It’s where you start with a large empty glass, a half-dozen big rocks, a bunch of smaller pebbles, and a pile of sand. The task is to fit as much into the glass as possible, and of course you get more in if you start with the large rocks, let the pebbles fill the space between them and finally top-up with the sand.

If we map the analogy to a day in the life of an entrepreneur, it probably goes something like this:

Big Rocks:

• Sleep
• Family time
• Exercise
• Food
• Business strategy
• Client meetings and service delivery
• Important proposals

Pebbles:

• Marketing
• Reading
• Answering important emails and other communications

Sand:

• Social media
• TV
• Web browsing

Of course, when you’re filling the glass with your Big Rocks, your beloved phone is on silent, your email engine is switched off, and the metaphorical “no room service” sign is hung on your doorknob.

Try and “rock” your week, and see if you Get More Done.

Author: Jonny | Let me know if this works!

Canadian recurring revenue pioneer Stu McLaren talks about setting rules and boundaries to make sure you get the balance right.

Here are some of my family-centric habits:

• Establish cut-offs and stick to them. I share my diary with the family so they can hold me to account for spending non-work time with them
• Let clients know when they can interact, and when they can’t. This’ll foster respect and authority. What does it say about you if you’re ALWAYS available?
• Make virtual meetings the default, to limit travelling and maximise home-time. Unless you work on a plane, there’s no excuse to spend half your life in transit.
• Work from a home-office. Punctuate your day with food and rest breaks in the real world.
• Learn to delegate, automate and abdicate from doing everything possible in your business. That way you can take breaks, take vacations and it’s all still there when you get back.

One thing I wish for you more than anything is that you savour every moment of your single, precious, irreplaceable life, and fill it with the joy and splendour of your loved ones.

Don’t be that person who looks back and wonders where the time went, and why the kids aren’t kids anymore.

Just don’t. 

Author: Jonny | Tweet me your top family-centric habit

In truth, they’re as much of both as you allow. In themselves, they’re neither, any more than a car is a lethal weapon or guns are dangerous, without user input.

Here are some rules of engagement:

1. If your business doesn’t depend on social media, don’t use them during business hours. You don’t spend all day on the phone to your mates, or in the bar drinking with them, so why is hanging out on Facebook any different?
2. If your business depends on social media, outsource their management to a specialist as soon as possible. They’ll be better at it than you, and you can keep to rule 1 above.

That is all.