Well…so I thought. But here is the brutal truth. I woke up one morning a few weeks ago feeling tired, frustrated, stressed (actually borderline angry), overwhelmed, and feeling mentally and physically heavy. I had not felt that way in a very, very long time. Maybe some of you know the feeling…

I could go on and give you a thousand reasons why I felt that way like, “September was an extraordinarily busy month and I stretched myself thin to be accommodating”; or “I decided to play computer techie and add a few major technical elements to the mix ’cause I’m obviously sadistic”; or the kicker “I started a 5-day cleanse to reset my metabolism as well as a 30-day yoga challenge because that last hour in my day I could maybe have spared just had to be filled”…blah, blah, blah…you get the point right?

Was September difficult? Yes, it sure was. Was it also the greatest catalyst for me to realize that it is NOT AT ALL how I want to feel in my business or my life? You bet.

What happened next took a lot of guts and involved a lot of tears (Kleenex sure made a huge profit that week!). Margarita and I took the necessary time (with our coach)  to completely re-assess and re-evaluate it all, and zap ourselves with a jolt of perspective. We totally hit the RESET button and realized that although September was the last drop that spilled the milk, the real “spark killer” was all the little, cumulative, non-necessary, non-profitable To Dos (admin or otherwise) that we thought were important.

So, we decided to get rid of a huge chunk of “noise”, re-connected with our ideal work schedule and totally simplified our business model to suit the lifestyle we really want. After all, if we are to choose to play the game of business, might as well play it our way right?

Here is the thing. The gem in all of this is that I was out of balance with the majority of my core values. Keeping it Simple was getting overcrowded with a whole bunch of ToDos – simple mind you – but To Dos nonetheless that were contributing to the noise. Freedom to Excel was getting buried under a heavily loaded schedule…therefore leaving me feeling like I had no time and energy left to do what I do best: Digging Deeper.

Today, I feel a lot lighter despite the work ahead that is necessary to implement all our changes…because I know that it will be much, much better on the other side.

What do you need to “stop” or “reset” in your life and in your business to increase your level of freedom and fulfillment?

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Well, here’s my theory…every thing, place, or person as we know it is made up of molecules that vibrate at a certain frequency to create that specific thing, place, or person. Generally, either by instinct or knowledge, we tend to choose “getaway” vacation spots – naturally vibrating at a lower frequency than where we spend most of our time – to relax. Places with less people, buildings, cars…just less going on in general.

The biggest benefit of visiting one of these places is that it effectively helps to bring down our frequency from the higher level most of us tend to operate at when you combine all the activity of day-to-day life – work, chores, children, pets and play. If you think about it, the amount of time it takes for someone to “wind down” on vacation really depends on how far they need to go to get closer to the vibration or “groove” of where they are visiting.

Now, let’s say you’ve finally found the vacation “groove”, most likely two days before you have to leave as luck would have it, but regardless…you’ve found it and you are in the flow. Those few days later when you are back home and re-integrating, the process is much the same but in reverse. And I believe it is precisely this upward shift that is required to get us back to the higher vibration of our day-to-day that initially wipes us out upon our return. Thus, leaving us feeling exhausted from the get-go and with the unfulfilled feeling of needing a second vacation.

My solution to this madness is to be aware of my own personal vibration level (in a natural state) and keep it within an acceptable range of that state no matter where I am in this big world. At home or abroad. It’s not easy I’ll tell you that, but it is possible. Once you realize that everything outside of yourself is its own entity and you can only control however you are feeling or acting, in any given moment, then balancing your state of being becomes a smaller task to take on.

Try it on for size and let me know what changes in yourself, and others, you discover. You may be surprised!

The other area they are extremely crafty in is marketing. If there is a term where the word “Blo” fits, they are using it. And not just the obvious too. For their blog, just the simple addition of a hyphen gives them the best blog name ever: BLO-G. They are consistent with their messaging, know their target market, and aren’t afraid to use the boldness of their main brand identity color – hot pink!

Take a minute and peruse their website, or better yet, take 30 minutes and get yourself a “do” to spice things up…as they like to say, “You’re not cheating on your hairdresser!“

When the word “branding” comes up in conversation, the first thing that comes to mind for many is the image of a product’s or company’s logo.

If we peel back the brand beyond the logo, it becomes clear that a “brand mark” is only one slice of the brand story. When a new brand is created by a design house, more often than not there is an in-depth process which takes place prior to the development of a logo or brand mark. In my mind, the brand is the cultural impression that a business wants to present to its customers.

Here is proof that branding goes beyond a logo. Last week, I was driving to an appointment. While moving slowly on a major road due to construction, I noticed a familiar van driving alongside me. The company van had a great logo and was promoting a bottleless drink water system. The brand led me to believe the water tasted good and was very healthy and clean.

Just as I was thinking about this and wondering if I should call them to set up a system for my home, I saw the driver of the van throw his cigarette butt out of the window. It was still lit and fell to the ground. In this moment, I made a split decision not to call this company. Witnessing this event had tainted my impression of the brand.

I’m sure you have had a similar brand encounter that has left a bad taste in your mouth. Now it’s time to ask yourself: Is your brand driving in the right direction?

