I’m heading off for a week of fun. And, not taking my computer with me! And, heading to the Grand Canyon for some fun hiking.

And, with that, I’m practicing what I preach on here so often. Take time off and play. This increases your creativity, allowing you to stay fresh and passionate about what you offer.

See you when I get back!

Margie

As I start working on re-vamping my services, and I better realize the value of my time, I also find myself giving AWAY more of my time. This isn’t usually a problem I have, so I’m wondering what’s going on.

I have to wonder if it’s part of that whole mind-set when you are about to go on a diet? You know: You eat more high-fat or ‘forbidden’ foods? I so enjoy helping others, and perhaps realize that soon I will be less accessible as I once was, and I’m mourning the loss of that accessibility for others.

Do you find yourself giving away too much of your time?

Are you clear where you give away your time and when it’s worth it and when it’s not worth it? Let’s take a look at this to help you be clear about when you should limit your ‘free’ time.

• One scenario I hear about too often is when someone is providing some services WITH THE PROMISE of a contract. You know: The potential contract wants to see your work, so you create a handout, or you provide them with a PowerPoint of a presentation. Then they say they’d like you to give your presentation, for free. FIRST problem is providing them with a ‘free’ handout in the first place. If they are uncertain of your value, then it’s up to YOU to point that value out to them, without giving them your products! In order to learn more about how to explain how you provide value, go to my guest blog on the SCAN website.

• I love helping people, and more often than I should, I will respond to emails with quite in-depth replies. However, as I prepare to re-vamp my services, I realize that these ‘help’ sessions are going to soon be a thing of the past. It’s one way of de-valuing what we have to offer. Do you see that happening for yourself, too? Just what is your time worth? If you see a trend, where people are asking for your advice, etc, why not turn it into a service they can purchase?

• Ah, families and friends. We love ‘em, but does that mean we owe them all we have? Do you have the situation where a cousin calls or an aunt shows up, each wanting you to provide them with ‘just suggestions’ on what to eat. Or they want to lose weight. Or they want to improve their performance for a race. And you feel stuck, not sure what to do. It’s really hard to do, but a simple solution is to tell them you’d be happy to set up an appointment, and when would be a good time to call and talk to them about your services and set that appointment up?

I bet you can think of other scenarios. Share them with us! But, above it all, start valuing your time so that when it’s time for you to ENJOY your true ‘free’ time, it’s not being filled up by providing ‘free’ time to others.

Margie

I just wrote about time management on another blog, because it is SUCH a big issue, today. One of the biggest challenges around time is in trying to ‘market’ your business via the current social networking venues.

I hear it all the time: “I need to market, but then I don’t have time for anything else!”

Seriously?

Let’s FIRST look at the term “marketing” and then let’s look at your social networking habits to see if we can get you back to work.

Marketing

Marketing is the strategy you will use to grow your business.

Marketing does not ONLY mean Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Marketing is a bigger picture of how you will accomplish the goals you’ve set up to accomplish with your business. Marketing is the tool for success. This also means newsletters, business cards, networking, phone calls, etc, just to name a few. Social networking should only be a PART of your marketing.

Literally, the definition of marketing by the American Marketing Association is “Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. (Approved October 2007)”

Got it?

Ok, that’s the first step.

Social networking

Next, let’s look at your social networking habits. Looking at your current social networking habits, are you able to quantify your results? How many visitors are you driving to your website as a result of your postings? And, of those visitors, how many are signing up for anything you have to offer? First item should be your newsletter/eblast.  Second would be your main service or product you have to offer.

Do NOT tell me you don’t know!

If you find yourself spending hours on these sites and you do not KNOW the results you’re producing, then really, you’re not working, you’re playing!

Consider how much all that ‘playing’ is costing you! Where is your return on investment? If it is not driving business to you, how else could you otherwise spend your time and actually MAKE money? Afterall, that IS why you’re in business, right?

The best piece of advice my Social Media VA gave me was this: Spend no more than 5 minutes a day on these sites. She suggested pick one to visit 3 days a week, another 2 days, and another 2 days. It was like she lifted this huge weight of pressure off my shoulders! Oh, I CAN create a presence AND work at the same time!

The funny thing is I’m starting to see other business coaches/consultants suggest the same thing. Why? Because it works!

So, now you know what marketing is and what place social networking plays in the BIG picture. And you have a suggested guide for controlling your social networking time.

So now, SERIOUSLY, stop reading and get to work!

Margie

As your vision becomes more clear and you start to actually CREATE it, you probably find that things keep coming your way at every turn.

Now, my HOPE is my words ring in your ears, “Ask yourself how does that help you achieve your goals right now?” in order to decide if an opportunity is one you should take or walk away from.

But they still keep coming.

And you still stop and wonder sometimes if you are saying no to something you’ll regret later.

