Tea with the Queen

Sometimes it can be difficult to separate your feelings from those of your clients. 

They’re going through something hard in their business, their energy is depleted and they are coming to you for guidance.

How do you ensure you can hold space for their feelings and work through their issues, without taking on their energy?

Today, I want to share with you a personal experience with a client that taught me valuable lessons in managing not just my energy, but also that of my clients.

I have three go-to strategies that I hope will help you to maintain your energy levels.

1. Preparing for Challenging Conversations

Anticipating the emotional intensity of client discussions and mentally preparing myself helps me approach each interaction with clarity and empathy. Setting boundaries and being in the right mindset before a session is crucial.

2. The Role of Physical Activity to Move Energy

Taking a solitary walk or engaging in a calming activity like journaling or meditation allows me to decompress and process the emotions that arise during intense client conversations. Physical movement and quiet reflection work wonders in restoring balance.

3. Listening to Your Gut

Recognising the signals your body sends in response to stress or discomfort is essential. Trusting your instincts and acting on them can prevent emotional overload and help you work through challenging situations. 

As you come across clients burdened with heavy emotions or challenging situations, remember to prioritise self-care, set clear boundaries, and trust your intuition. By managing your energy effectively, you not only safeguard your well-being but also enhance your capacity to support and empower those you work with.

LINKS:

Gallup Strengths Assessment

Marco Polo App

Website

For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://www.emmamcqueen.com.au/book/

There is no shortage of resources for time management optimisation in business. 

We have software tools up the wazoo to help us operate more efficiently, block out every hour with the help of AI robots, and schedule in our breaks to get ourselves all organised.

But even with all these productivity and optimisation tools, we still get to the end of the day ready to fall in a big heap and doom-scroll social media to zone out.

Maybe we just haven’t figured out the most effective time management tool for our needs yet. Surely there are others we can try.

Well, I think we may be focusing on the wrong thing. 

So often, we're told to focus on time management, but what if I told you that energy is where the real magic happens?

Prior to focusing on my energy levels, my family was probably receiving the “dregs” of my personality. I was always exhausted, had a lot of things on my mind and was never really as present as I should have been. 

So, if you’re feeling like you’ve got your time management down pat and you’re still a bit of a mess, prioritise your energy instead and see how you feel!

LINKS:

Website

For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://www.emmamcqueen.com.au/book/

Do you feel like you never have enough time in your workday to get everything done?

Even if you set yourself a task list for the day which looks like it should be achievable, you’re still struggling to get through it. 

At the end of the day you feel unproductive, overwhelmed and you’re struggling to see where the hours went.

It’s an extremely common feeling, and I have three tips to help you steal back your precious time that I know will help you achieve more.

1.Batching Your Tasks

Grouping similar tasks prevents time lost in task-switching and boosts efficiency. Did you know for example that every time you switch tasks, you lose 25 minutes! If you are batching your similar tasks, you lose less time overall.  

2.Focus on Three Tasks Per Day

I find it extremely important to focus on just three main tasks per day to keep the momentum going. If I have too many items on my to-do list for the day, I actually get way less done and I feel overwhelmed when I don’t cross them all off.

3.Stop Scrolling Socials and Checking Emails Constantly

Setting designated times to check social media and limiting email access to a few specific slots a day can prevent unnecessary time drainage. Outsourcing tasks you dislike and prioritising tasks you enjoy are also key practices in reclaiming your time.

Stealing back time in your workday requires a conscious effort to optimise how you use the hours available to you. By implementing strategies like task batching, time auditing, and prioritisation, you can take control of your time and increase your productivity. 

Remember, it's not about finding more time; it's about making the most of the time you have.

LINKS:

Toggl

Website

For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://www.emmamcqueen.com.au/book/

When was the last time you took a nap in the middle of the day on a weekday?

Most people might not be able to remember a time when they did,  or perhaps it was only because they were unwell. 

Well, you might be surprised to learn that I take a nap every single day. 

Between the hours of 12pm - 2pm, I have a dedicated rest period where I give my body and my mind a rest. 

Yes, just like a toddler. 

But I wasn’t always this way. 

