Are you wasting time on instagram stories?
I posted this image last week on IG stories and was inundated with DMs (if you sent one, T H A N K Y O U!)
Some were congratulating me on getting an international book deal (even though I’ve talked about it before [FIRST NAME GOES HERE], you have to remember that on average even your most engaged followers on IG will only ever see 30% of what you post). Other messages were asking me about the post-it note system I used (which I also use for my courses, workshops, eBooks and basically anything #LoveAPlan). But the most common statement/Q in the DMs was this:
How do you do it all?
The answer?
You just do it.
I’m writing this post on my iPhone notes app while my 13-week old son sleeps on my chest. I often write my Sunday emails on my iPhone and then send them to myself, copy & paste into ConvertKit (the email platform I use) and then edit later on my laptop.
But...I am just as skilled as you at NOT getting the work I know I need to get done, done (or maybe you're one of those people who NEVER suffers from this, if so this post won't be of use. If not, read on...)
Case in point: My son has been asleep for the last 90 minutes and you know what I’ve spent at least 45 minutes of that time doing? Scrolling IG stories that had NO relevance to me; simply scrolling mindlessly from one story to the next. The odd one was a client or friend's or taught me something, but on the whole I've spent a chunk of precious time doing something that doesn't really add to my life in any major way.
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Now, that’s not to say I should be “working” in that time but I could have:
Taken the time to rest my eyes and put down the phone
Text chatted with friends I’ve been “meaning to contact” for weeks
Done a meditation as I have the Headspace app on my phone
Done a few modules of the online courses I’ve bought (love the Teachable app)
Written this email or even batch written a few of them
Paid some bills or reconciled some items in Xero
Ordered this week’s food delivery
Listened to a podcast or caught up on Normal People (this month's book in my local bookclub)
We all have enough time. What we don't always have is the wisdom to utilise it.
So, how can you rectify this?
Here's five things that work for me and that I'm trying to remind myself to do, so that I don't waste the little free time I get these days:
1. Embrace your inner Mel Robbins
I have been a MR fan for years and her 5 Second Rule has done wonders for me. Not sure what that is? You can watch this video, read this book but basically it's about counting backwards - 5,4,3,2,1 - and then DOING the thing you need to do / are scared of. I've used this to show up on IG stories for the first time, to press send on my most expensive proposal yet, to contact biz owners I admire for my podcast and to send my first book chapter through to the publisher last week (even though it's nowhere near perfect). It works.
2. List your priorities
Anyone with young children knows you don't get long periods of time to sit and think about all the things you'd like to do. Parents are forced to get sh!t done, purely because they don't have any other choice. Today, while IG scrolling, I could have looked at my Asana board which has a special 'Personal' team on it. Within this is a 'Top Priorities' board featuring 10 things I could be working on if I get time. I refer to this list when I'm stuck in the car with a sleeping baby, when I find myself waiting at appointments or when I am up at 2am and my son will only sleep on me. Making this list means I'm not thinking 'Ok, what should I do now?' when I find myself with some extra time to kill and want to do something productive.
3. Impress your future self
I often think of Fiona in 2020 when I'm procrastinating on a task. This time next year, I'll be nearing 40, have toured with my first book and be spending a chunk of October in NYC with my sister #CannotWait. That future self would be impressed that I got my book's manuscript in on time, that I added those two courses to my online offerings and that I (finally!) launched that podcast. Next time you find yourself doing something other than what you told yourself you'd do, consider how this will impact the you of tomorrow.
4. Set your tomato timer
I have spoken of the tomato timer tool MANY times in this weekly email (and in workshops, client calls, speaking gigs etc,). Based on the Pomodoro method, this online tool enables you to compete against the clock to get a task done. When I find myself delaying getting started on something, I can flick open tomato-timer.com and give myself at least 25 mins to 'have a go'. I find by the time that's up, I'm in the zone.
5. Find your accountability peeps
This past week I started my first group coaching program. The most common outcome I heard when interviewing the 47 people who applied for the program was, 'I want some accountability'. When we have told others our plans we are often more likely to stick to them. If you need some accountability consider utilising a coach, finding a group coaching program (click here to get on the waitlist for my next one), join a mastermind or simply ask a fellow biz friend if they'd mind catching up once a week / fortnight to help you stay accountable and vice versa.
Look, I'm not saying people should be working non-stop or never take a break. Relaxing is SUPER important to mental health and overall happiness. But what i know many of us do (I'm just as guilty) is beat ourselves up for spending time on things that don't matter and leaving the stuff that does matter to the 11th hour.
I hope the five points above help you get more out of the time you do have.