I’m a time coach who aims to authentically live out my advice. That means I have to face the same challenges you do. Like this one…
Next month, I’m traveling to California, North Carolina, and the UP in Michigan for speaking events and taking some personal trips too. That means I need to carefully guard my time so I can prepare for and keep up when I’m on the road. I’ve been blocking out my weekly schedule, leaving room for big projects and setting limits on my work hours so I can take care of my personal responsibilities.
Well a couple of situations arose that gave me pause. One was with a fantastic young professional where we’ve been trying to meet face-to-face for months. She couldn’t meet during the time slot I had available and suggested some alternative times next week.
I waited a day to respond.
You see, I needed to face the internal struggle between wanting to spend time with this fantastic individual and wanting to complete my preparation for the coming month. (I average about two networking meetings or phone calls a week so I do make this important activity a priority.)
Finally I decided that I needed to stick with my original plans. I sent her an e-mail affirming that I wanted to meet with her but that it would need to be a phone call because my time was booked out for the month.
She kindly understood and we’re arranging for the appropriate follow up. I felt relieved because I had kept my schedule aligned with my values and wasn’t compromising the short term gain of making someone happy for the long term advantage of being balanced and feeling good about both what I accomplished personally and professionally.
How about you?
Are you aware of what’s on your schedule and making the tough choices with courage and confidence? Especially if you’re a small business owner, the success of your business and the maintenance of your sanity depends on consistently making tough choices aligned with your values.
It is possible to take back control of your time and your life and achieve work/life brilliance™!
Elizabeth “Elizabeth was able to assist me in accomplishing one of the most important transitions in my life, starting a business. She helped me identify the obstacles and gave me helpful tips in overcoming them. Elizabeth is a wonderful person, and a breath of fresh air for every entrepreneur out there needing assistance with time management…
She, without a doubt, DELIVERS!!!”
-Kameaka M Graves, Graves Consulting LLC, Virtual Personal/Administrative Assistance (thegravescompany@gmail.com)
Brilliant Resources
Receive a FREE $20 Starbucks gift card: When you tell a friend about Real Life E® and they choose to enjoy a Schedule Makeover™. You can ask them to let me know you introduced them to Real Life E® or send me their names to ensure you receive your ticket to free coffee.
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About Real Life E®
Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach & trainer who empowers individuals to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance™ through Schedule Makeovers™. Her empowerment coaching frees individuals from guilt, overwhelm, and frustration!
Discover how you can start enjoying your life TODAY! Look forward to talking with you!
Elizabeth has been featured in Inc magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and on NBC, and is happy to be interviewed for your broadcast or publication.
Do you keep putting off your dream of starting a business?
Are you stuck and don’t know how to launch your enterprise?
Do you feel like your business has overtaken your life?
If you answered, “Yes!” to any one of these questions, I might have the solution for you.
This November, I’m offering a home study course so that you can FINALLY move forward on your business. You see as a time coach for individuals across the country and as someone who constantly looks to overcome my own time challenges, I’ve seen that Real Change happens when there’s not only information but also regular encouragement and accountability.
This course is aimed at people who are looking to start or build a new business that allows them to work their ideal schedule. (If that doesn’t apply to you–feel free to contact me at esaunders@RealLifeE.com about individual coaching or look for upcoming courses on different topics.)
To Help You Focus and Move Forward, You Receive:
Four 60-minute Conference Calls on setting up a schedule, managing your work load, handling information overload, and doing business development
Recordings of the Calls so you can listen to them at any time
Four Action Guides that give you specific instructions on how to apply the information from the call to your life
30 days of E-mail Coaching where you can ask questions about the material or any challenge that comes up
This level of coaching typically costs around $1,000 but when you sign up for this course, you get all of this information, encouragement, and accountability for much less. See below for details…
“I cut 15 hours from my monthly activities that now go into relaxation pot. My other tasks/social activities and events were condensed into something more productive which now allows me to pursue my freelance PR consultancy. Thanks, Elizabeth. When life seems to be too hectic, she shows you have to take a step back and evaluate all that you do. I would highly recommend Real Life E® to anyone who is in self-employed or thinking about it.”
Do you really want to put this off any longer? Make a commitment to yourself to move forward on your business and get control of your life today.
I look forward to you joining me in November!
Elizabeth
P.S.-Tell your friends! Not only will they be much less stressed after this course but also you receive a $20 Starbucks gift card as my thank you if they sign up.
P.P.S.-If you have any questions about the course, please let me know. You can e-mail them to me at esaunders@RealLifeE.com or let me know what day and time you would like to set up a 10- to 15-minute call. I only want you to sign up if this is the right solution for you.