Having three kids, a business to run and a household to keep together, I used to struggle with the idea of setting aside time to rest throughout the day. It felt like there were already too few hours in the day to get all the things done, how could I take more time out to nap?

I can almost bet that if I hadn’t been forced to stop, I probably would have never started taking my daily naps, but now that I’m here I can’t imagine ever going back. 

LINKS:

Rest by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang 

Website

For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://www.emmamcqueen.com.au/book/

How do you know if your community is getting you results?

I guess the first question to ask yourself would be, what does “results” actually mean to you.

Are you looking for more revenue, connections, advice, sales or maybe you’re just in the community to keep you stay accountable.

Results don’t have to be driven by money, but I bet if you sat down and thought about it, you could name what aspects of your community are working for you. 

And sometimes when we look deeper into the communities we’re in, we realise they’re not serving much of a purpose at all. If that’s you, it’s probably time for a change and you might need to think more deeply about what you need.

LINKS:

Website

For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://www.emmamcqueen.com.au/book/

I am a raging introvert. Yes, I love getting out running business events, meeting new people and being around other humans, but I also need a lot of downtime afterwards.

As an introvert, I need a lot of space on my own so that I can recharge.

When you run your own business, networking and building relationships is one of the key activities that you need to give attention to. But if you’re an introvert, that’s often not something you feel particularly enthusiastic about doing. 

So how do you reach out to other business people as an introvert?

I have a few key strategies that have helped me build valuable relationships as an introvert, and my hope is that they help you too.

LINKS:

Website

For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://www.emmamcqueen.com.au/book/

If you had to choose between an in-person or a virtual offering, what would be your preference?

You might be sitting there thinking, well hang on there are pros and cons to both of them. I want to show up in my pj bottoms and a top knot which is great for virtual, but in-person that may be frowned upon. In-person is a lot more effort.

But maybe in-person is better because we feel more connected to the other humans in the room, and we can achieve more results.

You’re probably now more confused and for that, I’m not apologising. It’s a long-standing debate and one I’m eager to tackle for you. Let’s dive into the pros and cons of each approach for your business, and see where it leads.

LINKS:

Website

For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://www.emmamcqueen.com.au/book/

Are you currently involved in a business community that you absolutely love being apart of? I’d invite you to reflect on this for a minute, and establish what it is about your community that you feel makes it so special.

To me, the ability for a group of like-minded individuals to come together, share experiences, offer support, and ignite inspiration is truly remarkable. The impact of community goes beyond mere proximity; it allows you to share struggles, benefit from collective wisdom and unwavering encouragement.

Recently, I had the privilege of hosting the first Thriving Women Retreat for 2024 and in the words of one of our attendees, it was "amazeballs." When I was reflecting on the experience after the retreat was over, it wasn't just the content or the location; it was the undeniable power of community that we were all surrounded by.

LINKS:

Website

For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://www.emmamcqueen.com.au/book/

It was October 2017, and my life was about to take a major turn. I was faced with the prospect of starting a new job that I didn't really want. As I approached my 40th birthday, I also had a child who was about to start school and I couldn't shake the sinking feeling in my stomach. 

My partner was a school teacher, and I knew that taking this job wouldn’t be entirely flexible. I was struggling to see how we were going to be able to ensure our child would have the stability that we wanted. How were we going to manage the inevitable sick child phone calls from the school, volunteering requests and all that other good stuff.

I desperately wanted to be available for the needs of the family, and it was hard to imagine how my new role would accommodate this. I also wanted to be able to wear whatever I wanted every day, like my favourite pair of jeans!

It was at that moment that I knew I had to make a change. I needed to create my own reality, one that would bring me joy and financial freedom.

LINKS:

Emma McQueen

For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://www.emmamcqueen.com.au/book/

There are many misconceptions about business coaches. What do they do exactly, what qualifications do they have, and how do you use one to get the best out of yourself and your business? Emma McQueen gets those questions all the time, and today she sets out to answer them. She emphasizes her results-oriented style and the importance of alignment between coach and client. A business coach can serve as a sounding board, cheerleader, and accountability partner, but ultimately the client is responsible for their own success through their willingness to implement strategies and take action.

Emma McQueen – https://emmamcqueen.com.au

For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://www.emmamcqueen.com.au/book/