Minimize to Maximize: How Are You Devoting Your Time?

Not too long ago, I had a health issue that completely blindsided me. 

Although I knew I would recover, I also knew that some aspects of my life would have to change permanently. It slowed me down in ways I wasn't mentally or emotionally prepared for. 

In her TEDx talk entitled "Minimize to Maximize", marketing innovator Taylor Shanklin described her personal experience juggling health struggles, a demanding career, and home life. After experiencing my own health issues, her story struck a chord within me!

As the founder and CEO of Barlele, a brand and marketing strategy firm that helps businesses and nonprofit organizations grow, I was not only impressed with Taylor’s dedication to social impact but inspired by her ability to see each challenge as an opportunity to pause, reflect, and reevaluate what is really important.

To share her story with my listeners, I asked her to be a guest on Trust Your Voice.  Below are some of the key takeaways from our conversation that I hope you find as inspiring as I did:

Redefine Success for yourself.

Life is like a book. It has many chapters in which we can write our own narrative and change the definition of success. Speaking from her own experience running in the “Rat Race”, Taylor summed up what the parameters of success should be with two thought-provoking questions:

“Are you doing the kind of work that makes you happy? Are you feeling fulfilled?” 

As we answer those questions, we must be honest about how we spend our time and energy as well as what success really means to us.

How to devote your time. 

“It's made me really think a lot more about how the time we have here is really precious,” Taylor explained, recounting her thought process during some of her toughest moments health-wise. “I'm in this constant mindset now where I'm like: if I feel good, you better do something with it! I've learned to refocus.”

Those tough moments inspired her to create “Do it, Delegate it, Drop it” – a simple method that helps you to identify what is filling up your time, “minimize” what is weighing you down, and “maximize” what brings you joy.

However, applying this method is only the first step.  If we truly want to “Minimize to Maximize” we must develop a certain elusive skill - saying “no.”

Practice saying “no”.

If you’re anything like me, you may have a tendency to take on more than you should, and all by yourself! However, part of trusting yourself is learning to say no to things that do not fit your priorities.

Taylor believes saying ‘no’ is a practice akin to meditation, and like any practice, it requires not just self-confidence, but discipline. 

“It doesn't mean that you don't care,” she stated. “It just means that you are giving an opportunity to someone else that might do it better, and it frees you up to do something else that perhaps gives you more energy or that you're better at.”

Still, mastering this skill takes time. Change does not happen overnight!

Trust the process.

Recognize and accept that it takes time to change and to learn to show up as your full, authentic self. You have to be intentional and believe that each little step gets you closer!

“It's a combination of knowing that you have unique strengths and weaknesses, and leaning into your strengths and weaknesses,” Taylor said about the process of cultivating authenticity and reaching a big goal. “Even if you just make one tiny bit of progress every day…you're allowing yourself to grow slowly.”

Don’t look down on small beginnings. Trust the process!

“What You Think, You Become”

The full quote by Buddha says: “The mind is everything. What you think, you become. What you feel you attract, what you imagine you create.” I take this to mean that even if life takes a detour, we have the power to refocus and define our own success. 

Easier said than done? I agree. In any case, whether change is happening now or on the horizon, it's always a good idea to pause, review how you spend your time, and then make adjustments to create the life you want.

Discover more about how to confidently prioritize the things that bring you joy by subscribing to my bi-weekly “Trust Your Voice” podcast. In each episode I interview top motivators, leaders, and industry experts, inspiring listeners to trust their voice and lead an authentic life! 

How do you find balance when life throws you a curve ball? Please share to encourage others!