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3. A willingness to change.

Are you willing to let go of your old comfortable patterns that don’t work and learn new ways of doing things?

Once you’ve honestly discovered where change is needed, the fun begins. Now it’s time to take action and change what isn’t working and create the life you want.

Before you can move forward, you need to be willing to change. There is a difference between recognizing a need to change and your willingness to do something about it.

Sometimes that means changing the dynamics of a significant relationship or perhaps even ending a relationship. It may require you to change careers even without knowing what’s next, or perhaps make new choices for your health and wellbeing which are not supported by others.

Be careful to stay out of the trap of analyzing what you’ve discovered. That will only keep you stuck. Sometimes an avoidance strategy is wanting to know “why” things happened or “why” you do what you do? “Why” will only keep you stuck. “Why” justifies behaviour that isn’t working.

Focusing on the “why” keeps you focused on the problem and what isn’t working, rather than focusing on how you want to be instead.

If you find yourself saying “I’ll change when……. Or I’ll change if……….I know I should change but……. It means you’re not willing to change.

No one can make you change.

It takes courage to change now. The courage comes at the stage of willingness. Once you are willing, things move easily and quickly to align with your willingness.

At this stage, it isn’t necessary to know “how”. The “how” will come.

A willingness to change comes with a deep desire to live your life differently. It’s also linked with a deep knowing that it can be different. That’s the feeling you want to trust because it will help you to courageously take the steps necessary to make the change and create a new way of life.

Are you willing to change? Questions to contemplate to give you insight:

1. What will happen if I am willing to change?

2. What will happen if I’m not willing to change?

3. What won’t happen if I’m willing to change?

4. What won’t happen if I’m not willing to change?

5. What will you gain by letting go of the old patterns that don’t work?

6. What will you lose by letting go of the old patterns that don’t work?

Take time to think about these questions and contemplate your answers. This is an opportunity for you to make sure there is nothing getting in the way of your willingness to change.

If you are willing to change, remember, now is the perfect time to take action to change the direction of your life and Design Your Destiny.

After talking to a large number of business owners, I discovered that although many of them felt concerned about their present financial situation, they didn’t initially respond with a proactive strategy at that time. They decided to ride it out. “Things will get back to normal soon enough” seemed to be their way of thinking.

The problem was that any reserves they had were depleted and this meant worry for some and panic for others.

Those who decided earlier on during the slowdown to get creative about how to generate more revenue are now experiencing an upwards curve. Those who did not now have to play catch up.

If you start actively and consistently marketing your business today, it is very possible that you could still push through your current financial slump and come out ahead of much of your competition.

Take advantage of the fact that others are less likely to really kick in their marketing efforts until late September and get going on promoting your business now.

Remember, it is better to do a few small marketing initiatives successfully than to get bogged down with a long list of great ideas that don’t completely get off the ground.

“Regardless of what business you’re in, you’re really in the business of sales & marketing”.

I know this is a broad statement – but frankly, many small business owners don’t spend enough consistent time and energy on marketing. For some it tends to be more of an “oops… sales are down so we better do some marketing.” Then off they go with a flurry of activities until business increases and before you know it, the marketing focus gives way to service delivery until the next “oops sales are down…”

Inconsistent marketing creates a feast – famine cycle in business. To level off the peaks and valleys and create steady incremental growth, consistency is key! Marketing is like breathing, you can’t live on one breathe, nor can a business survive and grow with just one marketing effort.

I’m often asked, “how much time should I spend on marketing?”
Here’s a simple formula to keep you on track. It’s the 60 – 30 – 10 Rule.

Invest your time running your business the following way:
- Spend 60% on marketing and sales
- 30% on making or providing products or in service delivery
- 10% on administration and management

Or simply, prioritize your time as: marketing – making – managing.

The exception to this is when you’re in start-up. Since you have no customers (or very few) spend 80 – 90% in marketing and sales and 10 – 20% developing systems in administration and management.

This 60 – 30 -10 rule transfers into other aspects of your business as well.

For example, when it comes to client retention and acquisition, spend 60% of your time and effort on keeping and growing your current clients. Spend 30% on getting new mainstream clients in the short term and 10% on long term sales for those bigger projects or clients.

For training, spend 60% of your training time and budget developing and enhancing your strengths; 30% learning new concepts; and 10% working on improvement of your weaknesses.

If you don’t have a budget for training, I suggest you rethink this. Imagine how much more business you could grow simply by sharpening your edge and honing your strengths. I’m confident you’ll realize a high return on your training investment.

If you have staff, spend 60% of your time on the superstar best performers. 30% on the high potential staff and 10% on the low performers. Just like enhancing skills, investing time and energy into winning opportunities will yield greater results than trying to improve weaknesses or poor performance.

So how does this 60 – 30 – 10 Rule translate out to an actual week?  In an average 50 hour work week, these percentages equal 30 hours sales and marketing, 15 hours providing products or service delivery and 5 hours doing administration and management.

Thanks Sue for reminding us that spreading the word consistently is more than a high priority…it’s a must!. Having the best product or service means nothing if no one knows about it. Being the “best kept secret” is not good for the wallet!

