Have you heard of Colleen Hoover? If you’ve glanced at the New York Times Bestsellers list any time in the last decade, you’ve seen her name. She’s a wildly successful romance writer who has sold more than 20 million books since she self-published her first novel in 2012. Her popularity is extraordinary, and so is her origin story. She wrote that first book while she held a full-time job in child protective services. She and her husband also had three small children. Making time at night and on the weekends to write was a sacrifice that paid off.
How about the story of Sara Blakely? She had a full-time job selling fax machines door-to-door (yes, it was the ‘90s) when she launched her company, Spanx. Sara cut up a pair of pantyhose to make her own shapewear to go under a pair of cream pants, and wanted to make the same kind of product available in stores. She spent a year working nights and weekends in her apartment to develop a prototype; long story short, the company was recently valued at more than $1 billion.
It’s obvious what these stories have in common (apart from being examples of great time management and productivity).
They’re just two of the countless entrepreneurs who have built a side project into something successful, while balancing a full-time job and family responsibilities.
But why am I sharing them now? Two reasons.
First, they’re reminders that radical change can happen when you really commit to something you’re passionate about, and have the time management plans to support that commitment. For you, that might not be launching a side hustle or writing a novel. Maybe it means taking your business to the next level or creating more time to spend with family.
Second, it’s September—which means we have a two-month window of opportunity ahead of us before the craziness of the holidays and the end-of-the-year push really set in.
What do you want to reset or restart this September?
Even though it’s nearing the end of the calendar year, September is a prime time to regroup, reset or even start something new. Not only do we have some breathing room before New Year’s, but it’s also a time when we tend to transition into spending more time at home and indoors. (Unless you’re in a phase of life where you’re spending every free minute driving kids to and from after-school activities and weekend practices, of course!)
The problem with shorter days and colder weather keeping you home is that it gets really easy to fall into a routine of lounging on the couch and scrolling through your phone. Giving yourself some time to rest, relax and zone out is absolutely part of a good time management and productivity strategy. But are you going to feel good about spending the next six months doing that with all your free time on nights and weekends?
Seize the September Opportunity: Transforming After-Work Hours for Progress
Now’s the time to get really clear about how you want to use all those after-work hours. Between now and spring, find in a way to move your business and your life forward so you don’t get stuck in hibernation mode all winter. September creates a moment of opportunity for you to make real, measurable progress on your goals. Even if they’re as ambitious as launching a billion-dollar company out of your garage.
Which brings us back to Colleen Hoover, Sara Blakely and all the other entrepreneurs who used great time management to build their empires. These kinds of success stories can be a powerful motivator when you’re recommitting to an old goal or taking on a new goal. They’re examples of the way you can make big change happen in your life when you’re really intentional about how you use your time.
Maybe you’ve…
- stalled on a project
- fallen behind on your quotas
- or feel like you didn’t make any progress on your yearly goals over the summer.
You can’t change the past, but you can give yourself permission to put it behind you. It’s time to move forward through September with a fresh start mindset.
Your time is a powerful resource, and you can harness it to get so much done between now and Thanksgiving. It’s all about getting really clear about what you want to get done and creating a time management plan that’s going to support that work.
3 Action Steps for Creating a September Reset
- Ask yourself: What am I excited to tackle this fall? Maybe it’s a business goal that you’re already working on that you’re excited to keep progressing. Or maybe it’s that business idea in the back of your mind that seems too crazy or risky or unrealistic to actually pursue. But you also can’t stop daydreaming about trying it. Instead of thinking about what you have to do, think about what projects and goals feel inspiring or energizing to you.
- Look at your physical space with fresh eyes. Shaking up your workspace can create a real shift in your mood and contribute to the feeling of making a fresh start, so it’s something you might want to do every spring and fall. Could you move your desk slightly so you catch even more sunlight? Are there photos or artwork that would help you feel more connected to your goals that you could bring in? When you sit down to work, is there anything in your eyeline that distracts you or stresses you out? Are there new scents, plants, or desk accessories that would make this space feel more welcoming?
- Start creating your monthly plans for October and November right now. It’s one thing to get excited about the idea of a September reset when we’re in September. It’s another thing to carry that energy and motivation through into October and beyond. Especially when you’re in those really busy weeks where you feel like you’re barely keeping your head above water. There’ll be a lot of blanks on the calendar you can’t fill in yet, but start creating monthly plans for the next two months. This will allow you to carve out space for the work and activities that you’re excited about pursuing this fall.
Need support with time management so you can create the life you crave this fall?
Implementing the plans and time management tools that actually work for your life, your brain and your goals can be overwhelming, I know. You know that you need to change something if you’re going to break through the challenges that prevent you from feeling in control of your time… but you might now know what that “something” is, or where to start.
That’s where I come in. Request a no-cost Strategy Session with me to schedule a one-on-one call. We’ll talk about what’s holding you back, what’s possible for you, and if/how True Focus could help you get there. Click here to request your no-cost Strategy Session.
Happy fall!
Sarah
- Time Management Strategies to Help You Land the Big Clients You Want - April 17, 2024
- Stress Management for a Productive Spring: Are You “Normal”? - April 4, 2024
- 3 Things Realtors Can Control in a Busy Spring Real Estate Market - March 15, 2024
