A few months ago, I made what I thought was a genius decision: I cut my work schedule down to three days a week.

In theory, it sounds amazing, right?

More balance, more time for life, and less stress. I pictured myself sipping coffee on my porch, reading books, and finally getting around to all those home projects I keep putting off. 

But true confession time: the reality has been slightly less magical than I thought it would be.

Cutting my schedule didn't instantly give me more time—it just compressed all the work I still had to do into three jam-packed, stress-filled days.

Instead of feeling more balanced, every week I have felt a little like I’m running a marathon with no finish line, sprinting from task to task.

No matter how early I woke up, or how many hours I tried to pack into those 3 very long work days, I just couldn’t seem to get it all done.

For the past few months, instead of feeling more relaxed by having more days off, I’ve felt like I’m falling further and further behind.

Ugh.

Then, a few weeks ago, my team and I met with a business consultant to help us analyze our business. The goal was to get an outside perspective on what we could be doing better since sometimes it’s hard to see the problems with clarity when you’re in the middle of the mess.

Although our main purpose in hiring her was to help us improve our sales funnels,  she casually pointed out something directly to me that stopped me in my tracks.

"You're still doing way more than you probably should be. You’re the bottleneck in this business"

Oof.

The truth hit me hard.

My real problem wasn't actually time—it was systems. It wasn't about squeezing everything into fewer hours but about figuring out what actually needed my attention in the first place.

And if I'm being honest? Some of it didn't.

It's funny how we convince ourselves that we have to do everything, that no one else can possibly handle things as well as we can. I know I sometimes feel like if I don't keep my hand in absolutely everything, it might all fall apart.

But the reality is, that holding on too tightly doesn't just make life harder—it holds us back.

So this past week, I spent my week doing something totally different.

Instead of trying to hustle my way through another overwhelming to-do list, I took a step back to look at the bigger picture.

I stopped focusing on trying to get everything done and instead spent my three workdays creating new systems that could take work off my plate and help me get things done a whole lot faster and more efficiently so that I could free up more time for the truly important things that I never seem to get to because they don’t ever feel as urgent.

It was invigorating.

Because the reality is that freedom doesn't ever come from trying to cram more into less time. It comes from learning how to step back, prioritize, systematize, and stop being the bottleneck in your own life.

Tim Ferriss once said, "Being busy is a form of laziness—lazy thinking and indiscriminate action." Along those same lines, Bill Gates once noted, "I choose a lazy person to do a hard job because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it."

In other words? The secret to getting more done is never just working harder. It's finding a way to work smarter.

And this week? I feel like I can breathe again, because now I actually have a plan, and systems to make it happen.

And so, my challenge for you this week, if you too feel like you’re barely keeping up with all the tasks on your plate, is to consider taking a step back to look at the bigger picture. Then, identify one thing you can systemize, delegate, or let go of—just one. It might feel small, but every little step toward working smarter instead of harder is a step toward real freedom.

Because the truth is, time is the most precious resource we have. And if we don't take control of it, it will control us.

Live with purpose, friend, and have an amazing week!

xoxo, Ruth

P.S. I'd love to hear what you're planning to delegate or systematize this week! Just hit reply to this email and let me know!

This week’s podcast episode…

What’s cooking in my kitchen…

Here’s the recipes I shared last week:

The latest from my Instagram…

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