Guest post by Cass Mullane, The Artist with an MBA, Right-Brain Business Plan® Licensed Facilitator, Prosper Creatively, LLC

Here’s a stat you need to be aware of: People who have multiple windows open on their laptops, switch between their windows an average of 37 times per hour. That’s an interruption just about every minute and a half!

Add in the constant notifications from your various devices and it’s no wonder you cannot keep focused on your tasks at hand. I say it’s high time to make a mindset change and take back ownership of your time.

Day to Day Ops

I’d really like you to lift your head up from your screens and push back from your desk. Take a long, deep breath, slowly blink and refocus your eyes. Then, look around your world. If you’re spending your day working on the minutia of running your business, you’re not the boss. You’re letting the business run you.

If you’re the boss, you should be focusing on the big picture, not the day to day operations. Are you the only one who can type? Are you the only one who can post on social media? Are you the only one who can enter a transaction? Are you the only one who can make an appointment? No.

If you’re the boss, are you the one who shapes the vision for your business? Are you the one who establishes your core values as they apply to your business? Are you the final decision maker? Yes.

Then why you would simply give away so much of your unique talent and valuable time on tasks that others can do?

To further refine your time ownership, there is a fundamental mindset shift that you need to make. You need to know what it is that only you can do. This means that you need to look closely at all the tasks that you encounter in a day, a week, a month, a quarter and truly discern what it is that only you can do.

For example, I am the only person who can make my art. I am the only person who can do my podcast. I am the only person who can deliver my keynotes. I am the only one responsible for leadership of my tribe. I am the only one in charge of designing content in my workshops and webinars. I am the only one who can coach my clients directly. I am the only one in charge of my own thoughts and actions. I am the only one who sets the bar for expectations and standards. I am the only one who can set priorities and the direction for my company.

This means that I should spend the majority of my time doing only these things.

What is it that only you can do in your business? Go ahead and make a list.

Look at that list carefully. Have you included items like bookkeeping or managing your own website? If you have, and you’re not in the bookkeeping or site management business, then look inside. Is there a fear or trust issue that you may need to deal with? Do you really believe that no one could do it better than you… not even a professional? Please rethink that assumption and take those things you can hire contractors to do off your list and put them on a list of things to outsource.

If you’re hung up on not having the money to pay someone, you might need to revise your mindset. Henry Ford said “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” If you think you can’t pay someone, you’re right. If you tell yourself that you can’t do it, then it’s pretty certain that you won’t do it. Feels defeating.

Instead, try shifting what you tell yourself to, “I’m going to figure out how to do this.” Feels energizing, doesn’t it? That simple reframe can set you on a path of growth. All you have to do is feed it to your brain and act on it.

Now, go back to that list of things and refine it some more. When you’re satisfied that you’ve reduced it to things only you can do, make a list of the things that you actually spend time doing on your business. Are they the same or is there room for improvement?

Own your time.

Cass Mullane’s calm, comfortable approach consistently yields positive results for clients. Her business and personal coaching practice, www.ProsperCreatively.com, specializes in delivering solid left brain business skills to right brainers and creatives in a fun, visual way. She’s a best selling author, a contemporary abstract artist and creator of the Cool Stuff Jar™ Retreats.You can also visit Cass on Facebook!