The 40% Rule: How Silent Time Thieves Are Sabotaging Your Success

Being busy isn't the same as being productive. I learned this from my client Claudia, who—let's be honest—was running her business like she was training for a marathon.

When we first met, she sighed and said, "I feel like I'm always behind, no matter how hard I work. My to-do list is never-ending." Sound familiar?

Claudia has been juggling a booming consulting business, but the systems holding it together were as shaky as a game of Jenga. Her days were swallowed by spreadsheets, scattered emails, and tasks that, in her words, "anybody else could probably do."

Here's the kicker: many service-based entrepreneurs go through this. Research shows that entrepreneurs like Claudia spend up to 40% of their time on tasks that could easily be automated or streamlined. That's 16 hours out of a 40-hour week doing things that don't actually move the needle for their business.

And if you're nodding along right now, I see you.

You're working hard, but it feels like you're treading water. The ideas that could genuinely grow your business? They're gathering dust in the corner because you're buried in the day-to-day grind.

But let me tell you something: this overwhelm isn't your fault. No one starts a business thinking, "Let me build something that takes over my life." It just sort of happens when growth outpaces your systems.

Here's where it sneaks up on you:

• Those "quick admin tasks" that pop up like weeds.
• Endless email threads that interrupt your flow.
• Telling yourself, "It's faster if I just do it," for the 17th time this week.
• Perfecting every detail to the point where a 30-minute task takes three hours.
• Falling into a social media rabbit hole under the guise of "market research."

These aren't just bad habits—they're silent-time thieves.

But here's the good news: you don't need more hours in the day. You need a strategy that gives you back the time you already have.

Think about your business like a garden. A successful gardener doesn't run around with a watering can all day. They build irrigation systems. They create routines that make growth predictable and manageable.

The same is true for your business. It's not about doing more—it's about doing what matters.

Take Claudia, for example. After we worked together, she implemented just three new processes. That's it. And guess what? She shaved 15 hours off her weekly workload. That's almost two full workdays!

Here's what makes businesses like hers thrive:

? They know where their time goes—down to the minute.

? They spot patterns in their workflow that are holding them back.

? They create systems before they're in full-blown panic mode.

? They focus their energy on activities that lead to growth, not just busy work.

? They redefine efficiency as strategy, not speed.

So, what about you? What's eating up your time?

Here's your next step:

I want you to take 10 minutes today—yes, today. Open your calendar and block off two hours tomorrow. Label it "CEO Time." During that time, please write down every single task you do that feels like something someone else could handle.

This list? It's your starting point for building systems that work for you, not against you.

And if you're sitting there thinking, "That sounds great, but where do I even start?" I've got you. Let's connect. I'll help you create systems that free up your time and sanity so you can get back to growing your business—and maybe even take an actual day off.

Your business doesn't need more hustle. It needs structure. You deserve to lead, not just manage. Let's make that happen.