Managing your time (and overwhelm) as a multi-passionate entrepreneur
By Jasmine Irven (originally written for SL Creative)
Hey you. Yes, you. You with the notebook filled to the brim with ideas and inspiration, the 15 hobbies and passion projects you know you could make into a business if you wanted to, and the to do list that literally never ends. There’s a name for us – and no it’s not just crazy. We’re multi-passionate. Whether you blame it on your enneagram number, your astrological sign, or something in your DNA, you know that having multiple projects and tasks on the go at any one time is what keeps you going, and you likely wouldn’t have it any other way. But even if that’s the case, at times having so much on the go can be overwhelming, and it’s important to have strategies in place to ensure you don’t get burnt out.
Here are 4 strategies to begin implementing if you feel like you’re struggling to manage your time:
Choose your Priority
One of my favourite concepts from the book “Eat That Frog” by Brian Tracy is the idea that there is literally never enough time to do everything you have to do. Maybe initially that stresses you out, but if you can reframe it in your mind, it can honestly be a relief! No matter how much you master productivity, you are always going to have a number of projects on the go, tasks you could be working on, books you want to read, etc. So, begin by letting go of the idea that one day you’ll be completely done (p.s. think of how boring that would be anyways!), and instead focus on what the most important task is for you to work on at each moment. The word priority is meant to be singular — the one thing that is the most important thing to work on at that time.
So, ask yourself: if I could only get one thing on my to-do list done, what would it be?
If you find it helpful, you can also number the other tasks on your to-do list in order of importance, but the main thing to recognize and get started on is that first task that will make the most difference.
Single task & block focused time
Many people like to think that they’re great multitaskers, but the reality is that when it comes to important tasks and projects, the majority of us get more done if we’re able to create a specific block of time to work on one task.
Set aside a chunk of time (likely 2-3 hours) to work on a large project – and only that project. Get rid of distractions by turning off notifications, moving your phone to a different room, and putting a “do not disturb” sign up on your door if needed. You can further set the mood with study music and a cup of coffee if you feel it will help! Once you’ve created the space and have a specific task to work on, get to it! Start by tackling the first step of the project – setting a timer and committing just to 20 minutes initially. If you still can’t get in the groove after that 20 minutes it may be worth taking a break and coming back to it later, but more often than not once you simply get started you’ll be able to drop into a flow state quickly. And having that longer period of time blocked off means that once you’re in that flow state you don’t need to come out.
Batch tasks
It’s easier to drop into a flow state when we’re working on similar tasks throughout the day. If you’re someone who has a blog, coaching clients, and a podcast, it may be helpful to have themed days where you tackle each of these general tasks.
For example,
- Mondays are for planning and admin
- Tuesdays are for batch recording podcasts (schedule 4-5 interviews on this day so your content is done for the next month)
- Wednesdays and Thursdays are for coaching calls (schedule all of your client calls on these days)
- Fridays are for creative writing (plan to do your blogging and social media captions on Fridays)
We waste a lot of time and energy task-switching (the process of going from one task to another).
“Different types of task require a particular way of thinking, a particular action different from each other.” — Nicola MacPhail
Rather than constantly forcing ourselves to switch tasks, if we can batch our days we can maximize our flow state and efficiency, and minimize distraction. P.S, if you don’t have enough of the same tasks to commit an entire day to them, break it down into hours in your day!
Rest
I know you have a lot of goals for your business and your life in general, and that’s incredible. But you’ll be unable to achieve any of these if you’re completely burnt out. Productivity can only go so far in helping you. You also need regular rest. Yes I’m referencing the normal 7-9 hours of daily sleep, but it’s also so much more than that. You need space in your day to breathe, an intentional morning and evening routine to ground you, time spent with family and friends.
Recognize that taking a break to walk around the block isn’t time wasted – but rather that it will likely impact your mental and physical health (and your creativity!), in ways that will be incredibly beneficial for you and your business. Schedule intentional rest into your days, your weeks, and your months. Allow yourself to enjoy this time! Rest is not earned, it’s something you absolutely need and deserve regardless of where you’re currently at with your goals.
If you’re looking for more ways to create an intentional life, I’d love for you to check out my health and wellness blog, Sustainable Bliss!
About Jasmine
My name is Jasmine Irven and I am an ambitious 23 year old living in Montreal. After graduating from a digital media program and working full-time in communications for almost 2 years, I decided that the in-office life wasn’t quite for me and began pursuing freelance work in social media, communications, and design.
As the article suggests, I’m very multi-passionate. I’m also a Certified Meditation Teacher and a Holistic Health and Nutrition Coach, and am the founder of The Sustainable Bliss Collective, a growing health, wellness, and sustainability blog.
Check out my health and wellness blog, Sustainable Bliss, if you’re looking for more ways to create an intentional life!