UNcomplicating Business for Teachers, Helpers, and Givers

Scheduling in Doubt

March 28, 2023 Sara Torpey Season 2 Episode 24
UNcomplicating Business for Teachers, Helpers, and Givers
Scheduling in Doubt
Show Notes Transcript

This might sound crazy, but I think we should all schedule in doubt. 

By scheduling it in we get to decide when we spend time spinning around in our questions, worries, and doubts - and also, and more importantly, when we DON'T. 


So... how does this work? 


Well, it's actually as simple as it sounds. 


Listen on and I'll give you the full scoop!


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Hey there. I'm Sarah. Welcome, welcome, welcome. I'm so glad you're here. Today we are going to talk about scheduling in doubt. This may be sounds kind of crazy to you. And that's okay. That's that's exactly what we're going for here. But here's what I would like to propose, I would like to propose scheduling in your doubt into your calendar, both in the short term and the long term. And the reason I want to propose this is because you and I, and everyone who is an entrepreneur, who anyone who is doing something new, has a lot of doubt, we have a lot of questions, we have a lot of stopping and starting, we have a lot of, Should I do it like this, or like that. And that kind of stuff takes a crap ton of time, it takes a lot of energy, it takes a lot of mental space, even if you don't physically sit in, like, write down all your doubts for hours on end, because you probably don't, what it does, is slows down the process. 

Doubt is like pouring maple syrup over you while you're trying to run, like it's gonna get real sticky real fast. It's, it's, it just sounds awful. Running through maple syrup. So what I'd like to propose is, is a different kind of approach. And the way this came up, is in talking with a couple of clients last week, we were talking about their core offers. One is running a group program. Another is starting to work with a new set of clients, like she's had a business and now she's sort of adjusting her audience. And those people are starting to come in. But in talking about it, one of the things we were talking about was, you know, the one client said to me, but but how do I, you know, I feel like I haven't gone all in, I feel like I haven't really gone totally forward and decided that this is how I'm going to do. 

This is how I'm going to do it and stuck to it. Because I keep thinking about it and doubting and doubting and doubting and trying to do it right. And then I'll start and then I stop, and then I start and I stop. And so what I proposed to her this week, was scheduling in her question time. And so for her because it's a main offer. And because it was a big part of something she was going to change to offer this group program. What I proposed to her was a long term pause in her questioning. So I said to her, you know, why don't you decide today? And in part of this trick is the decision, right? Decide today? That you're not going to question it, that you're not going to doubt it that you're just going to let yourself try it and see what happens for she and I decided six months, oftentimes people want three, 

I don't feel like three is long enough, but I'm willing to give it to you if you want it, I'd prefer six. But here's the thing. What I had her do was literally go into her calendar, and pick a date, six months from now, where she could circle in in blackout time to to worry to have the worries to be like, Oh my gosh, did I do this? Right? Am I doing it? Right? Am I doing it? Right? Am I doing it right? But what we did, by doing that was give her away when the doubts come up in her brain to be like, Oh, wait, those aren't right. Now I have a time for that. This is like block scheduling at its finest, right? We're time blocking. 

You know, when you go and you look at productivity stuff for time blocking, it's like give yourself these distinct blocks. And then when something comes up that belongs in a different block, you get to look at your calendar go up here's the place I'm going to do that your brain knows you have a space for it. And you don't over worry it this is the same freaking thing. It's just about something that is not nearly as concrete the other way you can play this so I have this client that scheduled her doubt six months from now like is she going to doubt in between? Absolutely. Is she going to question things in between Sure. But what's going to happen is she's going to be like no no, I built this six month window and if in six months I feel really different about this then great but she's gonna let herself say and do all the things for the next six months and then she can poke at it. Right it is both in exercise and commitment.