So, let’s look at the concept of an ‘opportunity cost’; what would it cost you to say yes to that questionable opportunity?

Every time you come upon such an issue, go through both strategies: Ask yourself how it helps you achieve your goal right now, and also ask yourself what you’ll be giving up in order to take this opportunity.

Nine times out of 10, your decision will be the right one.

Will there be times where you’ll later say you wish you had taken that opportunity? Perhaps! But, I can’t help but THEN feel that everything happens for a reason, and there was a reason you didn’t at the time.

Also think back to a time when you said yes and wish you hadn’t! Do the same exercise and see what comes up for you.

What can you learn from reflecting on that?

Margie

I hear all the time from people who feel overwhelmed with trying to spend time with family and friends AND spend time working in and on their business. Sometimes they begin to wonder if it’s all worth it OR if they will actually succeed!

Does that sound like you?

If you read my blog much, you know I address this issue quite often. And today will be no different.

As I type this, I’m getting ready to head out to go do some gold panning with my husband. Yep, you heard me: Gold panning!

It was my own goal to be able to enjoy life while doing what I love to do, which is coaching others on how to do the same thing. And, here I am, hiking and panning for gold, and just enjoying the whole picture.

But how DO you fit it all in? Follow these three steps in order to avoid letting the business take over your life:

• Step 1 – Set your boundaries. Do you find yourself adding a new client here and there, from sun-up to sun-down, just so you can see them sooner rather than later? People do this when they’re afraid the client will say ‘never mind’, if they have to wait several weeks. But do you believe that’s really the case? When YOU make an appointment, will you say ‘never mind’ if the soonest you can get in is in 3 weeks from now? Sit back and recall why you’re in business for yourself. And have a conversation with your boss, who is working you too hard.

• Step 2 – Learn how to say no. Is this something you need to practice? I have some clients practice saying no to at least 3 things each day, just to learn how to do it. This helps you stay focused. Come back to this question when what feels like an amazing opportunity comes your way: “Does this opportunity help me achieve my goals right now?” If you say yes, then you might need to consider it more seriously. If your answer is no, politely say no in a way that keeps the door open for some time in the future.

• Step 3 – Be inflexible with family/play time. Decide when your personal time is, with no exceptions. For me, this is weekends. Every so often, I’ll even see a client in the early evening, or on one of my days off during the week. But weekends are not an option, period.  And,  in order to learn HOW to play, you may also need to include in that ‘time off’ time off from working ON your business, too. If you don’t know what to do with yourself in an evening at home that isn’t work, it’s definitely time for you to take time off!

I’ve been caught in that chronic state of eternal work. And I’ve been in that place where I’m spinning my wheels, thinking that if I just worked a few more hours, something wonderful was going to happen. However, by working too much, and allowing myself to get out of balance, I lose my creativity and my spark. And the results actually show up as LESS business, rather than more. And so today I take the time off in order to increase my success! Give it a try and see what happens for you.

Margie

Do you ever feel like you’re running ragged, in circles? You know what your big vision is, you have goals written down, you even have your daily list of duties to accomplish, but then you seem to literally hit that wall, where NOTHING is getting done?

We all get to that point.

I find for ME, now that I take more time off, when I spend a full week doing nothing BUT work, my productivity and creativity drop down into the toilet.

Seriously.

And I’m NOT putting my hand in there to find it!

This means setting up strategies to AVOID that burn-out.

So, what do you do when you just need to “get ‘er done”?

• First, evaluate if you need to take some time off. You know when that time comes. You sit at the computer and think “I don’t want to be here.” Listen to yourself and JUST WALK AWAY! What cannot wait for an hour or a day?

• Let’s say you can’t take TODAY off, yet you’re feeling like above. Look at your list and ask yourself what HAS to be done today. Chances are, it may only be one or two things. So, turn off email, shut down Twitter and Facebook, and “GET ‘ER DONE”! Then take tomorrow off..

• Next, do you have your list? If not, it’s time to create one! How can you feel accomplished without it? If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you’re there? It will always feel like you have to get things done. But writing them down, based on your MASTER plan, will help you achieve your big-picture goals. Don’t have a master plan or big-picture goals? Then you need to see me.

• But what if you DO have a list and you’re still not moving forward? Then maybe your list is too big. Take a step back and get realistic. Do you need a monthly list of things to accomplish? That often can be a good starting point. Then you work from that monthly list to create your daily list. It feels great at the end of the month to see everything checked off AND to know you’ve created something that’s bringing in more revenue.

It’s a never-ending battle between feeling accomplished with our business and enjoying life. But there are little tricks you can use so you can accomplish both. Put these simple tips into play and let’s see if you then have more TIME to play! It’s through ‘getting ‘er done’!

