How do I know I’m spending my time on the right things in business?
Many purpose-driven folks wonder if they’re wasting time, especially when it feels like you’re working hard but nothing’s really moving.
If you’ve been caught in that spiral of questioning it all, you’re not alone.
This post explores why that feeling shows up so often, what it might really be pointing to, and how to reframe “wasting time” into something much more compassionate, embodied, and aligned with how your business actually works.
You’re not wasting time. You’re encountering a tender edge.
I’ve been there. That place where you’re doing all the “right” things—posting, planning, emailing—but nothing is really moving. It feels heavy. Off. Misaligned.
There was a time I’d spend hours tweaking my website and clearing out my inbox just to feel productive, even though what I really needed was to pitch my offers or reach out to collaborators.
That wasn’t about not enough time or laziness—it was fear. A fear of being seen, misunderstood, or not ready.
Once I named it and started tending to those deeper edges, those scary tasks actually became easier. My work felt truer. The energy came back.
What “right” actually looks like
The binary question of what’s “right/wrong” isn’t useful, at all. There is no perfect solution to business because it’s all an experiment anyway.
Please try and remember: You don’t need someone else’s formula—you just need your own clarity!
Here’s how I define the “right” things now:
Move you closer to what you actually want—financially, emotionally, energetically
Feel exciting, alive, or at the very least… not draining
Are rooted in desire, not fear or “should”
Honor your nervous system, your values, your capacity
Often support your long-term vision and ripple out to your community
If a task feels like a constant uphill battle, there’s probably a deeper reason—and that’s not a failure. It’s an invitation to listen and tend.
How to know when you’re not spending your time ‘well’
There are some common yellow flags that tell me it’s time to pause and check in:
Doing the same thing repeatedly without new results
Feeling tired before the workday even starts
Being busy, but nothing feels joyful or meaningful
Constantly second-guessing your offers, content, or pricing
Resenting parts of your business that used to light you up
Again, these aren’t signs that you’re failing. They’re signs that something needs tending.
Sometimes you’re avoiding a deeper fear. Sometimes you're operating from someone else’s strategy. Sometimes you're just in a transition and things are taking time.
None of that is wasted.
But here’s some tough love: If you’re feeling stuck, spiraling, doing the same thing over and over but not helping you move closer to what you want…don’t keep doing these things!
Reflection Questions
When those things show up, I no longer push harder or force myself to keep doing the same things. I ask:
Where am I performing productivity instead of following purpose?
What’s one thing I keep doing that no longer feels alive or aligned?
What am I avoiding—and what fear might be underneath it?
What would it feel like to trust myself here?
Let things take the time it needs
We don’t always talk about this part, but even after you realign, there’s usually a transition period. You’ve changed something, and now your brain, your body, your business need time to catch up. That’s not a problem. It’s part of the process.
Some things grow slowly. Some take off fast. I’ve seen both in my business. But either way, when it’s aligned, it moves. It nourishes. It works.
Next steps
Want help sorting through all this so you can feel super confident in how you’re spending your time and healing the patterns that keep you stuck...the 2025 Holistic Time Practitioner Certification is for you.
We’ll get to the bottom of questions like these:
How do I structure my time around my actual life, energy, and needs?
What if I’m stuck thinking instead of doing?
Is it okay to move on from old offers that didn’t “work”?
How much admin or content is *enough*?
What does rest look like when I still need to earn?
You can bring your own real, messy questions—and get support every step of the way.
