6 Incredible Steps to Create More Free Time While Increasing Profits

Is it possible to create more free time while increasing profits? Yes, and it feels so good.

Getting back from a pampering week and time in a wine country day spa has reinforced in me the need to daydream and relax whilst you are running or growing a business – even if you are starting one up.

When I was a kid, the consistent comments that my teachers put into my school report cards involved something like this:

“Likes to daydream consistently. Could be successful if he applied himself to the lessons at hand.”

Even at the age of 7 going on 14, I thought my teachers just did not understand the power of creativity and imagination.

After all, what could be more intriguing than to figure out how to create a huge fish pond powered by the sun (solar power was talked about a lot on the Time Magazines that I saw my brothers reading) or to build an enclosure that would be so happiness-provoking for my pet tortoise (Gooch aka Hercules the escape artist) that he would never want to escape again?

For crying out loud – daydream. Really! Today, I have the last laugh. Well, the truth is my teachers probably do not care or do not remember.

Daydreaming has been shown in some brain science research to be necessary to increase results, ideas, insights, productivity, and overall good feeling. 

I could not concur more! Most business ideas and solutions to problems occur in the course of some form of daydreaming. Ideas and solutions rarely come to you as you sit at your desk, forcing yourself to think.

6 Steps to Create More Free Time and Increase Profits

1. Awareness: Recognize that proper brain function and brain-bandwidth NOT your available time is the critical factor

One of the top brain researchers in the world described the part of the brain that does most day-to-day work as Goldilocks.

This part of the brain has to get it ‘just right” just like the story of Goldilocks – everything had to be just right.

Put too much pressure (i.e. too many projects, too many task switching, too many decisions) and you will tire yourself out and not get anything done.

If you do not nurture or work with your brain, you will be distracted and worried a lot more than produce great work.

A recent study in Germany found that most people are distracted about 4 hours a day – that is half the workday for most of you!

Working with these principles in mind, most people can save as much as 20 hours of stress time per week and devote that time to being with your family, coming up with creative ideas, having fun.. or actually working on things that matter and put a lot of money back in your pocket.

2. Less is More: You can get more done in short time periods than ‘slave over long time periods’

Focus on the top four maximum highest priority tasks or projects that will make you happiest and put the most profit back into your pocket.

To focus, you will need to identify what to focus on first.

3. Commit to ‘Way More Profit Per Time Period Worked’

When it comes to planning, look to see how you can work in small chunks of time and having each chunk of time add up to something highly profitable for you.

4. Look for leverage – Warning requires imagination and dialogue

Most people resist having teams or systems in place that could significantly improve their lifestyle and profits.

The common complaint is “I don’t have time to work on this now.”

Which I do understand. I have been there too.  I am not saying blindly decide to spend more money on systems and teams – but to start building up to it – reasonably and rationally.

5. Get clear about your objectives and have a refine-able plan

Without clear objectives and a starting plan, it becomes difficult to ascertain priorities daily.

If that is difficult, then your mind has no ‘center’ to go to decide where and what to focus on – this is a kind of chaos that even the best of us slip into.

Creative people resist planning because they think it reduces spontaneity – planning will actually do the opposite and increase it.

6. Have someone tell you when to worry and when to not worry

One of the things I loved about having a coach was I let him tell me when to worry and when to act.  Over time with our dance of partnership, I learned to trust him… and he learned to trust me. 

Coaching is fascinating to me… but also very profitable. The best profit was and still is very much my free time, creativity, balance, coupled with profits and cash flow coming in.

Curious to learn how to make this real in your life and business? Contact me or follow me on LinkedIn.