When I first decided to take the plunge and become a full-time entrepreneur, I won’t lie—I was thrilled at the idea of freedom. I always imagined how glamorous it must be to be your own boss.
I mean, there’s no one in a position of authority “above” you, no deadlines imposed by others, no set work hours…I just thought it sounded idyllic.
I imagined sleeping in until 11 am, making brunch, working a little, taking a break, and then working a little more before knocking off early. I had it all figured out.
I could not have been more wrong!
As it turns out, that kind of schedule won’t get you anywhere. Success requires supervision and direction. So guess what? I had to become the boss of me in the most literal sense.
I had to learn to be my own taskmaster, supervisor, trainer, butt-kicker, cheerleader, and loving parental figure to my 5-year-old self who wanted to run away in fear and/or throw a tantrum. I had to master holding myself accountable to my task lists and overarching goals.
And, let me tell you, it was not fun at the beginning and maybe you’re right where I was before. If so, it can get better. You have to believe hard in yourself, in your ability to figure it out, to plan and execute, to set and achieve goals, to maintain a steady work-life balance, and be willing to invest in your business and yourself by investing systems, marketing, and mentors.
In the past, before I mastered these skills, if I slept until 11 am, I was behind all day long. If I made a big brunch and took a break in the afternoon, I’d fall even further behind. Then I’d find myself up at 3 am writing this blog. Thank goodness, those days are over. But there was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in learning how to manage my mind around the organization of being a successful entrepreneur.
Oops! Not perfect?
Yes—I still fail sometimes, mismanaging my time, and working into the middle of the night, but rarely. I’ve gotten so much better at loving bossing myself around. Because loving yourself through the good and the bad is key to all of this. Beating yourself up just keeps you further away from your dreams.
As you know by now, one of the things I think makes a huge difference with time management is writing things down. Like…all of the things. You gotta get it out of your head.
So let’s start there:
Take a minute to write down 3 big goals you’ve had for a while but haven’t moved forward. Now write down a deadline.
Wait? What?! Yep—I said deadline.
I know it’s scary.
Make it the year 2025 if you need to, just stick with me.
Take each goal and break it down into all the separate tasks required to get you there, with their own sub-deadlines. This way, things seem less intimidating.
Baby steps toward a goal, tiny bites of an elephant, however you want to look at it—breaking things down into actionable items is the first step to getting where you want to be.
Case in point: I found out recently that a friend would be in town in a couple of weeks, and the studio hasn’t been decorated properly enough for someone to stay. I’ve been busy working on the main living area of the villa, but now this was happening and happening fast.
I freaked out a little at first, and then I started writing:
GOAL #1: Turn the studio into a cozy place.
DEADLINE: Friday (I found out on a Monday)
Sub-goal: Set up bedframe, mattress, and headboard.
Sub-deadline: Monday
Sub-goal: Buy a rug and bedside table to warm up the room.
Sub-deadline: Tuesday
Sub-goal: Unpack all boxes, break down/recycle, and give all unboxed stuff a home.
Sub-deadline: Thursday (this took 2 days + a lot of effort)
Sub-goal: Wash sheets/towels, put sheets on the bed, buy fresh lavender for the pillow.
Sub-deadline: Friday
By the time my guest arrived, I’d taken a total nothing space and boxes zone and transformed it into a warm, comfy place. By breaking things down and keeping myself in line, I was able to make small progress toward my goal throughout the week. You can do this with any goal, personal or business.
When you learn to understand yourself better when it comes to managing time and projects and truly hold yourself accountable (lovingly), you can meet any goal. So go out and get bossy on yourself, because you’re the best at knowing how to motivate you.
Remember, the feeling of motivation is available to you at any time by thinking thoughts that create just that feeling! You don’t have to wait for inspiration to come, just think inspiring thoughts. Go to it lady boss.
