The Beauty of the Big Ole Brain Dump (or, How I Decided What to Take Off My Plate)
I’m finding my way, originally uploaded by knottednes & found via kind over matter
Even though yesterday’s Tough (Question) Tuesday (”What can you take off your plate?”) was an “easy” one (compared to “Do you believe in passion?” & “What’s your definition of success?“), it totally stumped me. I looked at it & looked at it, hoping the answer would jump out of the screen & show itself to me, all spooky word-jumble-by-a-ghost-style (like the letters of “What can you take off your plate?” suddenly form “can of pea” & that would somehow tell me something).
But nope. The Otherworld did not send my messages via my 7 year old computer (that’s getting upgraded this week! Hurry up for spooky things, Ghosts. I know you’re in here). Instead, I knew a Big Ole Brain Dump was gonna show me the way. Yup, I’m about to share my process & everything that’s on the said daily/weekly/monthly (!) To Do list (despite the fact that maybe I “shouldn’t”!). Hence, the Big Ole Brain Dump along with the estimated time that goes with each task, as I think it’ll help me sort through things:
- 7 group coaching sessions: 15 hours/week for sessions & back end work
- 13 private client sessions (email & phone): 15 hours/week for sessions & back end work
- rewriting my Services copy with new packages & pricing & (forcing Luke into) updating it to go live (Note: Once it does, I’m gonna be charging $99/session instead of $79. You better contact me now if you’re thinking of working with me, ’cause there’s no going back once that baby’s updated): 3 hours
- weekly Skype Boozin’ & Brainstormin’ meetings with Jess Swift (for our top secret project!): 2 hours/wk because we force ourselves to stop gabbing. Otherwise, 84 hours/wk.
- writing copy for said top secret project: 3 hours/wk, ideally.
- monthly newsletter: 5 hours/month
- Spring & all that goes with it (monthly calls, taping videos, communicating with collaborators, writing & publishing posts, etc): 20 hours/month (approximately)
- 2 new written exercises/wk for group coaching sessions: 3 hours / wk
- Taking Flight content: 3 hrs/wk
- Running 3 mornings/wk: 3 hrs/wk
- weekly business building check-in/updates: 90 min/wk
- monthly finance reconciliations: 90 min/month
- daily Hootsuite/Twitter communication: 30 min/day
- blogging 3x/wk & answering comments: 4 hrs/wk
This doesn’t include the “project to do list” that contains the e-book I wanna write & researching/buying a scanner & going back to tag every blog post & rolling over my 401K from my previous employer & writing a Go Here First page on my blog &…you get the point.
OK, so, this equals about 247 hours/month, or over 60 hours a week. Holy guacamole – I never thought of it like that! No wonder I’m overwhelmed! Not that I’m looking to slack off or nothin’, but having 30 hours/week of “committed” projects (sounds like I’m in the nuthouse!) & then about 15 hours/wk of “uncommitted” projects to work on along with about 10 hrs/wk of business building & exercise stuff feels like the perfect balance. Right now I’m at the “committed” peak just with my clients, not to mention Spring, this blog, my newsletter, Twitter, & my Top Secret Project with Jess. Sigh. Those all seem equally as important, or just a notch of importance below my clients.
I hafta interrupt this regularly scheduled program now to say how awesometastic this problem is. It’s the bestest problem in the world because – hallelujah – it means that I’m working. Amen & kiss the ground. I don’t want to look that gift horse in the mouth or be unthankful for it, so let me say it now: Thank you. If you’re one of my fantabulous clients, I’m grateful for you. If you’re thinking of being one, I’ll make time/room for you. I think now it’s all about finding – & sticking to! – my Life Design, whether it’s inspired by Heddy Lamar or not.
See, there are Vampires in my head now, telling me that, if I block off my calendar & limit myself to, say, only scheduling consultation calls on Fridays or only scheduling 3 client sessions per day that I’ll never “make it.” I’ll lose my audience, my clients, my livelihood & my passion. He’s also telling me that I’m supposed to be working hard now, super overtime, since I just started my business & this is the only way to make it happen. But at the same time, there’s a devil on my shoulder telling me to take time off, take care of myself, leave it all by the wayside. Why it’s a devil & not an angel, I have no idea – but there he is, all red & fiery & horn-y & taunting me with self-care. Huh.
The angel tells me to find the gray area. Keep up the hard work, but set the boundaries & enforce them. Stop scheduling time to talk to people who want to be coaches (it’s so tough to say “no” to them!), and some other “friends” that clog up the calendar. Give yourself an hour a day of exercise or business building, but don’t stress about doing both. Schedule your Me Time back into your calendar & hold it tight. Remember you’re setting this up to pull back in a year or two, but now…you have the time & the energy & the enthusiasm – use it. But keep that Wall in sight & know when you’re about to hit it, & walk away. It’s alright. Be your own best friend. There, there.
