the NEW workday {a series on entrepreneurship}

Have you been feeling like you wish you had more control over your workday? Do you imagine a job that allows you to be healthy and productive and creative AND do your BEST WORK?

That feeling is exactly what drew me to entrepreneurship. I just knew that there was a better way to feel at the end of my workday. I had a vision for creating my company and work to fit my life and health.

After spending years advising and teaching others on systems and procedures, I decided to Do Things Differently  at Kimberley's Kitchen. Not only did I apply this vision and mantra to my product and service, I applied it to HOW I work. Here is what I did to revolutionize my workday-

Priorities

I started with making a basic list of priorities- all the things that mattered to me about HOW I work. It went something like:

• eat and rest when I need to
• work in a beautiful and inspiring space
• spend little time sitting
• flow from one task and project to another, etc

Notice how none of this is about products, management, strategies, etc. It is all about How I Want to Feel at Work. How do you want to feel at work? Do you feel that way now? Is there ONE SMALL CHANGE that you could make today to get you closer to your priorities?

One Small Change

Rather than taking on the arduous task of overhauling my office, kitchen, company, staffing, and more, I decided to implement the One Small Change Strategy. Very simply, I made small changes daily, weekly, monthly to move me towards my IDEAL WORKDAY. It is still a work in progress but I would say that most of the desired changes happened in about 6 months. I was okay with it being a process, and in fact the time allowed me to keep my business running while managing projects such as a major kitchen build for my commercial kitchen. 

Make My Plan Public

Committing to plans and ideas has always been a struggle for me. I may look like I jump in with both feet but let me tell you, I overthink and deliberate on decisions far too much. However, once I commit to something I try to make it public- sometimes I share with my family and friends or even with my customers. And then it is much easier for me to stick to my plan and follow-through because I have some accountability.

Simplify the rest of my Life

Another tactic that I used to keep my focus on my IDEAL WORKDAY was to simplify some other aspects of my life. I suspended our home renovations until a later time and I kept our schedules simple by ensuring my kids were not over-scheduled and that we were not stretching ourselves too thin. I kept my community and volunteer work to a minimum too. And I didn't feel guilty about this. In fact, this simplified life is now our new normal and it works for us beautifully. 

Revisit My Vision

I devote time periodically to revisit my vision of my IDEAL WORKDAY and check in to see if my time and resources are helping me achieve this. Why so much effort? Because I strongly believe that when we create a workday that fills us up and fits our lives, that we are able to contribute substantially more, and be more profitable in doing so. But there's another reason.

When we create our ideal workday, we become a company that can do that for others. This will help you attract the talent and customers that align with your vision. I know this because this is exactly what I experienced. Building a workday that fits my life has been one of the most important aspects of running a business and a foundation for my success so far. I truly believe there is a new way of working. How we work starts with who we are and what matters most to us. As an entrepreneur, you are empowered to craft your ideal WORKDAY this year. 

Again, the steps I took were:

• list my priorities for how I want to feel at work
• use the One Small Change Strategy to make simply, effective changes today
• make my plan public
• simplify other areas of my life
• revisit my vision and adjust plans

Once you start to create your ideal workday examine the difference it makes for you. Entrepreneurs are all about doing things differently. This is your opportunity to LOVE YOUR WORK every single day.

My next post in this series is all about doing your BEST WORK. I can't wait to share it with you. Be sure to follow me on Instagram for a behind-the-scenes look at my business and life. That's where all the fun is!

~Kimberley

As a BONUS, I am sharing my WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER with all of you to help you simplify your life. Enjoy!