Juggle It All Leanne & Her Self-care Wisdom

Interview with Leanne

How have you navigated today’s busy world of constant connectivity? 

It can definitely get crazy!

I’ve set up systems and boundaries to stop that craziness and I stay out of a lot of it in order to stay focused and truly productive.

For example . . .

I keep chat turned off on Facebook. I turn off Facebook group notifications. I subscribe only to newsletters that are essential for my current learning. I let my voicemail answer my phone and I return calls when I’m able to. I have a system for my email and I keep my inbox down to about ten emails (preferably less). I also have a system for blogging and social media that keeps me on track and out of the time suck that it can be. 

What systems and boundaries do you have in place to help you personally balance self-care and productivity? 

Self-care is essential. It’s so important. If we want to be productive and effective in our businesses and our lives, we have to take care of ourselves physically, emotionally, mentally, relation-ally and spiritually. It’s just not an option.

So, I have a fitness plan and I eat a very healthy diet. I’m involved in personal growth on a regular basis. I learn all the time. I have time with my people and lots of cuddles with my infant grandson who lives with me :).

And I have a spiritual practice. For example, I have two types of quiet time. One is in the morning, or whenever I need it, and it includes things like prayer, meditation, writing/journaling, thinking or reading . . . whatever I need at the time.

The second one is right before I go to bed and it includes writing in my gratitude and success journal. I record what I’m grateful for that day and what my successes are. I also love nature and that’s where I get a lot of my inspiration, so I make sure to incorporate that as well. 

What are the biggest obstacles that get in the way of making time for yourself? (either external: family/kids needing you. or internal: your mindset) 

Normally, nothing gets in the way. I schedule everything :). However, sometimes life does get off balance. My grandson was born 4 months ago (my daughter is 16 and she and my grandson live with me) and my world and my schedule shifted significantly. I’m still reworking how I do things! Getting back on track though :). 

What’s your #1 recommendation to your clients and/or loved ones that you’d love to share? 

Well, it’s very individual, but one of the most significant messages I share in general is that it’s important to work from the inside out.

Here’s what I mean by that . . . 

When you implement some external system or method that’s really not a fit for you at a deep level, it won’t work or it’ll work for a while, but then fizzle out. It’s important to design your systems and schedules and time management methods from the inside out based on what works for you and your own personal style.

We all have different personalities, energies, preferences and body rhythms. We even have different underlying reasons for our time management challenges. It’s important to take all of these things into consideration so that what we do and how we do it actually works for us.

I also teach this concept when I teach about planning. I use a system that starts with who you are and moves from there to your vision and then to how you’re going to get there. It gets broken down from there into monthly, weekly and daily things to do so that everything you do moves you toward where you want to go and fits perfectly with who you are, what you value, what your passions are and what makes you tick.

How does your work or your life support this important mission: helping women make time for self-care and still be able to get everything done? 

Well, my whole business is about helping online entrepreneurs create balance in their lives in a way that works for them according to their own personal style.

And my life is an example of what I do. So, my life and business directly support that mission.

I see balance in two ways. One is that balance is health in all areas of life (physical, emotional, financial, mental, social, spiritual, self). The other is that it’s a harmony or an ebb and flow, not an equality of all areas at all times. The relevant point here is that it’s health in all areas. It’s holistic. And that includes self-care. Actually, self-care is foundational because it impacts all the others.  

You mentioned that we have different underlying reasons for our time management challenges. Can you share those underlying reasons? 

I find that there are 7 common underlying reasons and you can read about them here: http://www.juggleitall.com/time-management-issues/.

Briefly they are:

1. Not knowing your “why.”

2. Not having a clear vision.

3. Not having effective goals to help you reach your vision.

4. Having low self esteem.

5. Being stopped by fear or self-sabotage.

6. Saying “yes” to too much.

7. Not having systems, strategies or methods that are aligned with your personality.

Thanks Leanne for sharing your wisdom!

Leanne Chesser, B.A., B.Ed., C.C., is a teacher, coach and entrepreneur and the creator of Juggle It All.

She works with online entrepreneurs to create more time, achieve more balance and get more done in a way that works for them according to their own personal style.

She is the author of “How Your Self Talk Can Change Your Life,” “How to Improve Your Self Esteem” and “How to Live a Kick-Ass Life.”