As an entrepreneur who makes her own hours, I’ve learned a few things about personal momentum.
My day begins around 6:30am getting my son, Desmond, ready for his 3-hour preschool (breakfast, dressed, teeth-brushed – you know the drill). At 7:15 am both he and husband leave to get to school/work on time.
This is my 3 hour window to get work done everyday. 7:15am-10:15am. (I pick up my son from school at 10:30am and we have the pleasure of hanging out together until my husband gets home at 5:30pm.)
Now to be clear, I’m NOT a morning person. My peak performance hours are 10am-2pm…the height of mama time.
SO, I’ve had to learn how to get highly productive and efficient with my time (while also not burning out …)
The main thing I’ve learned as a coach running a business – what I do at 7:15am when the house is all mine determines the fate of my day. My whole day can all filter back to that one moment, and the one decision I make.
If I make a cup of tea, go to my office and dive into actual work – I can easily keep going until 10:15am. However, if my first move after they leave is to say, fold laundry or clean the kitchen or hop online then I’m in real trouble. And if I decide to go downstairs, fall into the couch and turn on Netflix – well then I’m toast (it’s like calling in “sick” on my own business because nothing gets done.).
I think of this as Newton’s Personal Law of Momentum because I am an object that will either stay in motion or stay at rest, based on the first thing I do at 7:15am.
Which means I’m either really business productive or really “house management” productive (aka: NOT business productive) or just lazy.
It’s all about energy.
As coaches – we are aware of this energy so it has the power to either work for us in business -or- against us.
The delicate dance with personal momentum is to find energy management items that provide ourselves with a continual flow of positive energy. So the goal is to be working to continually fill your cup with positive energy to consistently get things done v. powering through designated work hours which fully empties your cup. If your energy cup empties as a one-woman business owner, for example – your body, mind and soul will require the equal – yet opposite – time to adequately refill through recharging in downtime.
Thus, the reason why Netflix becomes so damn alluring sometimes.
Here are my Top 3 Tips to Keep your Personal Momentum High as Coach so you can get more done, attract more clients and not feel so lazy. Warning – they’re simple (but not easy).
1. Visualize. The night before, as you drift off to sleep, visualize how your morning is going to go. Especially if you are a care-taker. Zero in on the energy and emotions you want to feel. When you wake, put a smile on your face and refocus on that visual. Then go, make it happen.
2. Create Rules. Since we don’t have a boss to keep us on task, creating rules for yourself keeps your Personal Momentum flowing. These are not guidelines that you can “sort of” follow. Think of them as your work non-negotiables. And I know, I know – as entrepreneurs we are naturally the “rebels” and “rule breakers”. We don’t like being told what to do. And if you would have told me 7 years ago that having “rules” in my business would help me get things done, I would have wanted to punch you in the face. The good news is that the quicker you lean into this idea and adapt it in a way that works for you – the quicker they won’t feel like ‘rules” anymore but some serious “empowerment in action.”
1) Visualize + Set My Morning Intention,
2) Drink 30 oz of water before Dave/Des leave,
3) When Dave/Des leave make a cup of tea and get into office right away,
4) Center day with reviewing Top 3 Actions (organized in my 90-Day Planner),
5) Repeat my Weekly Mantra + 2016 Power Word,
6) Focus on Top 3 Profit-Generating Activities first,
7) Circle any uncompleted tasks to be done in evening,
8) 15-Minutes of Yoga
3. Reward. Having some sort of non-food reward for your Personal Momentum helps keep your business in motion v. wanting to hang out with your “boss, the couch” and watch the next House of Cards episode. So when you complete your list – your “rules” are all done – then what? Give yourself something that pulls you up. For me – I like to have bonus reading time or social time (sans kids) with a friend. These drivers really help me stay focused on my work and does not allow my momentum to get distracted. Plus, they provide me ample decompression time so I can recharge my business self.
