Conversation with Pia Burman
Feeling tired? It’s probably because you’re doing too much or attempting to do it all as an entrepreneur, a partner, a parent, a friend and the other countless hats you’re wearing.
It’s exhausting and incredibly hard to find balance with it all. That’s why I’m glad to bring you my guest, Pia Burman, who talks about the 8+8+8 framework that she uses to find balance in her life.
*Note: This is Part 2 of a 4-part Mindset series. Over the course of these 4 weeks I’m bringing you episodes related to your mindset as an entrepreneur, running your amazing yoga business.
Check out the previous episode here:
Pia is a yoga teacher, dance teacher and overall advocate for wellness. She found that she struggles with finding balance and it has led to stress and anxiety in her life. This was kicked up a notch when she became an entrepreneur.
I know you’re probably wondering what finding balance that has to do with mindset, but we are often overwhelmed with messages of “do, do, do”, “take action” and “hustle” and that’s not the mindset we need as an entrepreneur.
What we need is a better time management mindset!
I’m thrilled to share my conversation with Pia today because learning more about this helped me in real time, and I know it’s going to be a game-changer for you too.
Let’s jump in!
**This was also a podcast episode (episode #150). Use the player below if you'd prefer to listen to this message.
Finding balance with 8+8+8 Framework
"It's a real struggle to balance how much you work, how much you have time off, how much you sleep, and all of those things." - Pia Burman
"When I first started out, I worked all the time. Then I would teach yoga and dance in the evenings and weekends, and all of a sudden there wasn't any room left to do anything else but work." - Pia Burman
Pia's 8-8-8 framework is a simple formula: Split your 24 hours in a day into 8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of work, and 8 hours of free time to do whatever you want.
Pia started out by scheduling out the sections of 8 hours in her calendar so she could intentionally plan ahead.
"As an entrepreneur, you can work all day every day, so you need to set some boundaries for yourself and to see that there is time left to do other things." - Pia Burman
Tip: When blocking out your calendar, start with sleep and what’s already scheduled (such as your yoga classes or meetings), then self-care and the rest of your free time. After that, then you can work in the admin tasks, content creation, bookkeeping, marketing tasks, etc.
Permission to break up the 8 hours
You don’t have to work 8 hours straight or for rest 8 hours straight. You can split it up in whatever way works best for you. Find ways to break up your rest time so you can fill your own cup.
If you don’t find ways to take care of yourself, you will burn out and not be able to enjoy the benefits of being an entrepreneur!
"You are worthy of taking breaks." - Pia Burman
Often the first thing to go when things are more stressful is self-care, but that’s the thing that helps you when things are stressful.
"If I don't schedule in my free time, I get anxiety, I don't want to talk to people, I don't want to meet people, going to teach a class is something I dread to do rather than something I long to do. And I love teaching!" - Pia Burman
This is a process. You will "mess up" from time to time. The changes will happen slowly and always have to watch yourself when you start slipping. Be compassionate with yourself, give yourself grace, and keep trying.
"It's really hard, but I can tell when I start slipping because I don't feel good about what I do." - Pia Burman
Tip: As a yoga teacher, remember that you often work different hours than the typical 8am - 5pm hours, so you have to adjust and take breaks when you can.
Find ways to edit, pause, or clear out
You don’t have to do all the things, all the time! You need to take care of yourself. Be okay with slowing down or even taking a break from you're currently working on in your business.
Think about a time when you had to drop everything and your business still carried on. This is a big indication that you don’t have to do it all, all the time!
Recognize signs when things are out of balance. When you notice you're feeling tired or irritable, this might be a sign that you're doing too much and not following the 8-8-8 rule.
Don't be afraid to drop what's not critical to your business. Find inspiration from Marie Kondo and The Home Edit! Clear out the space.
Here's an exercise to try: Write down everything you do in your business (like posting on instagram, write emails, schedule social media, etc). Then go down the list and ask yourself “How does this impact my business?” This will help you find what actually builds your business and what's actually critical.
How to be your own boss in your yoga business
As an entrepreneur, you are your own boss, so no one else will tell you when to stop working. You have to set those boundaries yourself and have your own back!
"Fight for your time to take care of yourself." - Pia Burman
Ideally you’ll have two days off of work per week, plus vacation. It can be challenging to give yourself that structure. No one will notice if you’re working too much; you have to do this yourself as the boss.
"It's hard work, but it's worth it. For me, it's worth it to get to decide for myself." - Pia Burman
Tip: Intentionally set your own rules and standards - and stick to them! You're the boss now. If you value the freedom and the flexibility of being your own boss, then you actually have to utilize that or all your hard work isn't worth it!
What does "success" mean to you?
Remember that you get to determine what success looks like for you. This is a hugely important topic, so much so that I have another podcast solely dedicated to it: Episode 120 - How to Define Success in Your Yoga Business
A lot of people equate success with revenue. There's so much pressure to keep making more money. But when I sit down to think about what is life success for me, I don't need endless amounts of money to feel successful. I really value more free time, more rest, and more relaxation.
"I don't think we go into teaching yoga with the idea that we're going to make a lot of money from it. It's something else that makes us choose this profession. It's more about sharing, helping others, and when we get to do that we're happy. As long as we can pay our bills, we're doing quite good in my book." - Pia Burman
Knowing what success means to you can guide your 8+8+8 framework to help you find balance.
"If you can pay your bills, work and do what you love to do, take time off, and enjoy your life...that's success to me." - Pia Burman
Your next step
I just love this 8+8+8 framework and ever since my conversation with Pia, I’ve been doing my best to work towards this. Like Pia mentioned many times, it’s challenging, and we have to give ourselves lots of compassion as we work towards this.
Your next step is to take an inventory of your week - but remember to not beat yourself up for what you find.
If you’re like me, you’ll find that you are not close to the 8+8+8 framework at all but that’s okay. The first step in making progress is understanding where you are today, so you’re already doing great when you do this inventory.
Then it’s time to channel your inner Marie Kondo or Home Edit persona and do an audit.
Ask yourself what you can pause for a bit or what you can cut out completely. And slowly, one step at a time, you can get closer to the 8+8+8 framework. As you go along this journey you’ll find more and more balance in your life overall.
Until next time, give yourself permission to prioritize your self care and grace along the way.
"If you can pay your bills, work and do what you love to do, take time off, and enjoy your life...that's success to me."
- Pia Burman
About Pia
Pia Burman helps people find more balance in their lives and in their bodies. She’s a yoga teacher, dance teacher and advocate for overall health and wellbeing. She combines her dance background, love of yoga and passion for helping people find balance in all aspects of her business. She does this through an online membership where members have access to a wealth of information on how to find balance in their lives as well as practical tools to make that dream a reality.
Pia's Links
Website: https://zoloz.se
Instagram: @zoloz_yogastudio
Facebook: Zolozyoga
YouTube: Pia Burman - Zoloz Yoga
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