When I say the word “schedule” what comes to mind…

… shackles on.

… yawn city.

… stodgy, boring, and bland.

If you’ve ever felt like needing to follow a daily schedule, for say, school or a 9-to-5, was super restrictive, I’m here to remind you that you are the boss of YOU.

In the past, your routine was likely dictated by a corporate mandate, manager or school bell.

Today though, you’re able to tell yourself where you want to be and when and what you want to be working towards. Sounds exhilarating and empowering, right?

But I see so many entrepreneurs skip this step, thinking it’s the opposite of the freedom that comes with owning your own business.

No more! You can have freedom and a routine, fun and a schedule, because routines…

1. Provide Structure and Direction

Otherwise, our entrepreneurial brains can go rouge and get Shiny Object Syndrome, wanting you to update our website for the hundredth time, buy another business building course, or worse yet, go down the social media rabbit hole. Structure and direction when it’s leading you down a path you’ve raised your hand for is a good thing!

2. Lift Up Your Confidence

Ever have too much free time on your hands, then get to the end of the day and wonder what you did? And worse too, you feel like a slacker? Avoid that feeling and set yourself up for success by tackling your day with a clear plan for what to get done that day and when you’ll do it.

3. Break Down BIG Business Goals in Doable, Bite-Size Pieces

Meeting new subscriber targets and tackling your revenue goal can freeze you into inaction. You know you can’t launch a program in a day, but you can move towards your launch goal bit by bit each day.

4. Set Clear Boundaries

If you know when you’re available each day to be working on and in your business, you allow yourself to have clear Start and End Times to your day, which means you’ll start to train your brain when to turn ‘on’ and ‘off’ each day. Remember,  you can’t be go-go-go all the time and intentional time away from your business will boost your motivation and energy.

5. Keep You Honest

Are you really working 60 hours a week when you want to be working 20 hours and telling yourself that this isn’t what you signed up for? Having a routine in place will tell you if you truly are spending those daytime hours 100% focused on business activities to meet your goals. Or if you’re hiding behind busywork that only feels productive.

Keeping a routine for my day-to-day has been one of the most challenging and valuable pieces to building a streamlined, successful business that I love.

Do you currently have a routine for when you work in your business and how? Tell me about it in the Comments below.