Last month, I told you I was going to do something that made me uncomfortable. And annoyingly, once I’d told you, I actually had to do it.
So… I did.
I filmed another video of myself for an ad for our sister studio, Axis Movement, and put it out into the world.
Was I comfortable? No. Did I push through the uncomfortableness? Yes. Is “uncomfortableness” even a word? Apparently, I’m going with it.
Being the founder of a business is a funny thing. You create something you care deeply about, and somewhere along the way, that means putting yourself at the front of it.
I’ve never particularly loved being in the spotlight. I’m much happier watching our incredible team take centre stage. But I’m also realising there’s a responsibility that comes with being the founder: to show up, share what I’m learning and occasionally do the things I’d much rather avoid.
Which brings me to this month.
I think these updates might be becoming my own little accountability system. Once I decide something in advance—and tell all of you about it—I’m far more likely to follow through.
And lately, I’ve realised the same thing applies to my time.
The sentence I hear all the time is: “I just don’t have time.”
It’s one of the biggest things we hear from you our beautiful customers is:
“Life’s too busy.”
“I can’t get to classes.”
“The times don’t work for me.”
There’s so much competing for our attention: work, family, life admin, appointments, school, emails and messages. Somehow, we’re also meant to exercise, eat well, sleep eight hours and keep the house vaguely presentable.
Side note: mine is NOT. AT. ALL. presentable that is. But that’s a story for another day.
I don’t have a revolutionary time-management system to share with you. But I have made two very simple changes this year that have genuinely helped me.
1. I stopped trying to “fit in” exercise
Because I own multiple studios, I liked the idea of being flexible. I’d go to different classes, visit different instructors and move things around depending on my week.
In theory, that was good for the business.
In reality, it wasn’t good for me.
When the week got busy, exercise became the thing I tried to squeeze into whatever space was left. And we all know how that ends.
So this year, I committed to specific classes at specific times.
They’re recurring appointments in my diary. Unless there’s a very good reason, I go.
It has been a game changer. I’m no longer opening the timetable every few days, comparing it with my diary and trying to work out where I could possibly fit in a class.
The decision has already been made.
For those of you who have been doing this for years and are thinking, “Yes, obviously”- kudos to you. I’m catching up.
Then Annie J. called me a wild horse.
Many of you know our Head Yogi Annie. What you might not know is Annie is also our Project Lead here at Aleenta. She basically keeps me in check!
Recently, she said to me: “You’re like a wild horse, running free and wild. And we just need to build some fences around you.”
I laughed. A lot. Mostly because it came completely out of left field. But then I thought about it. And… she wasn’t entirely wrong.
Sometimes, the way I operate probably looks a little like organised chaos. Actually, maybe it’s just chaos that I’ve convinced myself is organised.
It was one of those comments that was funny enough to stick, but true enough to make me change something. Which brings me to discovery number two.
2. I discovered time blocking… at 50+ years of age.
I know. This is not new information.
People have been talking about time blocking forever. I’ve always put meetings, classes and appointments in my diary.
But the rest of my day? Wide open.
Which apparently gave me permission to bounce between whatever felt most urgent, interesting or loud at any given moment.
So this month, I started blocking out time for the work I actually need to do. Time to think. Time to write. Time for particular projects. Time to finish the things that otherwise move from one day’s list to the next.
Once again, not new. But… mind blown. The work actually gets done.
It has taken me more than 50 years to realise this. I’m not sure whether I find that sad or exciting.
I’d read about time blocking countless times. I knew the theory. But knowing something and actually doing it are two very different things.
My two very un-revolutionary revelations
Schedule the things that matter before life fills the space.
And give the wild horse some fences.
If you already do both, you’re well ahead of me. But if you keep telling yourself, “I’ll fit it in somewhere this week,” try taking the decision out of it.
Choose the class.
Choose the time.
Put it in the diary.
Protect it.
I’d genuinely love to hear what works for you. What have you changed about the way you manage your time that has made a real difference?
And if you have any other suggestions for turning my organised chaos into something that is actually organised, please send them my way. I clearly still have room for improvement.
Kylie
P.S. Maybe next month I’ll share some of the feedback my team has given me over the years that has really stuck. One of the strange things about being a founder is that feedback often flows in one direction - which means you can develop some spectacular blind spots. I’ve definitely had a few.
Or, if there’s something else you’d like me to write about, let me know. My door is open.