Are you having a bit of a reality check?

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2. Multi-Tasking:
Trying to do a bunch of things at once .
Every study tells us that it is the stupidest thing we can do, not to mention a huge efficiency and productivity killer!

3. Fragmentation:
Stopping in the middle of something to do something else. (Monkey Mind)
Don’t do it. Take the time to finish what you started or at least bring it to a measurable milestone before you start something else.
Have too many thoughts while you are doing the task at hand? Use your ParkingLot™.

Leap of the week: Practice the “No Distraction & No Interruption” rule for 1 hour while you are working on an important task and see how much you can accomplish in a simple hour.

You’ll be addicted in no time flat!

This post was inspired by Dr. Jim Sellner.

To learn more about how LeapZone Strategies can help you increase brand equity and profitability through business and branding strategies, strategic planning, performance coaching and brand development, fill out our free Needs Assessment today.

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Back when NASA started launching manned spacecraft in the 1960s, they found out that the astronauts couldn’t use pens to write with while in space.

The ink wouldn’t flow down through the pen in a zero-gravity environment. NASA decided to retain a man named Paul Fisher to design a pen that would work in space.

A mere $1.5 million later, they had a solution.

NASA now had a pen that worked in zero-gravity, in a vacuum, and in a drastic temperature range.

The Russian cosmonauts had the same problem, of course.

So they used a pencil.

This story isn’t historically accurate. Truth is, both the US and Russia used pencils at first. Paul Fisher independently created the pen and sold 400 of them to NASA for a song.

The reason the exaggerated story is so widely embraced, though, is because it rings true.

We often expend large amounts of time and effort looking for elaborate solutions to problems when a simple answer is right under our noses.

What’s that got to do with winning the game of business? Everything.

Leap of the week: Yield to at least one simple solution that will make your life easier.

Cheers to simplicity!

To learn more about how LeapZone Strategies can help you increase brand equity and profitability through business and branding strategies, strategic planning, performance coaching and brand development, fill out our free Needs Assessment Questionnaire today.

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You will not be disappointed!

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In this Podcast, learn about 2 more practical solutions to help you “raise the bar” on yourself to increase your efficiency and self management skills.

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RISE is an audio podcast series that will lead you through what it takes to move forward towards reaching your goals. Through expert advice, tips, tools, insights and experiences, our focus is to help you continually make small shifts to build momentum and increase your brand equity. The easy-to-use media of audio podcasts offers a simple way to learn, be inspired and empowered, and continuously connect with ideas and proven strategies that will help you raise the bar.

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I really like Dr. Wetmore’s article, the only thing that bugs me a little is that everything is about “Time Management” instead of “Self Management” and my stand on that is clear: You cannot manage time, you can only manage yourself within the time you got!

So here it goes. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

5 Best Time Management Habits for Business Owners & Executives
By: Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

For the last eighteen years, I have traveled all around sharing my Time Management and Personal Productivity principles in seminars, keynotes, and through executive coaching. There are dozens of things we all ought to do to enhance our daily success and I have included what I think are five of the more important habits. I find that most people know what it is they should be doing. A reminder list such as this may help us to better accomplish those good intentions.

1.  USE THE 20/80 RULE. 20% of an effort generally accomplishes 80% of the result. To achieve an additional 20% of the result, it will take an additional 80% of the effort. We cannot create any more time, but we can leverage our time by focusing on those things that give us “the biggest bang for the buck”. Avoid getting bogged down in “majoring in minors”. Direct your attention to 20% of your customers/clients who will give you 80% of your success. Give special attention to that group of 20% of the people you deal with who have the potential for delivering 80% of what you need.

2.  NETWORK YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS. Identify and target those who you need to get to know. This is not an exploitive technique of “bleeding them for all they are worth”. In fact, it works just the opposite. Help these people with what they need first. “To have a friend, be a friend.” “What goes around, comes around”. If you give generously to them first, they will give to you what you need and want.

3. GET A GOPHER. We all have 10-20 hours per week of minutia, like getting the car gassed up, running errands, mowing the lawn, etc. It’s all stuff that makes our lives work. There’s nothing wrong with doing it ourselves, but if you are saying, “I don’t have enough time to do the things that really count”, and you are spending 10-20 hours per week on the routine items, you have a choice. Hire a high school or college kid, a “Gopher”, who will “go for this and go for that”, then re-allocate those hours to tasks that will enhance your career success.

4. WORK WITH A CLEAN WORK ENVIRONMENT. “Out of sight, out of mind.” The reverse of that is true, too, “When it’s in sight, it’s in mind” and we cannot help but be distracted and drawn to the “quick” and “fun” things while the important career enhancing tasks are left undone. By working with a clean desk and work environment, not only do you allow yourself to be more focused, but you also model an important work skill that others around you will tend to follow, helping them to get more focused.

5. RADIATE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. “Fish rots from the head on down.” If you display a negative attitude, if you are angry, frustrated, anxious, overwhelmed, etc., you will send out that message and negatively infect those around you. If those who support you in your quest for career success do not have a positive attitude, your progress will be impeded.