 And in you know just giving your doubt a new home besides like following you around like a like a like a obnoxious puppy right like not that puppies are bad but Like sometimes that are at your heels, you're like, oh my god enough. So the other way you can think about this, and I do this for myself sometimes is like legitimately time blocking. So like I have a dear friend to taught me this years ago, when she is feeling a lot of doubt, or she's, like really worried about a new thing she's doing where she's really concerned. And she find she's questioning, what she does is give herself 10 minutes a day, sometimes, I tend to do it like a couple of days a week into, I try not to do it more than that.

 Because otherwise, I'm just I feel like I'm like wallowing in it. And I don't want to do that. But she'll schedule in like 15 minutes into her calendar a couple times a week, to like, have all the worry thoughts to just have them and let them pour out and be like, This is my worry block. Right? And this is where I'm gonna sit here and be like, I don't know, if I'm cut out for this. I don't know if I'm able to do it. I don't know how to do it. I don't know if anybody's gonna want it. Who's gonna buy it? I don't think anybody's gonna pay me and just like put it all out entirely feel it. And then when the timer goes off, a you've gotten it all out. And your brain is like, See, she heard me and be here like, oh, well, no, that's actually true. Like, I can do this, I can do the next step. 

You know, there are people I help. And you can move on. Right, you don't have to let it like poke at you all day long, you can give it a distinct time and place and just let it be there. But having these little worry blocks in is is kind of a magical thing. Because then what you're doing is you're sucking it out of the other times where you're trying to get something done. And instead the worry is like, Are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you want to do this? Do you think we belong here? Do we belong here? Do we belong here, man, give that another place to live. I come in and out of meeting those blocks. Like last week, I was in a place where I really needed them this week, I don't know that I am. Sometimes it's week to week, sometimes I go months without needing them. Or I'm just like,

 You know what, this is what I'm doing? This is how I'm gonna do it. It is what it is. Right. So it is a blend of scheduling. But deciding. So often I find you know, we think we can decide once what we're going to do. And that's enough. And that's not enough, we have to redesign, we have to recommit constantly, right? This is the trouble with entrepreneurship. So for you, how can you decide to commit? Where do you want to schedule time to worry? How far do you want to do it? How do you want to handle it in the short term and long term, so that what's not happening is that you're worried just wanders around and gets into trouble. It's like, you know, leaving a puppy unattended in a room full of children's toys. Yeah, they're going to eat stuff and socks and shoes, they're going to eat stuff they shouldn't. 

The doubt gets to wander around on attended, it's going to cause trouble in monkey wrenches and pour sticky stuff into places that shouldn't. So let us instead give it a place. If it's a big thing, give yourself larger time, right? If you're going to commit to something, commit for six months, or three months or whatever, and then decide you're going to worry about it again. I literally schedule it in my calendar so I can see it and that my brain is like, Okay, I see the place for this, schedule it. And then if you find, you're still sort of getting bogged down by day to day questions, day to day worries, give yourself space in your calendar day to day to just be like, well, here's all my worries, I'm going to pour them all out. And now I'm going to move on. Right? That way, you don't have to have them dogging you all day, which is the whole point of this. 

So if you have questions about this, or if it works really well for you, I would love to hear about it. Reach out. If you are if you love the podcast, and you are finding it really useful, we would love to hear that feel free to send some feedback or rate or review it on iTunes, or wherever you're listening. That's a huge help for us. As people come to find the podcast feel free to also to share it with friends or people who think it would be useful too. I get that a lot from people that are like well, I got this from so and so who shared it with me through this way. I love that that's like giving gifts like that's magic. And if you are not in my Facebook group, it is also called on complicating business for teachers helpers and givers and we do a ton of good stuff in there. You should come play even just for the free trainings that are sort of saved and backlogged and the free videos in there alone are worth all the time and energy you would spend to come get them. So come play with us. If you need me. You could send an email to Sara at Torpey coaching.com

If you want to see some of the offers I have from group coaching to one on one to courses and all that stuff you can visit my website which is Torpey go to Torpey coaching.com Good gravy and until then I will see you next week