How to Have Balance & Still Move the Needle in Your Business

Hey Friend!

A previous client of mine was struggling with how to have balance and still move the needle in your business. Specifically, she asked me how I balance the time that I spend on Social Media between work and personal time. And do I have any work-life boundaries and if so, what do those look like?

So in today’s blog, I’m sharing my top tips for staying balanced while working to move the needle forward in your business.

How I Move the Needle in My Business While Still Maintaining a Healthy Balance

Instagram can control our lives! It is the ultimate time suck but it’s also where we run our businesses so that line can get super blurry. Here’s what I do. I am super intentional about running my life. I want to be proactive and not reactive and that includes social.

Be Very Intentional About the Time You Spend on Social Media

So I first time block out my day. I have all of my hours plugged into my day. When I have an open time slot in that space, that’s when I am allowed, that’s right – I said allowed, to go into Instagram.

80/20 rule. I am human. Sometimes I get random inspiration and I pop on real quick. But if I am going in there to scroll, to write people back, to DM, to comment – that needs to be plugged into my calendar because that is work. For example, I know that between 2:45 pm and 3 pm, I have 15 minutes of open time before I go and get my son from the bus. I have Instagram correspondence plugged into my planner and that’s when I will go in and DM people etc. 

If I find myself with 5 mins of open time, I can get in there and post an Instagram story.

I am intentional. I’m going in there for business. I don’t go into Instagram for personal reasons because my brand is my business. I don’t scroll a lot. There are maybe 5 people that I might click on intentionally because they inspire me. Because they are a client of mine and I want to see if they are doing their homework. Everything I do inside Instagram is intentional, including deleting it on the weekends.

Move the Needle in Your Business – My Top 3 Tips

1. I create free content that solves. 

This content is free. I know this is weird and you may be thinking how do you make money by putting free content into the world? I’m talking about my podcast. Because I serve and solve for all of you. You see transformation in your businesses. You move the needle forward in your business. And now you trust me and then come to me and ask “what else do you have for me, Stef”? 

And what’s crazy is that free stuff then makes me money because people then want to work with me and take my courses.

2. I am consistent and dedicated to moving the needle

I show up twice a week on my podcast even when I don’t feel like it. When I’m not sure what I am going to talk about, or even when I’m not sure if anyone will care about the topic. I showed up even when no one was listening. 

Once the new and shiny has worn off – and I promise it will, mission work isn’t always fun and shiny. You don’t always feel like it. And even when no one is there, I’m going to encourage you to dig in your heels and never give up on the call you have been given because it is your responsibility to do it until it makes sense.

3. I stopped trying to show up everywhere

I used to try to show up on Instagram TV, stories, and Facebook groups alongside my courses, podcast, and Youtube. I stopped the madness. I’m not Rachel Hollis. I don’t have a team of 60 people. I’m me with a VA and a couple of contractors. 

Stop doing everything because people who are sitting in a different seat than where you sit today are doing it and telling you you have to. I encourage you to look at your business and ask where I sit, who’s the mentor that’s just 2 steps ahead of me, and that their life looks like the life that I want. What are they telling me that is realistic? Check what you are letting into your heart. 

From that, I started saying no. I started showing up in only 2 places. My podcast and Instagram. That’s it! If you find something somewhere else that is mine, it is just re-purposed. I’m not creating all of this content anymore, and I am only talking to one human. Niche down where you are sharing and who you are talking to.

How to Know When to Outsource to a VA

We get to a point where we think, “Should I spend money that I don’t have to do things that I can do?” I sat there for so long. And then I thought, I can’t hire somebody because then it takes so long to show them and they probably can’t do it the way that I do it, so I’ll just have to re-do it. I kept validating why I shouldn’t outsource stuff for way too long. 

The moment I finally decided was when I did this exercise and said, “How much would it cost me to open up 5 more hours a week?” Because the things I wanted to focus on like taking on more clients and working on creative projects were tugging on my heart to do, but I didn’t have the time. 

So, I thought, if I got a cheap VA, like someone on Fiverr, and paid them $15 an hour, what would that look like? How much would that cost me? And then I worked out how much it would cost me if I kept working at these things myself. My hourly rate today is $350. Even if you only make $20 an hour – do the math. If you can hire someone for $10 an hour and you can make $20 an hour yourself, you have to outsource it.

Delegation Is How You Move the Needle in Your Business

You can sit there and do all the things that are in your zone of okayness like emails, pitch podcast spots, etc. If you can outsource that and free yourself up to do the stuff that is in your zone of genius, that’s the best. For me, it’s podcast recording, PR, talking to clients, doing Q&As with my audience, and creating stellar content. I do my own copy as I’m obsessed with that. If I can outsource the stuff that doesn’t light me up, it’s my responsibility to do that because now I can sit in a space where I am genius at it and I am impacting more change in the world, I’m growing my brand faster, making more profit, etc. 

What can you delegate that is not in your zone of genius that would cost you less than doing it yourself?

When do you? Yesterday! If you are at all profitable in your business, look at getting someone on board a couple of hours a week. Look at Fiverr, sort by the reviews, and ask around. Get an intern for free to help you, There are unlimited resources, you just have to get gangsta at what am I willing to pay, what can I get this person to do, how can this be a learning opportunity for someone? Start creating solutions to outsource. 

Side note: You can outsource things outside of your business, like cleaning, drop-offs, etc. Think of ways that you can create some more space. 

Take the First Step and Move the Needle in Your Business Today

I’m a big believer in messy action. Don’t let yourself get distracted thinking you need to have everything perfect before you can move the needle and find balance. What’s one small step you can take today to make progress toward that big goal?

Can you cut out one hour from your time on social media? Take yourself off of one platform? Take an inventory of all your weekly tasks and identify which ones you could outsource. Everything starts with the first step!
The biggest thing that helped me find balance and move the needle in my business was getting off social media and focusing in on my podcast. Almost all my revenue comes from my podcast, and you can use a podcast too to start making money in your business. Learn how and take the first step by watching my free Podcast for Growth Workshop.

I pray this blesses you!

Xo,

Stef

P.S. Also, listen to podcast episode 136 for the full training on How to Have Balance, Boundaries, & What Top 3 Things Move the Needle in Your Business?

APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | GOOGLE PODCAST

Before you go, be sure to watch the free workshop!

This free workshop is for you if you want to grow an online business in less time.

It will teach you how to explode your audience without the social media hustle, make consistent sales using a podcast, and plan, record, and launch a podcast with ease!

RELATED EPISODES:

How to Prioritize Everything You Need to Get Done – Part 1

Setting Boundaries for Good Habits & Increased Productivity – Part 2

Behind The Business – TIME MANAGEMENT – How I Create Balance, Prioritize, and STILL Grow My Online Business

How to Build a Business Online (That Actually Makes Money) in 2 Hours a Week

The 4 Best Things to Automate NOW to save time and grow your online business

Join our Facebook Community!

Online Business for Christian Women with Stefanie Gass