Ever feel guilty for not working?
Or about the way you choose to live your life or run your business?
Over the last 12 months, I’ve lost count of the number of people who’ve commented on the fact that we don’t work on Fridays.
Our office is only open Monday to Thursday. Half-joking comments like “What are you, part time?!” really start to wear thin.
And you know what? It’s one of those things that makes me really think about WHY I set the business up in the first place.
And why I sorted it so that we can have Fridays off.
One of the reasons I came out of the corporate world, was because I wanted something more flexible. I wanted to be able to take time for me – on my own – without my husband or my children (much as I love them!).
And that only works during the ‘working week’. Because at the weekends, it’s full on with karate lessons, kids parties, trips to church and all the other busy-ness of family life.
Besides which, it’s a great way of getting the time you need to work ‘on’ your business – the strategy stuff; headspace to dream and create and plan – rather than feeling stuck working ‘in’ your business all the time.
4 days a week for clients; 1 day a week for you.
All my staff in the office only work Monday to Thursday. Our out of office responses say as much – but I still get people really surprised when they tell me they tried to reach me on a Friday, but I wasn’t there. Like working on Fridays is compulsory.
Last week, I even had a run in with an estate agent.
He triggered something in me that I didn’t even realise was an issue!
He called on a Thursday, to ask something straightforward about an ongoing case.
“Oh I’m glad I’ve got you – you’re not on holiday again this week, are you?!” he said.
And I thought no, that’s next week, thank you very much. But it was the way he said it, that joking-but-not-joking thing (that feels more like a criticism or accusation).
I didn’t think anything more of it until the following day. When I completely lost it because the fried eggs stuck to the frying pan and had a complete meltdown.
And then I realised the thing that was making me stressed was that my to-do list was getting longer and longer. I was feeling the pressure of lots of people wanting to work with us.
This critical little voice in my head said “well, you’d get more done if you worked full time”.
But I don’t WANT to work full time.
I want flexibility. And if that means I need to delegate more to my team or take more time off, then I will. Because I want to build a business that works for me.
What’s the point otherwise?!
I see loads of successful entrepreneurs who have brilliant businesses, but they’re working from six o’clock in the morning until 10 o’clock at night, often six or seven days a week. And to me, there’s just no point.
I could earn twice the money I do if I worked twice the hours. But I’d rather not.
And for you in business? That needs to be YOUR choice. A conscious decision. Because I passionately believe that life is about balance.
What’s the point of earning loads and loads of money, if you never have the time or freedom to enjoy it?
We all need to find a way that works for us. That lights you up and means you love the work you do and how you do it.
It’s one of the reasons my business has evolved so much over the last few years. Because I realised that some of the work that I was doing, I was good at – but it didn’t light me up or make me feel excited.
I’d see the phone go and think “oh, no, not again”…and my heart would sink, because it was a client I knew was going to be particularly awkward.
So I’ve become a lot more fussy about who I work with, who I want to help and have really accepted the fact that I am NOT here for everyone.
I love helping successful women in business. Women who are building their businesses and really making a difference in the world.
Women who have a steady and growing income stream and who know where they want to go with their business. Because then, I can have such an amazing impact with helping them to sort out their finances.
And that’s the reason I launched the VIP offering that we have at the moment!
- We’re going to deep dive into your financial situation, as it is right now.
- We’re going to come up with some things that will help you grow your wealth and keep hold of more of this money you’re earning.
- We’ll make sure all your financial foundations are in place…
Because nothing feels worse that having to dip into your dream fund, just because your car needs repairs and you don’t have an emergency pot!
But above all, you’re going to have this plan for your future. A plan for where you want to be, so you can see how and where your money fits into it and what to do next.
And it’s going to be done in a FUN and super approachable way!
Some of my clients prefer to work together over a few weeks, on Zoom.
Other women I work with prefer to do a 1:1 intensive day. Either in person (at a luxury location in the UK or abroad) or online, to just get it DONE!
Both options are available for you, depending on what you want.
Until next time,
Claire
