Episode 1: Taking Control of Your Time: How to Use 3 Simple Steps to Master Intentional Time Management

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Welcome to Episode 1 of the Time for Living Podcast!

TRANSCRIPT

In this episode of Time For Living, we’re diving into one of the most important skills for busy entrepreneurs and moms: intentional time management. Whether you’re juggling a business, family, or a passion project, this episode will help you find balance and reclaim control of your time. I’m sharing 3 actionable steps to help you get started today—so you can finally focus on what truly matters and make space for your biggest goals.

You’ll Learn:

• Step 1: How to reflect on your priorities and align your time with your personal and business goals.

• Step 2: How to perform a simple time audit to uncover time-wasting activities and declutter your schedule.

• Step 3: How to create a strategic time management plan that helps you take intentional steps toward your goals—without the overwhelm.

Your time is valuable. Start making intentional changes today by following the steps from this episode. You’ve got this!

Don’t forget to follow and leave a review to make sure you never miss an episode packed with practical time management tips that help you live intentionally!

FREE RESOURCE:

Ready to start managing your time with intention? Get your free Taking Control of Your Time Workbook to help you reflect, audit, and plan your time effectively.

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TRANSCRIPT

Introduction:

Welcome to the Time For Living podcast, where we believe that everyone deserves the time to pursue their business dreams but still have time for living. I’m your host, Lucy Clarke, and my goal with this podcast is to be super tactical and give you steps on how you can take action today. Today, we're delving into how to get started with intentional time management which is what we think is one of the keys to getting the most out of your life and business. As a busy individual, you often find yourself pulled in multiple directions, juggling work, family, and personal commitments. Intentional time management isn't just a luxury; it's a necessity for personal and professional success. In this episode, we'll explore three essential steps to help you take control of your time and live a more purposeful life. If you are wanting to find time to grow or launch your online business then you have to look at your life as a whole. So, grab your favourite journal and pen or open a notes app on your phone because here at Time For Living we really want you to make changes. So, let's reclaim your time and start mastering intentional time management together.

The first step to becoming more intentional with your time is understanding the importance of reflecting on your priorities. By taking the time to identify what truly matters to you, you can make more intentional choices about how you spend your time. Next, we'll explore how to audit your current time usage to uncover any inefficiencies or time drains and also finding areas that you love. Finally, we'll discuss how to create a strategic plan that aligns your actions with your aspirations, allowing you to make meaningful progress toward your goals. During each step we will come up with action items to really put this podcast into action and at the end of the episode we have a bonus freebie, so make sure you stay to receive it.

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of managing your time, we need to start at the foundation: reflecting on your priorities. Because how can you manage your time effectively if you’re not sure what truly matters to you? Let’s break this down together.

Step 1: Reflect on Your Priorities

Hey there, let’s start with something that’s easy to overlook but super powerful: reflecting on your priorities. Before we can get into time management hacks or productivity tips, we have to start with the big stuff—your goals, dreams, and the things that matter most to you. Why? Because if you don’t know what you’re aiming for, how can you make sure you’re spending your time in ways that align with the life you want to create? This reflection is all about getting clear on what matters, so you can start living with intention.

So here’s your first action item: take a moment to reflect on your life goals and aspirations. And listen, it’s okay if you’ve already done a lot of reflecting or if you’re starting totally fresh—it’s all good. Whether you’re diving deep or just scratching the surface, the important thing is to start where you are. Don’t let big questions like “What do I want out of my life?” keep you stuck. Just take it one step at a time and write down what comes to mind. Progress over perfection, my friend.

To help you out, I’ve got some prompts to guide your reflection. These are included in the worksheet that goes with this episode, and you can grab that over at timeforliving.co/podcast/episode01 or check the show notes for the link. But let’s walk through some of them together right now:

•            What Brings You Joy? Think about what lights you up—whether it’s people, activities, or those small, everyday moments. What parts of your day make you genuinely happy?

•            What Are Your Long-Term Goals? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, or even 20 years? What dreams and aspirations do you hold in your heart for your personal life and business?