Margie

I had my first book signing event in Arizona for JUST JUMP at the Next Chapter Bookstore in Prescott Valley, AZ last weekend. I had a great time, but the outcome was totally different than I had anticipated!

We had very few visitors to the store. But there were four of us at the event to sign books. And we created what I believe will be an incredible synergy of authors who will support, encourage and motivate each of the others. We are already discussing setting up our first meeting.

We’ll have a second book signing event at New Chapter, but although I put the word out about the event, I realize I didn’t quite do the push I know I should have.

What does it mean to to “Go for it 100%” and what holds us back from doing so? Let’s take a look at this and how YOU can JUST JUMP in and go 100%:

First, why do you hesitate to really GO FOR IT 100%?? Usually it’s one simple thing: Lack of confidence or self-doubt. Sure, it may not be HUGE, but it tends to linger in the fringes of what we could make possible. We all suffer from it at one level or another. We can SAY it’s lack of time, but we all find time for the things we most want to spend time on. We can also say we don’t know what to DO. Again, this is just another excuse. So, if you took away all of these excuses, THEN what do you do?

• Put your marketing plan together. I realized it’s time for an updated marketing plan for my book. Yes, I created one when it was in the production stage, and I have an updated (2010) plan for my business, but not for my book!

• Implement your plan. I could go into all the strategies to use to GO FOR IT 100%, but they are in your plan! Who must you contact, how will you contact them? How will you use social media? How will you manage your time around each of these activities? All of this must be included in your planning.

• Ask yourself, what is the worst that can happen? It’s all well-and-good to tell you to make the plan and then implement it, but then the limiting conversations come up that we mentioned above! So, how do you move past those voices of doubt? If you knock on a door or make a phone call, what is the worst thing that can happen? Seriously, usually it’s just that they say no! The worst is your ego is bruised, but you move on.

• Ask yourself, who must you be to make this happen? If someone told you they wanted to climb Mt. Everest, you would encourage them to do what’s necessary to make this happen, right? Why are you different? There is a part of you that might be holding back.  So, if you were to pretend you were someone ELSE, who would that person be? How can you step into those shoes, even for an afternoon or few minutes?

I totally believe that with the planning and vision, we can make anything happen. My goal is to enjoy the fact that I’m now in a new state/location and can spread the word about my book, JUST JUMP,  and how it can help people. I’m ready to GO FOR IT 100%!

Are you?

I challenge YOU to come on and post what you are willing to GO FOR IT 100%! Putting it out there means you WILL make it happen! You DO have a choice! It all depends on you and how willing you are to GO FOR IT 100%.

Margie

It’s summer. I’ve moved to a new town where there are a LOT of fun things to do (mostly unlimited hiking!). And business is going so well that I no longer feel I have to spend 50 hours a week ‘working’.

Whatever to do??

I always tell people that during the slow times of summer, to take advantage of the time and create new programs and services. And usually I follow my own advice!

Now, this does NOT mean my mind isn’t working: Oh my! I will probably be making some major changes to my services in the fall. However, these concepts/ideas are still in my head. I haven’t taken the time, as I know is essential, and put them down on paper. But for my business right now, this is not the most important aspect of my business. So it’s important to focus ON what’s most important and not just breeze through the summer without accomplishing anything!

So, what do you do when you struggle between wanting to play and wanting (or feel you NEED) to work? Here are three tips tips you can use to enjoy both, now:

• Be very clear what you want to accomplish during your ‘work’ time. Imagine if you only could complete ONE major task, what would it be? For instance, on your daily list of things-to-do, only list the absolute ‘must do’ items. If you complete your smaller list and have other things that need to be done, then you’re still going to feel quite accomplished! This also helps you be more focused and productive.

• Be very clear what day/days you plan to work and what days you plan to play. This will help you really enjoy your play time, because you then know that your next work time will be entirely devoted to working. Also, you can work PART of a day, if you know how. AND, it’s important that you are aware of when you are the most productive in the course of your day. Trying to work at 3pm in the afternoon, when your mind is foggy, might be a better time to take a walk with your daughter than try to write an article!

• Shut off all external diversions during work time. You’ve heard this from me, before: Close down email! Turn off Tweetdeck! Shut your phone off or do not answer it. Close your door! Trust me on this one

Simple, huh? My door is closed and my email program is off right now. I just started my projects for my “work period” and am already on #3 on my list.  I say “period” because I have found I can allot half of a day to work and the other half of the day to play/personal and still be productive. Yes, this took practice, but also determination and focus. As with anything, we ARE in charge of what we do. We just need to TAKE charge!

Margie

I had to laugh as I was reading the book “Rework“, by Fried and Hansson, because I felt like I was reading about all of my clients! I work with perfectionists. In fact, this is why my book is entitled “JUST JUMP“!

I thought I’d share a few perspectives of this book that hit me as I read it. This is an extremely easy book to read, and I recommend it to anyone starting a business, but I think health professionals will particularly get good value out of some of their suggestions.

