Redeeming Time
“If I just had more time!”
How often do you say this to yourself? My guess is probably A LOT.
But let’s face it: we all have the same 24 hours in a day; the same 1,440 minutes. Me, you, Beyoncé, and everyone else. So the problem isn’t really that we don’t have the time, it’s how we’re using it.
In my first few years as a studio owner, I used to say “If I just had more time!” pretty much every hour of the day. My problem wasn’t that I didn’t have enough time. That was the SYMPTOM. The problem was that I was trying to do too much by myself. And that resulted in things not always getting done the way I wanted. Instead of making progress, I was basically getting in my own way.
Sound familiar? I thought so!
As entrepreneurs, we studio owners are often guilty of trying to juggle too much. We operate under this delusion that anything less than exhaustion means we aren’t working hard. And that’s simply not true. It is possible to be a studio owner and not run yourself ragged!
After being in business for 20 years, I can say there are certainly still days where exhaustion reigns or where I feel like I’m running in circles. BUT those days are no longer the norm because I’ve changed the way I view my time.
Now I view my time through the lens of my own strengths and limitations.
For example: could I do my own bookkeeping? Sure, I’ve done it before. But it would take me three times as long and I’d make mistakes! So I outsource that to someone who LOVES accounting and does an amazing job. Am I capable of handling all the costume ordering for my studio? Yes, but my School Director is more than able to handle it—and it happens to be right in her wheelhouse. She actually ENJOYS organizing the sizes for the order. God bless people who like details! It’s just not my strength.
This change in my viewpoint means that the time I no longer spend on bookkeeping or costume ordering gets redeemed elsewhere, which in turn prevents me from juggling too much. That trade of time allows me to do more of what only I can do for my business, such as the vision-casting and program creation. My time is much, much more valuable in those ways.
Redeeming my time with more high-level work for my studio has had a positive impact on my business in every way. It empowers those on my team who step up into new tasks, projects, and authority. It allows me to be a stronger leader. And ultimately, it means we ALL serve our dance families better.
When I’m coaching studio owners, I encourage them—just like I’m encouraging you—to make a plan for redeeming time. You have to dig deep into understanding your strengths and what your studio needs most from you. And you have to identify who needs to be equipped for success on your team or where you might need to outsource expertise.
Once you’ve started redeeming your time in these new ways, you’ll discover what a game-changer it is. My hope is that you’ll view time in a much more healthy way. I know you’ll find value in focusing on your strengths, because I’ve been there too!
Remember that we all have the same amount of time in a day. It’s what you do with it that counts. 🙂
Love, Misty
P.S. One of the ways I redeem time is by outsourcing the occasional writing project. If you’re looking to do the same, I encourage you to check out Moonlight Writing’s customizable templates! Written specifically for dance studios, these templates can be used for your blog or other marketing materials.