Small Business Talk

Small Business Talk is a podcast for business owners and entrepreneurs who want to find a better way to run their businesses without having to spend years doing it the hard way.

Discover tips and techniques that you can use to take your business to the next level. Enjoy episodes with our guest experts; along with deeper dives into tools and tips that you can use in your business. The tools and tips episodes are in easy to follow actionable steps, so you will not want to miss them.

Small Business Talk is hosted by Cathy Smith who has run the same Marketing Agency CATCO Enterprises for over 21+ years and has helped hundreds of business owners achieve their marketing goals. Learn about building your social media channels, how to get Google to love your website, developing a digital marketing strategy, tools to make your business life easier and much more.

Whether you’re a small business owner, seasoned entrepreneur or just beginning your business journey, the Small Business Talk podcast is for you. Now available on all major podcast apps including Spotify, Stitcher and iTunes/ Apple Podcast.

Look At Your Diary

I was talking to a coach and when I mentioned that I was having trouble keeping my commitments to myself – to work on the business not just in the business he said let’s have a look at your diary.

Oh, those are scary words.

How often do you spend all day chasing your tail, being busy and at the end of the day you don’t really have a lot to show for it?

Yes, you have put out fires, saved an order, booked appointment etc.

How much time did you waste jumping from task to task, doing things that are just quick, so it is easy for me to do that delegate?

Think Meal Prep

If you cook 3 cakes one after another you can often use the same bowls, beaters and measuring cups which reduces your washing up time.

If you cook the same 3 cakes on 3 different days, you have 3 complete sets of washing up to do.

Are you running your appointments in the same way?

Do you have multiple lots of setup, to do when you could be using your “in the zone” energy one appointment after another?

I live 150km away from where I run an in-person networking event twice a month. For me to only drive up to those events, it would not be worth the 4 hours it takes me to get up there and back each time. However, if I go early and add appointments with clients either side of these lunch time events it makes an enjoyable drive very worthwhile.

Taking Time Out

Years ago, I went to the cinema in the middle of a workday. Yes, shock horror!

It was school holidays and the children really wanted to see the latest release.

In those 2 hours I was unavailable. I did not answer the phone, emails or do any other work. I was at the cinema with my children, and we all had a lovely time.

That day I knew I had limited time to do things. I was very disciplined so that I could fit it all in. I checked my emails first thing in the morning. I completed the urgent tasks that needed to be done. Got onto my to do list, did what I could in priority order and moved anything that didn’t need to be done immediately to the next day.

When you have limited time you prioritise, you don’t fluff around, you don’t go down rabbit holes, you generally just get to work and get on with it.

Are You too Available?

If you are struggling finding time to work on your business, start by looking at your diary. How many ad hock things are you doing? Are you spending most of your day firefighting?

The coach said to me, “You are too available”.

I had not allocated time and days where I would do specific things.

Having blocks of time where you do specific tasks may sound like torture and creativity stifling however in reality it will give you much more freedom than you could ever imagine.

Knowing What You Are Doing When

By time blocking you will know what you are doing when. You won’t waste precious time trying to sort out what you are doing and what is most important to be done now.

By having certain times and days when you book appointments, allows you to easily see what you have on when and will go a long way to helping to prevent double bookings.

Time blocking also allows you to add in time for leisure, fun and working on your business. If you add these essential items in first, you will never have a situation where you can’t fit them in.

We book our holidays and trips in advance, so now we need to book these sorts of things into our diaries on a regular basis. Having down time and creative time makes you a better business person and much more productive.

Discipline to Keep Your Appointments

You would never dream of standing a client up on purpose, so why do you do it to yourself day after day? If you are struggling with fitting in “your” appointments.

Here some tips that might help.

Start by adding them in your diary

Allocate this time as non negotiable

Tell someone that you have done this. External accountability is very powerful for most people.

Think about publicly announcing it. Are you in a mastermind group, a industry Facebook group or even your Facebook profile. “This week I am going to keep my appointments to myself.”

If you are responsible for these commitments and others know about it, will you be more likely to do it?

What If Someone Needs Me?

They do, You!

What if someone wants to book you at that time?

If you had a client appointment, then you wouldn’t book a 2nd one at the same time – so don’t.

What if it is the only time they can do?

Really is it “really” the only time they can do or your assumption? Think about it, is this a boundaries issue?

If it was a life and death situation, then your call.

Yes, you can break it from time to time if you think the situation warrants it. A once off is fine but if you are constantly doing it then go back to tip number 1.

Are You Too Available?

Make sure you are available for yourself and the tasks that you need to do.

In lasts week’s episode of Small Business Talk Podcast, Sean Castrina and I spoke about delegation. Your business will succeed or fail on your planning. If you haven’t listened to that episode – 166, then why not go back and have a listen.

Time blocking and planning can help give you more freedom and reduce your overwhelm.

If you are not looking after yourself then you can’t look after others.

Listen to the full episode of Small Business Talk episode 167.

You can also find the video version on YouTube.