“Coaching with Elizabeth has had a great impact on my life.I’ve worked on trying to improve my time management and organization for years, but going through a coaching series with her helped me actually get more of what I “know” into practice.It’s not so much about what you should do (if it were, no one would struggle with weight loss, because all you need to do is “eat right and exercise”); it’s about actually getting it into practice.
It’s not like I was incapable of getting through a day; I was already quite successful by many measures.But adopting better time management practices and seeing tangible progress in a matter of weeks has enabled me to have greater confidence about managing my time, to be more peaceful, to feel like I am in more control.This has given me a clearer mind for decision-making, a greater ability to rest, a greater ability to focus and produce results.”
What if you got everything you wanted… and found out you STILL didn’t feel like a success?
Before you invest another minute in your business or career, listen in to this FREE teleseminar to make sure you are on the right track:
Building a Business (or a Career) That Fits Your Ideal Schedule:
Tuesday, October 6 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT/6 p.m. PT
Anyone can participate: Phone: 712-432-0600, Code: 775908#
Find out how to start and build a business that will help you to achieve work/life brilliance™ instead of keeping you from the people and activities that matter most to you. Coaching clients will receive a recording (Contact me at esaunders@RealLifeE.com to find out how you can start time coaching today!) Plus I will release details on Schedule Makeover™: To Build a Business: a four-week course that will lead you step-by-step through the process of setting your schedule to start or build a business. You don’t have to do this alone!
Elizabeth Grace Saunders does Schedule Makeover™ coaching with clients throughout the country. If you’re struggling to stay focused and motivated, contact Elizabeth at esaunders@RealLifeE.com to get help today!
Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance. You can sign up for more info at http://www.RealLifeE.com/coaching or http://www.ScheduleMakeover.com
I stayed focused over the past month so I could visit my cousins in Ohio, attend an Opportunity International conference on eliminating poverty, and spend time with my parents. Why do you need to stay focused?
I wrote this guest post for Chic Entrepreneur — a great resource (by another great Elizabeth ;o) for women looking to start a business.
Although having a flexible schedule can seem like a dream, it can soon turn into a nightmare! That’s why as a time coach and trainer, I help people take back control of their time and then channel it toward their personal and professional goals.
Here’s how to time block your schedule to stay focused and motivated:
Decide on Start and Stop Times: Not only will setting your hours keep you from feeling guilty, but also it will keep you focused when you are working because you have established a time when you are free to stop.
Set Your Top Goals: Each week, Review your top priorities and write them at the top of your weekly calendar or put them in a visible place on your digital calendar. This will keep you thinking about what’s most important.
Time Block Your Projects: To keep moving forward on your goals each week, “soft schedule” blocks of time when you will complete projects or devote time to certain activities. For instance you could block out two hours on Wednesday to write up a proposal or set aside one hour each morning to answer e-mail.
Plan Your Day: Each morning, make a quick list of your meetings and your top tasks. Number your activities in order of importance and write down how long you think it will take you to do each one. Then start moving through your day, moving from one project to the next in number order. If a project is taking longer than you expected, reevaluate whether you should continue with it or move on to the next task on your list.
Time blocking is so effective because it:
Gives you a clear outline of what needs to get done and when you can complete it so that you feel less overwhelmed.
Keeps you moving forward on key priorities on “autopilot” instead of procrastinating and stressing out about big projects at the last minute.
Turns your days into quick sprints of work instead of never-ending marathons.
Allows you to feel good about what you accomplished
Helps you realize when you’ve overcommitted and need to scale back.
Gets you back on track quickly when unexpected activities arise.
Elizabeth Grace Saunders does Schedule Makeover coaching with clients throughout the country. If you’re struggling to stay focused and motivated, contact Elizabeth at esaunders@RealLifeE.com to get help today!
Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance. You can sign up for more info at http://www.RealLifeE.com/coaching or http://www.ScheduleMakeover.com
Here are my time saving moving tips in video format. If you’d like to read the related blog post, check out Move Stress Free & $500 From Penske.
This post was inspired by the fact that I won $500 in a Penske Share Your Move sweepstakes with a story and photo of my journey from Des Moines, Iowa, to Ann Arbor, Michigan. To check out my story, and find out how Penske can help you save time and money, go to: Share Your Move
Have a brilliant day! Thank you Penske!
