building exercise stuff feels like the perfect balance. Right now Im at the committed peak just with my clients, not to mention Spring, this blog, my newsletter, Twitter, my Top Secret Project with Jess. Sigh. Those all seem equally as important, or just a notch of importance below my clients. I hafta interrupt this regularly scheduled program now to say how awesometastic this problem is. Its the bestest problem in the world because hallelujah it means that Im working. Amen kiss the ground. I dont want to look that gift horse in the mouth or be unthankful for it, so let me say it now: Thank you. If youre one of my fantabulous clients, Im grateful for you. If youre thinking of being one,   Ill make time/room for you. I think now its all about finding sticking to! my Life Design, whether its inspired by Heddy Lamar or not. See, there are Vampires in my head now, telling me that, if I block off my calendar limit myself to, say, only scheduling consultation calls on Fridays or only scheduling 3 client sessions per day that Ill never make it. Ill lose my audience, my clients, my livelihood my passion. Hes also telling me that Im supposed to be working hard now, super overtime, since I just started my business this is the only way to make it happen. But at the same time, theres a devil on my shoulder telling me to take time off, take care of myself, leave it all by the wayside. Why its a devil not an angel, I have no idea but there he is, all red fiery horn-y taunting me with self-care. Huh. The angel tells me to find the gray area. Keep up the hard work, but set the boundaries enforce them. Stop scheduling time to talk to people who want to be coaches (its so tough to say no to them!), and some other friends that clog up the calendar. Give yourself an hour a day of exercise or business building, but dont stress about doing both. Schedule your Me Time back into your calendar hold it tight. Remember youre setting this up to pull back in a year or two, but nowyou have the time the energy the enthusiasm use it. But keep that Wall in sight know when youre about to hit it, walk away. Its alright. Be your own best friend. There, there. I guess I didnt come up with 1 Concrete Answer of what to take off my plate, but I know what I want to keep on it: working with as many clients asll have me, but not extend myself more than 4 sessions each business day (and lets be honest waiting lists are cool) 90 minutes of Me Time each week an hour each day of exercise /business building/ journaling / creative time keeping up with Spring, the Top Secret project, my blog, newsletter twitter for 2 hours each day, but keeping it as a lower priority than my client commitments being nice to myself if I cant get to it working on uncommitted projects one by one (prioritize - pick one - finish it) for 2 hours each week This is about 40 hours/wk. No doubt Ill be working more than that, but Im definitely breathing easier with a clearer head. Aint that Big Ole Brain Dump a beaut? ************************************************************************************************************** Im gonna be workin hard on my July newsletter over the long weekend, with a super awesometastic discount, a brain busting article about passion, other goodies. Make sure youre on the list by subscribing here get my 21-page digital workbook for free! Get Danielle LaPorte’s Nuggets of Genius in your own home, on your own time.   The Digital Firestarter Sessions from my “cult leader” have launched! What’s your Joy Equation? Find out with Molly Hoyne’s Pay-What-You-Can-Afford Program!