•            What Energizes You and What Drains You? Which activities make you feel alive and excited? And on the flip side, what drains your energy?

•            What Are Your Non-Negotiables? Identify those parts of your life you won’t compromise on. Whether it’s family time, self-care, or how you do business, what are those things that are simply must-haves for you?

•            What Legacy Do You Want to Leave? Reflect on the impact you want to have. What kind of difference do you want to make for your family, your community, or even the world?

•            How Do You Want to Spend Your Time? Imagine you have all the time and resources you need. What would your ideal day look like? What would you spend your time doing?

•            What Are the Barriers to Your Goals? What’s standing between you and your goals right now? Identify those obstacles, and think about what steps you can take to overcome them.

Once you’ve done some reflecting, it’s time to make sure your priorities match up with how you’re living your life. Your personal and business priorities need to be aligned with your long-term goals and aspirations. And here’s a tough truth: if something in your business or life doesn’t line up with your big-picture dreams, it might be time to think about letting it go.

Take a few minutes to write down your top three personal priorities and top three business priorities. Maybe your personal priorities are things like health, family, or personal growth. And your business priorities could be things like developing a product, building your brand, or focusing on financial stability. The key is to make sure they’re working together to support the life you want.

Let me give you some examples:

•            Personal Value: Living a healthy lifestyle

•            Life Goal: Prioritize my health daily

•            Business Decision: Schedule walking meetings with colleagues or partners.

•            Personal Value: Empowerment and Positive Impact

•            Life Goal: Help others achieve their full potential

•            Business Decision: Create products or services that empower your customers and make a genuine, positive difference in their lives.

So grab a journal, make a cup of coffee (or tea like me!), and spend a few minutes getting clear on what really matters to you. This clarity is going to make it so much easier to manage your time, make decisions, and take steps toward the life you want to live.

Now that you’ve taken some time to reflect on your priorities, it’s time to get a clear picture of where your time is actually going. And that brings us to Step 2: auditing your current time usage. Trust me, this step is eye-opening. Grab the worksheet, and let’s dive into auditing your time!”

Step 2: Audit Your Current Time Usage

It’s time to roll up those sleeves and do a little digging into where your time is actually going. Before you can start making changes and claiming back your day, you need to know where those precious minutes are disappearing. Think of this as balancing your time budget. A time audit is like taking inventory of your most valuable resource—time.And trust me, this simple step can reveal so much about what’s working for you and what’s... well, not.

So here’s what you’re gonna do: for the next week, track how you spend your time every single day—yup, I mean all of it, from personal activities to business tasks. No cheating. This isn't about judging how you spend your time but about getting real with yourself. You can keep it super simple by jotting it down in a paper journal or use a time-tracking app if that’s more your speed. Just be careful not to waste time finding “the perfect app.” Pick a method that feels easy and stick with it.

After a week of tracking, it’s time to shine a light on the clutter. Sit down and review your time log—take a good, hard look at it. Ask yourself, “Where am I spending time on things that aren’t really serving me or my goals?” Decluttering your schedule means letting go of those tasks that don’t align with where you want to go. Sometimes it takes courage to cut out the unnecessary, but think of all the time you’ll free up for what truly matters.

For entrepreneurs, time drains can often look like spending hours on non-revenue-generating activities (hello, endless email checks), getting stuck in unproductive work cycles, or simply not having solid boundaries around your time. Pay special attention to activities that are consuming way more time than they should. What can you streamline, delegate, or automate?

Now let’s talk action. Make a commitment to yourself to review your daily tasks and split them into two piles: essential and non-essential. Pick at least three non-essential tasks or habits to either eliminate or automate this week. Trust me, you’re gonna love the feeling of clearing up space in your schedule for the things that really light you up.

Speaking of clearing space—let's dive into delegation. So many of us fall into the trap of believing we have to do it all. But guess what? We actually thrive when we collaborate and share the load. Ask yourself, “What’s one thing I can delegate to someone else?” For us solopreneurs you can’t delegate it to a colleague but there are things you can delegate to a family member, or even an outsourcing partner. And here’s the kicker—don’t just think about it. Take action. Within the next 48 hours, delegate that task. And if there are things you can automate, go for it. Just be mindful of not jumping on every shiny new app you see, as they can end up taking more time than they save.