Elizabeth
P.S.–Also, you can find other fun photos of my moving adventure in this Facebook album: Click Here
Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a key note speaker, trainer, and does phone and e-mail coaching on time management for work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance. You can find out more at http://www.RealLifeE.com/coaching or http://www.ScheduleMakeover.com
I focus on time management coaching but my clients naturally end up asking me about other topics related to their business and life. One question that recently came my way from a client who decided to pursue full-time entrepreneurship was: “How did you feel making the first steps into self employment? Were you nervous?”
I loved this question because it reminded me of the importance of authenticity in sharing about our experiences and supporting one another. Here was my response:
“So glad you shared your heart and I’m so happy to share mine back with you—
The answer is, Yes! I felt incredibly nervous when I quit my job without a clear idea of what was ahead. I remember feeling like there were two enormously strong forces inside of me: One was my heart telling me that I needed to do what God had called me to do. That following God and obeying what He was calling me to do was no risk at all because He is a good and perfect father. But on the other hand, my head was screaming at me that this was impractical and that I didn’t know what was to come and that I should just wait–that it wasn’t worth it.
But I followed through and left my job and was actually truly amazed at how supportive my personal and professional contacts were about the whole situation. Right after I started my business, I experienced fear again. Not because I didn’t have work at the moment but because I felt like the future was a black hole of uncertainty. But thankfully, the Lord has taught me to find my security in Him and to daily do His will.
I encourage you to stand firm, pray hard, and as you said, be careful with who you share your dream. You not only need practical advice but also lots of support and encouragement as you step out in faith and take flight.
Take care! I’m confident God has beautiful things in store for you!”
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a key note speaker, trainer, and does phone and e-mail coaching on time management for work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance and sales success. You can find out more at http://www.RealLifeE.com/coaching or http://www.ScheduleMakeover.com
Balance leaves time for summer pleasures like sailing
Always in the car, on the phone, or in a meeting, sales people compete with entrepreneurs on who has the highest level of work/life imbalance.
Because they typically have flexible schedules, infinite to-do lists, and performance-based incentives, their work can easily consume their lives physically, mentally, and emotionally. (Ever wake up dreaming about your CRM tool?!)
If you’re in sales, you may wonder, “Is it possible to be in sales and still have a life?” Fortunately, the answer is, “Yes!” As a full-time entrepreneur for almost four years and a time coach to both entrepreneurs and employees, I’ve found these strategies can help you overcome overwhelm and achieve work/life brilliance™:
Set Your Hours: Clearly defining your ideal schedule, including when you start, stop, and take breaks, increases your productivity and focus during work hours and your freedom to relax when you’re “off.” You could start at 5 a.m. or 9 a.m., take a three-hour lunch or no lunch. When I help clients set up their ideal schedules during a Schedule Makeover consultation I emphasize that you need to develop a custom routine that works with your lifestyle and work preferences.
Plan Your Time: Laying out your day, week, and month helps you stay proactive and avoid last-minute stress. It also allows you to use your time efficiently so you can group out of office meetings in a similar location or make calls all at once.
Process Your Inputs: One of the easiest ways to get overwhelmed is to not set aside time each day to go through your inboxes and to-do lists and to not block out time for follow up on sales calls and meetings. If you know that it will take you two hours to complete a proposal but you book your day solid with meetings, you’ll inevitably end up working late.
Know Yourself: If you have a really hard time with setting limits, make commitments with friends or family in the evening that will force you to take a break or sign up for an exercise class that you have to pay to attend. If necessary, leave your laptop, Blackberry, or iPhone in the car or at the office.Accountability and boundaries are the best way to help you break the habit of working 24/7
Sales will always demand a high level of energy. But with the right time management for work/life balance strategies, you can accomplish more and have time to enjoy life.(Plus if you work with me on time coaching, I can help you overcome some of the limiting beliefs that could be holding you back from taking time to rest.)
To sales/life brilliance™!
Elizabeth
P.S.–If you’re in sales, check out Valerie Dennis’ blog where this article appeared as a guest post. Valerie is all about Sales Savvy!
Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a key note speaker, trainer, and does phone and e-mail coaching on time management for work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance and sales success. You can find out more at http://www.RealLifeE.com or http://www.ScheduleMakeover.com
My first nine months in business, I could barely keep up with the work. I had an extensive network in the journalism industry, and in 2005, there was still more than enough magazine freelance work to go around. But in 2006, everything changed. I went from saying, “No” to work that wouldn’t fit into my packed schedule to hearing, “No” when I asked editors if they had any assignments for me.
Ouch. If I wanted to stay afloat, I needed to adapt.
