Episode 137
Ep137: Getting things done by slowing down - real-life proof it works!
Taking time out to think things through is crucial for solo business owners, yet it’s something we often resist. In this week's episode I’ll tell you about three amazing individuals who found clarity and direction during challenging times, proving that a moment of pause can make all the difference. Whether it’s navigating personal challenges or juggling multiple projects, we’ll explore how taking a breather can help you prioritise and focus on what truly matters. So grab a cuppa, settle in, and let’s uncover how those purposeful pauses can transform your productivity!
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Transcript
Welcome to Unfrazzle, a podcast for solo business owners with a big vision who are ready for a kinder, more sustainable approach to productivity.
Speaker A:I'm Louise Miller and each week I share bite size insights to help you step away from the hustle, stop faffing and stay focused so you can make your brilliant ideas happen and make a bigger impact in the world.
Speaker A:And before we dive into today's episode, if you enjoy what I'm sharing here on Unfrazzle and you'd like to support the podcast, you can buy me a cuppa by going to buymeacoffee.com louisemiller and making a one off donation.
Speaker A:I'll pop a link to that in the show notes.
Speaker A:Okay, grab yourself a cuppa and let's get started.
Speaker A:If you've been here a while, you'll know that I'm always talking about why taking calm, quiet space to think and make good decisions about where to invest your precious time, energy and attention.
Speaker A:It's not just a nice to have, it's essential if procrastination, perfectionism, distractions and impulsivity are getting in the way of you getting things done.
Speaker A:One thing I'm not always so great at though is giving you real life examples of why I know that to be true.
Speaker A:So that's what I'm going to do today.
Speaker A:Just in case you are still resisting taking those moments of pause so you can get your head on straight about what's important and create a plan you will actually follow.
Speaker A:So I'm going to tell you about three people in my world who've all experienced the magic in slightly different ways so that you can see what might be possible for you when you make these sorts sorts of changes in your own life.
Speaker A:So firstly, let's talk about one of my Make It Happen club members.
Speaker A:Now, last year her mum became seriously unwell.
Speaker A:Thankfully she pulled through, but for my client it was a deeply distressing and difficult time.
Speaker A:So of course business as usual was not possible.
Speaker A:And I had noticed that she hadn't been showing up to our planning sessions, but I didn't know why until I received an email from her a few months ago.
Speaker A:And as well as letting me know what had been going on with her mum, she also shared this the last planning session I did with you has been my guide.
Speaker A:Time frames shifted, but having written things down when I had clarity, not chaos has really helped me prioritize, focus and navigate the last couple of months.
Speaker A:So thanks.
Speaker A:I just wanted to share even though I've not been around the work we do really helps when life has other plans.
Speaker A:So isn't that amazing?
Speaker A:It's such a beautiful example of how it is possible for thoughtfully creative plans to steady the ship even when the worst possible things are happening.
Speaker A:So, next up, let's talk about Teresa Heath Waring.
Speaker A:So I know I talk about Teresa a lot.
Speaker A:I love that woman.
Speaker A: client of mine since January: Speaker A:And I know she won't mind me saying this because she said it herself, but before we started working together, she would often have so much to do that she'd feel totally swamped, not know where to start, and spend way too much time spinning in her chair.
Speaker A:And those are her words, not mine.
Speaker A:So when we first started working together, she was getting ready to run her first ever summit, launch a new PO podcast and B to test a new group program all at the same time.
Speaker A:So she had a lot going on.
Speaker A:And you might wonder how someone with such a long to do list could justify spending two hours a month with me.
Speaker A:You might think that she'd have been better off spending that time getting her head down and just getting on with it.
Speaker A:But the trouble is, if she'd done that, she'd have been giving in to the pitfalls of her hot executive function, the part that steps in when emotions are high and when everything feels important, increasing the risk of procrastination, perfectionism and distraction.
Speaker A:So listen to last week's episode if you're interested in hot and cold executive function, how they affect your productivity.
Speaker A:There's an episode that came out last week that talks all about that.
Speaker A:But Teresa recognised that the best way to reduce that risk of her hot executive function sabotaging her, was to step out of the swirl for a few hours, get clarity around what's important, think about what needs to happen first, what can wait and where she can ask for help.
Speaker A:So taking the time out to work through all of that with me every month allows her to do her very best thinking and create a plan that makes sure nothing gets missed.
Speaker A:Now, because she's a one to one client, I go away and create that action plan for her based on the decisions that we've made together so that all she has to do is to follow it.
Speaker A:And in the moment where things start to spin, where there's a lot going on, where it's difficult to know where to start, she can just return to that plan and know exactly what to do to get back on track.
Speaker A:Last but not least, let's talk about Claire.
Speaker A:So Claire did go on to become a client eventually.
Speaker A:But before that, she discovered that things finally get done when you take a pause, step back and get clarity.
Speaker A:So she downloaded one of my free resources that guided her through a process that was designed to help her find her focus and then take action.
Speaker A:And after months of procrastinating, that was all it took for her to finally get her website finished and out into the world.
Speaker A:And she was so excited to share that with me and that she got that just from a free resource.
Speaker A:So those are three very different scenarios, but in each case, taking time out, even when they're busy to think about what they're trying to achieve and the steps they need to take to get there served them well.
Speaker A:So for Clare, it was a straightforward case of just finally getting something done.
Speaker A:For Teresa, it's about keeping all of the plates spinning and always knowing what needs to happen next if she's going to keep all of her projects moving forward.
Speaker A:And for my Make It Happen Club member that I told you about right at the beginning, having a plan to return to helped her know what was most important and what could wait during what was a highly emotional and difficult time.
Speaker A:So if you're still feeling like you're too busy to take regular time in the treehouse to pause, reflect and choose what gets your focus, I hope that these real life examples help you see that it's time well spent.
Speaker A:What might become possible for you?
Speaker A:How might you experience things differently once you give yourself those purposeful and productive moments of pause?
Speaker A:And as always, I hope that this helps and I look forward to seeing you again soon.
Speaker A:Thank you for listening to Unfrazzle.
Speaker A:If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend who needs a dose of calm productivity in their life and I'd love it if you could leave me a rating and a review as that will help more people discover this podcast.
Speaker A:If you'd like to hear more from me to help you stop faffing and take back control of your time, you'll find a link to join my mailing list in the show notes and I would really love for you to join us.
Speaker A:So thanks so much for your support and I look forward to seeing you next time.