I have to admit that I didn’t agree with everything, but most of it was pretty right-on. What I didn’t agree with was the planning. The argument around writing or not writing business plans is probably as old as paper, itself. However, the reason I feel that some business plan is essential, and why I include a chapter on a 3-page business plan in my own book, is so that new business owners can identify their vision, goals and objectives. I’ve found that otherwise they just start their business, but without any sense of direction. Yes, I DO believe you have to JUST JUMP, but in order for it to be successful, you also have to do some planning.

So let’s look at a few of the pearls:

* Jump into your idea now. The longer you wait, the less likely you’ll do it. Be ok with learning as you go, or else you may never go!

* Narrow it down to the essentials. What do you really have to offer. Bottom-line it. Keep it simple.

* There are particular questions to help the reader really narrow down what problems they solve, is it useful and is it worth it? In many areas I felt I was reading my own words in JUST JUMP!

* This is a pearl and I’ll probably use this term (acknowledged, of course): “Communication Addition” I bet I don’t need to explain it, but how many hours have YOU spent on email, Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, today??? CLOSE IT DOWN if you want to accomplish anything! Sound familiar??

* Along the lines of time management, this was also good: If you are tired, you are more likely to waste time doing something you don’t need to be doing, because you lack the motivation to do what you should be doing. Are you tired?

* I am a list-keeper, and I also do usually prioritize them after I write them down. So I tried the authors’ suggestion of just putting the most important things at the top. LOL: Sort of works!

* This is me: Let your customers outgrow  you! Do you know what that means? If not, read the book, grin!

* Pour yourself into your product. This made so much sense! When you’re motivated and pumped up, it just flows and is great! If you’re not in that mode, go onto something else.

* To go along nicely with the above point, act quickly when you’re inspired, because it won’t last. It ‘expires’!

* Hire only when it hurts. This will be a good tip for so many of my own clients who are at that stage of wondering if it is time, yet.

Bottom line: Jump in and check out the waters!

When you look back at your life, what do you want to see? No one ever looks back at life and says “Oh, I wish I hadn’t gone after that dream!” And it’s not like you can have a ‘do-over’ in life. So, again, jump in. As I say, “JUST JUMP.”

Margie

When I started my business, I always envisioned being able to make a difference in the world, be in charge of my schedule and take time off when I wanted. I imagined generating healthy revenue, honoring my beliefs and values, and enjoying the short time we all have with our family and friends.

Then I went to business school.

Because my emphasis was in entrepreneurship, I was instantly made to feel inadequate and a small

thinker by my professor. What do you mean I don’t want to grow and have a staff below me? I was doomed to failure, I was assured.

So, I started to think bigger. Create the plans for the staff, beyond what I currently had. I had to grow in order to be successful and get that freedom I wanted!

Many of the clients I work with also wish to make a difference in the world, and just enjoy what they love to do and enjoy flexibility to have fun with family and friends.  For some, growing the busines

s to where they have a staff, and successfully securing a small business loan has been part of their dream. And they succeed!

I see myself as the coach who helps my clients achieve their dreams, no matter how big or small. I’m currently reading the book “Rework” by Fried and Hansson, and one of my favorite statements is “Let your customers outgrow you.” That has always been my goal. To stay a comfortable size, be able to do what I love to do from ANYWHERE in the world (while traveling, of course), and help others l

ive the dream they never believed was possible. In my book, “Just Jump“, I describe my role as watching baby chicks grow up and fly off.

Does a business have to grow in order to survive? Look around. What do the companies who have failed have in common? Have they all been small? No! What it REALLY has to do with is that they stayed ‘mean and lean’; they didn’t try to become ‘big’ because that’s what “makes them successful”. They watched their cash flow and have been able to weather this financial storm we’re currently still in.

As have I.

It took some soul-searching after school to come back to my original vision. My entire purpose of getting an MBA degree wasn’t so I could build an empire; it was so I could offer the most amazing service possible to my clients who needed not only coaching, but also guidance as they navigated the maze of business, which is so foreign to them.

Today business couldn’t be better and I AM making a difference in the world. I am doing what I love, in integrity. And, after just moving to a new state, I have been able to enjoy taking extra time off from work and spending time with my retired husband, as we hit the hiking trails 2-3

days a week. I am doing EXACTLY what I envisioned doing, 14 years ago, when I started my business.

My former professor works an average of 12 hour days, trying to make the program I graduated from one of the top in the nati

on. H

e’s grumpy and feels stuck in the politics and pressure of the academic world. I

‘m living my dream, enjoying my freedom.

I should send him a card from the trails that says, “wish you were here.” Afterall, we’re heading to the Grand Canyon in a few weeks!

What is YOUR business dream?

Margie