Vita's Tip in 10: Free Up Your Mental Bandwidth With This Strategy

Hello, hello, friend, welcome to this week’s episode of Vita’s Tip in 10. Today's tip is all about consistency. Just like many of my podcast episodes, I usually share a personal story, something that has happened directly to me or my staff or my clients - without using their names of course. Something that I've observed, an actual story that you guys can relate to, and hopefully remember, the next time a similar situation arises for you.  

So at the recent IWCE, I was introduced by my dear friend and colleague, a past student of LuAnn University and a VIP coaching client, to an app on your basic iPhone, a health app that somehow I did not know about because clearly I've been living under a rock. So as part of that app, she told me there was a way to set up your wakeup call and then not ever have to reset it every day again. And so she showed me how to do it. Super simple. 

I have set it for 5:30am. I know it's super early. And if you've been listening to me for the last 58 episodes, you know that I am an early riser. Let me be clear: No, I do not like it. But yes, I am very productive when I do.  

So she showed me how to set up the 5:30am consistent wake up call, so that I don't have to remember to do it the night before. I don't make a mistake and by accident set in for 5:30pm. It is just one of those things that I can set it and forget it. And so I did! And when I came home, the next day I woke up at 5:30am without having to remember to set my alarm. And then the same thing happened the next day, and the next day.  

And I have to tell you friends, there was a little switch that happened inside me, a little realization as far as big aha moments go. They are not always rooted in some grandiose and earth shattering knowledge or piece of news. They are rooted often in something small, seemingly insignificant, entirely well-known and yet to you at the right time, at the right place, in the right state of mind, they become epic.  

And so my big aha was this: I used to have a range of pre-set wake-up alarms on my iPhone that ranged from 4:30am to 6:30am, in 15 minute increments. And that’s because the night before, I would think about what I wanted to accomplish the next morning, what was on my plate? How tired am I? How willing am I to wake up at 4:30 versus 6:30. And so I would spend a few seconds going through the options thinking about it, considering it, and then I turned on the alarm that I wanted. Then in the morning, when the alarm went off, believe it or not I had to kind of strain my brain a little bit to be like okay, what time is it now? What time did I set it up for? Is it 430 Is it 5:30? Is it 6:00am?  

Fast forward to my new system, courtesy of the tip from my friend at the IWCE. Now, I know what time it is when my alarm goes off, because my alarm is always set for 5:30am. Did I realize what a bandwidth drain it had been on me, to have differing alarm options all these years? My friend, let me tell you, I did not. 

It's been about a month or so, I have consistently set my alarm set at 5:30, without having anything to do about it. It's just automatically pre-set and every morning it goes off at the same time. I don't have to wonder and think about it, I just automatically know that it is 530 and it's time to wake up. It's still hard by the way. Don't misunderstand my lesson. Just because it’s consistent, doesn’t mean I suddenly love waking up that early, haha. 

And so what this seemingly insignificant lesson taught me, is how important consistency in our schedule can be. As in my example, consistency in our routines, like when we wake up, then we go to the bathroom to brush our teeth, and brush our hair, then we go make coffee. Step one, step two, step 10.  

Consistency in how we do things, consistency in how we give directions, consistency in our expectations for our staff, consistency in our own boundaries when we can preset consistent rules. In the way we do things. The burden on the brain is instantly lifted. And it is a burden that you might not even know existed, you might not even consciously feel it right now. But it is still there.  

Just like with my multiple alarm clock options that I used to have, thinking that, oh I want flexibility. Oh, I want different things depending on how I feel and how much time I need to have. I didn’t realize what a drain it was on me, and how liberating and free it feels, to not have to think about it. So I invite you, my friend, to think about your routines, no matter how big and especially no matter how small and find little pockets of preset consistencies that you can have in your life and your business.  

An example of it might be I do not start my day until 9:30am Because everybody is out of the house by nine and I need to have half an hour to have my coffee, to decompress to read a newsletter, to catch up on the news, to organize my day.  You decide what you want to do with that half hour. The point is that it is a consistent rule that you might want to create for yourself.  

The same goes for end of day consistency. Can you preset the end of day and time and come hell or high water you are shutting down your computer at that time? Maybe even preset the alarm clock that will tell you to do that. You don't have to think, you don't have to wonder, you don't have to negotiate with yourself. It is already done and decided for you. Consistent rules can be applied to how you handle your sewing, how you clean your workspace, how tidy you keep your van or car, your staff meetings, your staff meeting agendas, your expectations for your sewing staff. The way you conduct your appointments, the way you take measurements. Consistency is incredibly freeing and liberating.  

And I would love for you my friends to find little pockets of consistency. Just like I did, with my silly 5:30am alarm clock. I can't wait to hear where you have found that little pocket - do please let me know!  

And as always, I want you to know that if you're looking for more tactics and strategies to make your business and your life better, you have two ways of working with me personally. One is through LuAnn University, my Systems Driven Operations class. And the second is a two-day intensive in my newly renovated studio where I hand over all of my systems for you to use and put to work immediately in your business. I want you to check out both tools, because they are different and equally applicable depending where you are in your business and how fast you want to achieve your goal.  

And in the meantime I’ll be looking forward to bringing you a new episode of Vita’s Tip in Ten next Thursday. See you next time!