I guess I didn’t come up with 1 Concrete Answer of “what to take off my plate”, but I know what I want to keep on it:
- working with as many client’s as’ll have me, but not extend myself more than 4 sessions each business day (and let’s be honest – waiting lists are cool)
- 90 minutes of Me Time each week
- an hour each day of exercise /business building/ journaling / creative time
- keeping up with Spring, the Top Secret project, my blog, newsletter & twitter for 2 hours each day, but keeping it as a lower priority than my client commitments & being nice to myself if I can’t get to it
- working on “uncommitted” projects one by one (prioritize -> pick one -> finish it) for 2 hours each week
This is about 40 hours/wk. No doubt I’ll be “working” more than that, but I’m definitely breathing easier with a clearer head.
Ain’t that Big Ole Brain Dump a beaut?
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June 30th, 2010 at 7:47 am
Woah! Wowsers Michelle! I knew you were fabuolous- – but I had no idea just how super fab you actually are! Go girl! Good luck. I still don’t know what to take off my plate. Tough Q Tuesday was real tough for me. Still working on it…
June 30th, 2010 at 10:19 am
I love the Big Ole Brain Dump and writing all of it down with times next to it. I’m going to evaluate my week starting on Monday!
I download your free workbook. It’s coming with me to the beach on Sunday. Can’t wait to relax and enjoy it
June 30th, 2010 at 11:17 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Michelle Ward, Melina. Melina said: @WhenIGroUpCoach VERY timely for me! In the middle of a BIG brain dump this week! And yes, its a great prob to have! http://ow.ly/25irY [...]
June 30th, 2010 at 11:24 am
I’ve been struggling with overwhelm a lot lately, and I like the way you laid out your to-do list/timeline to determine what you can take off your plate.
I’m afraid to see how much time per week commuting is going to take up! I hope my list will lead to some creative solutions…
June 30th, 2010 at 11:33 am
I can totally relate to this. A month back I was keeping a daily list of what I did when and for how many hours because I was curious to learn more about how I was really spending my time now that I don’t have a desk job. And I was appalled to discover that I was “working” in some capacity for 12-15 hours almost every day of the week. No wonder I felt like I was climbing up a steep hill with no relief in sight.
I am much less organized than you are, Michelle. MUCH less. So after I made that discovery I didn’t really thoughtfully power down my workload, but more haphazardly began to take breaks during the day at odd times whenever the mood struck and take entire days off for no good reason other than I felt like it.
I wish I could be more on top of myself and my time and my to do list to really craft a more detailed schedule, but I do know myself, and that’s just not me. I know I’d work my butt off trying to get something concrete written down and I’d end up deviating from it on the very first day. (It’s happened before…)
I really think the most important thing when trying to decide what, if anything, to take off your plate, is to LISTEN to your body and your impulses. If you lay down to rest, for example, and after an hour, you find yourself antsy and ready to get up, it’s probably because you’re done resting. So get up and do whatever inspires you!
And if you sit down to work and you find yourself staring out the window and checking your facebook every 4 minutes, maybe you need to go play a little – take a walk, meet a friend for a drink. Your body will give you the cues and signals.
I cannot attest how productive or lucrative that method might be, but since i’ve been listening more to my instincts rather than strictly following a pre-set list, I’ve certainly been happier and less worried. I might also be a little bit poorer too.
June 30th, 2010 at 11:47 am
Hey there… wow.. that is a plate full and to think I am even scared to go to the buffet (but that will pass) Please take some Me time, cause we like u a little wacky but maybe not so much bonkers. Funny though what you are feeling seems to be the theme in this week in posts, even mine. That tells me that neither you nor I are alone, YAY!! Also had to stop by, thought of you as I go to do initial auditions for Footloose (I am choreographing) with students who have little if any dance experience, and I am excited about it. Go figure! Hope your day is a great one and you find time for you… -Meg
June 30th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Holy COW. You are a busy lady (and that’s coming from another busy lady!). I haven’t gone through my brain-dump to assign hours, but I imagine that one would see a considerable amount of time that is not physically available that apparently I’m hoping to do work during! Oh to be one of those people who can survive on five hours of sleep (I’m an 8-10 hours kinda gal in my ideal world).
