Time is the single most valuable thing we have. I help busy business owners get out of overwhelm to work fewer hours in their business (without sacrificing income!) so they can get back to enjoying their business and their life again.
Monday Motivation - I let go of busy-ness so I can enjoy my business and my life.
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Happy Monday Reader! How familiar are you with the "Protestant work ethic"? Here's a refresher that AI provided during my Google search: The Protestant work ethic is a sociological, economic, and historical concept that emphasizes the importance of hard work, frugality, and productivity in one's job. It's also known as the Calvinist or Puritan work ethic. The term refers to the religious significance that some Protestant groups believe is attached to working hard and trying to succeed. I bring it up today because the "Protestant work ethic" is deeply, profoundly a part of the cultural water we swim in here in the United States. It's so ubiquitous you might never have thought to wonder about it or question it. It's just...life. Nevertheless, the Protestant work ethic has an impact on your life--in fact, It's one of the reasons we face so much pressure to be productive every hour of every day. "I let go of busy-ness so I can enjoy my business and my life." Our unique U.S. flavor of productivity pressure comes from a long history of slave labor & discrimination. Enslaved people do not get to benefit from their labor (literally one definition of "slave" is someone who doesn't receive pay) thus an enslaved person doesn't have a reason to work hard, right? So how do you convince someone who isn't going to see the benefit of their hard work to...actually work hard? You tie working hard to being a good, moral person who will get into heaven. Add to that our national love of a "self-made man" who pulled himself "up by his bootstraps"...and you have a recipe for burnout! When we use any person's productivity, wealth, or level of activity as a way to determine their worth (or lack thereof), we hold ourselves to those standards too. When we internalize the cultural message that our worth is determined by how busy we are, we don't let ourselves rest. We feel guilty anytime we want to watch Netflix & spend the whole evening on the couch. We tell our friends and family we're so busy...like it's a badge of honor. (Including me! I've absolutely used "Staying busy!" as a response to "How are you?" instead of being honest.) And very few of us question that. Busy is normalized. Busy is the default. Busy can even be aspirational. But when we're busy, we don't have time to enjoy life or to question the status quo...because we're too damn exhausted! But it doesn't have to be that way. We can and will reclaim our time! And we start today! First, by recognizing how our cultural norms are toxic. Second, by repeating 21x/day this week: "I let go of busy-ness so I can enjoy my business and my life." ❤️ P.S. I am eternally grateful to my favorite high school teacher, Mr. Bill Farrell, for being the first person to point out the water to me. He's a large reason I'm on this path to help people reclaim their time! P.P.S Credit goes to Laziness Does Not Exist & The Nap Ministry for opening my eyes to historical context around productivity + slavery. Upcoming EventCome hang this Wednesday for a chill creative time with a smaller group! If large networking events aren't your vibe, you'll love the smaller Social Snack gatherings I organize for InnovateHER KC. Less overwhelm, a fun activity, and potential new friends to meet! Key details:
As always, affirmations work best when you truly believe them. They need to resonate with you and feel achievable. So feel free to modify any I suggest, or develop entirely new ones! Say them as long as you want. I'm sharing a new affirmation each week, but that doesn't mean you have to switch it up each week unless it feels right. You can add new ones as often as you want and have as many as you want. You can say a different affirmation every day, or at different times of the day. You choose! I'd love to hear the impact it has! (But if you decide affirmations are not for you, click here to be removed from this weekly email.) I hope this affirmation sets you up for a kick ass week and I'll see you next Monday for a new one to try! Ready to make time for great things in 2024? I have 1-1 coaching spots available to teach you how to put your limited time, energy, & attention to the work that moves the needle in just 1 hour a week. Hit reply or pick a time on my calendar here to learn more. I always have time for you. ❤️ -- Jen |
Time Honored Coach
Time is the single most valuable thing we have. I help busy business owners get out of overwhelm to work fewer hours in their business (without sacrificing income!) so they can get back to enjoying their business and their life again.
Ready to make time for great things in 2024? I have 1-1 coaching spots available to teach you how to put your limited time, energy, & attention to the work that moves the needle in just 1 hour a week. Hit reply or pick a time on my calendar here to learn more. Happy Monday Reader! So...I have a confession to make. You remember a while back when I told you about the 100 Day Goal Journal? And I was all coy, not telling you my goal because I thought it might make it easier to not complete it?...
Happy Monday Reader! Last week's affirmation about rest ended up being more applicable than I expected when I developed a sinus infection! There's nothing like illness or an emergency to force us to slow down and prioritize rest. Have you ever noticed that being sick is a socially acceptable reason to cancel plans? That it's a "legitimate" reason? When I have to tell someone no or cancel a plan, I usually feel the need to give a reason. It's something I've been working on as a "recovering...
Happy Labor Day Reader! Last week we looked at the water we're swimming in here in the U.S.--the water that makes constant productivity feel normal or even virtuous. Although I've been aware of this cultural pressure for many years, I still succumb to it regularly! As a business owner it's easy to put pressure on myself to work more, work harder, work longer to get my business to succeed. It's hard for me to slow down and rest when there is still so much to do! A webinar I could be watching....