I took a careful examination of my magazine journalism skills and decided that writing offered the most potential. As a writer, I could offer my services to marketing firms, lead a location-independent lifestyle, and charge a substantial hourly rate. So in 2006 and 2007, I started to build my marketing professionals network, and by the summer of 2007, I was so busy that I barely had time to chew and swallow my food.
Although I had financial success, I felt bankrupt emotionally and really wanted to do work that let me leave my computer and interact with people. I explored new business possibilities with a coach and decided to pursue public speaking to share a message of hope and encouragement. (And leave my keyboard!) In December 2007, Real Life E was born and has developed into a time coaching and training company to empower women in business to achieve work/life brilliance™ through Schedule Makeovers™
Here are lessons I’ve learned from rebranding my business to meet my personal and professional goals:
·Dip or Dead End: Before you rebrand, ask yourself if you’re in a dip or a dead end. If you’re in a dip, pushing through the hard times will lead to exponential success (See Seth Godin’s The Dip). If you’re in a dead end (like I was with magazine journalism), exerting extra effort will lead to little benefit.
·Fix Problems: Instead of looking for “opportunities,” look for problems. I saw that many of my friends felt overwhelmed with work or struggled to build a business without burning out. Schedule Makeovers™ are a solution to their struggles.
·Set Your Hours: When you first start this process, it will be really difficult to spend time doing sales and marketing for your new brand. I recommend setting aside specific blocks of time for this task. (I started with five hours a week.) Then as your new company becomes larger, it will naturally take more of your time and you can phase out your older products and services.
To thrive in these uncertain times, you must consistently adapt your products and services and brand to meet market demand and achieve more and more of your ideal lifestyle.
If you’re struggling to rebrand your business, check out www.ScheduleMakeover.com or contact me at esaunders@RealLifeE.com. I can help you develop a system for moving forward on your goals in a focused manner so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Elizabeth Grace Saunders does key note speaking and phone and e-mail coaching to empower women in business to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance and business development.
Sticking to my schedule allowed me to enjoy a relaxed weekend with the awesome Simmons family on the East Coast!
Making a schedule is the first step to a life of peace and success, and keeping it is the second step. (To get a sneak peek at how I organize my time, check out Part I in this series.)
Once I’ve done my morning processing, I use these strategies to stick to my ideal schedule and complete the most critical tasks:
In the afternoon, I take a quick assessment of how many hours I have left and what needs to be done to hit my ending goal. This could mean moving on to a new project, pushing to complete an assignment, or revising my expectations for the day.
To really ensure I stick to my end time, I try to schedule activities right after work. It could be something as simple as a scheduled phone call, a walk with a friend, or going to a networking event. Knowing that I will cause inconvenience to someone else by working late really helps me stop myself. (My clients who have trouble starting work in the morning use this trick at the beginning of their day.)
As a final level of reinforcement, I time block out my evening. Like Tim Ferriss says in The 4-Hour Workweek, you have to clearly define what you will do to fill the void created by working fewer hours. For me that means inviting friends over for dinner or planning a specific projects like entering receipts in my budget or doing laundry. By giving myself a clear objective, I remind myself that working beyond my set schedule comes at a cost. If I procrastinate or over commit, I’m acutely aware that I’m keeping myself from doing other activities. This motivates me to plan my time and my responsibilities so I can stick to 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and then stop—guilt free!
You can move forward on important projects and keep up on mundane task by setting a schedule that works for you and then strengthening these new habits (kind of like training muscles with consistent lifting). If you need help with this process, contact me about a Schedule Makeover.
You don’t need to feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or guilty any more!
Elizabeth
If you’re struggling to set a schedule, check out www.ScheduleMakeover.com or contact me at esaunders@RealLifeE.com. I can help you develop a system for moving forward on your goals.
Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach and keynote speaker who empowers women in business to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance and business development.
Celestial Seasonings® tea boxes have a way of speaking to me… this was on their Perfectly Pear™ White Tea:
“What is it about my daily rituals? Why such pleasure in repetition? Well, it occurs to me that I might just be practicing… being me. Those cherished creaks in the old floorboards. The precise angle of the winter sun cheering my kitchen. Assembling ingredients for a dish I’ve made hundreds of times. A novel position my cats have adopted, lost in their midday dreams. Each nuance resonates with a kind of timeless wisdom, and I realize thiat it is these humble putterings–nothing fancier–that have allowed me, finally, to know myself.”–David Jacoby
To being yourself!
Elizabeth
If you’re struggling to find these quiet moments, check out www.ScheduleMakeover.com or contact me at esaunders@RealLifeE.com. I can help you develop a routine for a peaceful, beautiful life.
Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach and trainer who empowers women in business to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance and business development.
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