I wrote about adjusting timelines yesterday, but I did officially rearrange some vacation hours so I can take a whole week off this month! Awesome. I’m trying to set aside at least two days of nothing but spontaneous fun and other than that work my tush off on things I WANT to do. Can’t wait.
June 30th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Jeebus! That is a lot! I’m glad that you figured out a way to relieve a little stress and still feel productive. Tell that monster to go away. You’re awesome. And remember, you always gotta put on your oxygen mask first before you can assist the other passengers
June 30th, 2010 at 6:07 pm
This was great! I loved that you put in how much time each item takes. It’s really cool to see your process and how it fills your time. And hurray for time for yourself! Sounds like great stuff to me.
July 1st, 2010 at 9:57 am
I can relate. Totally. I found that my problem with taking something off my plate is that I want to accomplish everything NOW. For some reason I equate taking something off my plate with deciding to *never* do it. And that is just not the case! Of course, I learn this lesson and then forget it all the time. My husband is in charge of reminding me that the phrase “its now or never” Does Not Apply.
Cheers!
July 1st, 2010 at 3:50 pm
once you write down the amount of time it takes to do things, it makes sense as to why we can’t have a to do list that is a mile long! there are only so many hours in the day and it can’t be ALL work!!
i’m going to take a close look at what i can take off my plate. thanks!
July 1st, 2010 at 4:18 pm
You guys are the best, I can’t even express it! I actually ditched what was on my To Do List (don’t worry, it wasn’t urgent) to give you an update on my Overwhelm. Head on over to the next post to see!
@Paige – I’m still trying to get out of the mindset I’ve carried around with me where busy = productive = successful, so while I appreciate being called “fabulous” I think I’ll be even fabulouser if I turned it around to my own 4 hr workweek. Ha!
@nycgirl0501 – Don’t relax too much – it’s called a workbook for a reason
@Kat – Commuting sucks, sucks, sucks & usually there’s nothing to do about it except to make it intentionally productive/relaxing. Good luck!
@Jen – Thanks for being amazeballs. You’re so right – I need to listen to my body to know when to take a break & when to rev up, no matter what (as long as I don’t have a client when my body wants to watch Judge Judy!). Your experience & your perspective is a huge help!
@Meg – Overwhelm solidarity! Yes, it seems we’re certainly not alone. I need to consult my astrology friend & see if there’s a certain moon or something that’s screwing everyone up! Just make sure that you let yourself enjoy those auditions. Seem so fun/adorable!
@Maggie – I’m a sleeper, too! Luke & I reverse roles during the weekend- he’s up bright & early around 9, & be 11a he has to drag me out of bed. HOORAY for spontaneous fun & a week off & designated SLEEP time!
@Alisha – That’s the first thing I remember my first coach telling me, & it has always stayed with me. Thanks for the reminder!
@Kim – So, so glad! That’s why I threw the “should” out the window & just did it. SO glad it helped you!
@Katie – Amen & hallelujah! I find that getting my idea/To Do into a book for safe keeping is a great way to know that it’s there, ready for me when I’m ready for it (& not cluttering my mind/plate in the meantime)!
July 1st, 2010 at 5:14 pm
wow Michelle! I read the solution post first, but had to come back and read your brain dump too. You are pretty freakin amazing! And I am so happy for you that you’re having this problem
I am also super happy to see that you are being proactive, and takin care of it before it’s too late and you go gettin all nutzo. Self care. Self care. Self care. I have to say this to myself every day.
I love having the insight into your week, you know I’m a bit obsessed with the whole schedule thing right now too
I have yet to use these, but I’m thinking about trying a couple of them out http://www.productiveflourishing.com/free-planners/ have you seen Charlie’s stuff?
July 5th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
@olive – Self-care indeed! And here I thought it was a coincidence that self-care is the theme for Spring for July. As if! I have a feeling that my conversation with those ladies sparked this whole thing. How dare they!
And yes, I LOVE Charlie’s planners. I’ve yet to use ‘em but I have ‘em printed out. Maybe this week’s the week to try! Will you do it with me?
July 6th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
I love how your 2hr a week call with Jess could be 84hrs, lol! This was a great exercise, I should try to do this myself with the hour to task ratio. In fact I should get myself a flippin’ schedule/calendar, I really can’t keep track of everything in my head all the time, this was good stuff Michelle, thank you!
July 8th, 2010 at 10:52 am
It so could be, sunshine! We always have to make sure one of us has to be somewhere at least 2 hours after our original meeting’s called or else we can go on all day!
And seriously, I’m a closet calendar collector. There are so many out there it can make your head spin! Just think about which way can be the easiest for you. Just make it easy & be patient. It’s tough!