Remember, time is your most precious asset, so treat it with the care and intention it deserves. You got this!

Okay, so you’ve done the deep dive into where your time is going. You might have found a few time drains and some hidden gems. Now, it’s time to take all that insight and create a strategic plan to align your actions with your goals—let’s make it happen.

Step 3: Create Your Strategic Plan

Okay, friend, now that you’ve nailed down your priorities and gotten honest about where your time is going, it's time to make a plan. And not just any plan—a strategic one! I’m talking about setting goals that feel aligned with where you want to go and then creating a routine that makes living out those goals doable every day.

Start by picking one priority. Just one. Let’s not overcomplicate things. What’s something on your list that you really want to spend time on? Got it? Great. Now set a goal and a daily action around that priority. It doesn’t have to be huge. Maybe it’s “Spend 30 minutes every day on personal development” or “Get outside and move for 15 minutes.” Keep it realistic and something you actually want to do.

Now let's make it happen. Break your goal down into bite-sized steps, and don’t just let those steps float around in your head—put them on your calendar! Think of this as the time you’re blocking out for the things that matter most. When you set these time blocks, treat them like an appointment with yourself that you can’t cancel. You wouldn’t cancel on a friend, right? So don’t cancel on your dreams.

When setting your goals, be real about what’s possible. Take into account your resources, how much time you’ve got, and any hurdles you might face. But don’t get stuck in overplanning mode. Just break down those goals into action steps, assign deadlines, and keep moving. Each small step matters.

And remember: life happens. Things change. So if something doesn’t go as planned, don’t sweat it. Being flexible and willing to adapt is just as important as setting the plan in the first place. The beauty of a strategic plan is that it’s yours to mold and shift as you need.

So here’s your challenge: own your schedule. Be the boss of your time. Make sure there’s space in your day for your priority tasks, but also keep that balance so your life feels good. You’re in charge of this plan, and it’s all about creating the life that fits you best.

So now your starting to get your strategic plan in place, you’re ready to take intentional steps toward your dream life and business.

Conclusion:

•            Let’s quickly recap what we covered today because we dove into some game-changing insights. First, we talked about the importance of reflecting on your priorities—getting clear on what truly matters to you. Then, we dug deep into auditing how you’re spending your time, finding those hidden time drains, and discovering activities that light you up. Finally, we explored how to create a strategic plan that aligns with your goals, allowing you to take intentional steps toward your dream life and business.

•            And here’s the best part—you don’t have to do this alone. That free worksheet is here to guide you every step of the way, helping you reflect, audit, and plan, all in one place. Whether you’ve got 5 minutes or 30, it’s your go-to tool for intentional time management. Don’t wait—head over to timeforliving.co/podcast/episode01 or check the show notes for the link, and we’ll send it straight to you. It’s filled with prompts and space to map out everything we talked about today, so you can really put these ideas into action!

•            I want to take a moment to thank you for tuning in, for being here, and for being willing to show up for yourself in this journey. Remember, this is about progress, not perfection. It's about those small, consistent steps that can add up to massive change in your life and business. I believe in you, and I can’t wait to see how embracing intentional time management will transform the way you work and live.

•            So, here’s my challenge to you: take just one action item from today’s episode and put it into practice. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just start. You’ll be amazed at how even the smallest change can snowball into something huge.

•            Remember, your dreams are worth the time it takes to pursue them. Time is your most valuable resource. It’s not about finding more time; it’s about making the most of the time you have. By setting boundaries, prioritizing what matters, and scheduling dedicated time for your business dreams, you’re not just managing time—you’re shaping your destiny.

•            Embrace the process of reflection, time audit, and strategic planning as tools to optimize your time and drive yourself forward. Stay committed to your goals, adaptable in your approach, and above all, true to yourself and your vision. With every intentional step you take, you’re not just managing time—you’re crafting your legacy. So, seize the day, make every minute count, and watch as your dreams become your reality.