Staying Balanced: Time Management for Busy Business Yogis
Running a business is amazingly fun and incredibly exhausting. Each day, there are about a million little things that need to get done to keep your biz running smoothly. After 7 years of running my own businesses, here are a few strategies I live by that help me maintain my sanity:
Mono-task. I came across this phrase a few years ago and I LOVE it and the concept has stayed with me. When you’re balancing in Crow Pose, you can’t even think about anything else or you’ll lose your balance and fall head first into your mat. Likewise, you can’t get work done or even enjoy the fun stuff if you stop every 5 minutes to check your email or scroll through Instagram. Do one thing until you’re finished, and move on to the next thing.
Prioritize. I like to categorize my to-do’s in ‘A, B, C’ order. My A-list tasks are the most important and are things that only I can do that are crucial for keeping my business going and growing and maintaining my health and wellbeing. B-level tasks are things that I need to do, but they can be put off for a few hours or days. C-level tasks are the things that I should really delegate to someone else. Prioritizing the most important things on my to-do list and tackling those first have helped me to find more balance in my life.
Discipline. Just like a yoga, it takes a lot of discipline and practice to stay on-task. You have to commit to the process, but also give yourself a little leeway to make mistakes, to adjust, and to recommit. It’s all a process. The longer you practice, the easier it will become.
Ask for help when needed. Remember those C-level tasks from #2? What can you move off your plate? Are there things you are doing that you can hire someone else to do? We look to our yoga teachers for guidance and assistants in class for help. Look around you and as for help when you need it.
Do it YOUR way. There may be some trial and error here, but you have to figure out what works best for you. If you’re tuned in to the present, then you’ll know when life is getting out of balance. Find your breath, step back and look at the big picture, then make the adjustments you need in order to bring your life back into balance.
