Time Well Spent

11/10/2026

11/10/2026

What happens when women in business come together, support one another and start thinking outside the box? Amazing things can happen!

Our October Her Time to Shine Walk & Talk was all about Connection & Collaboration — and our mini mastermind certainly got the creative juices flowing!

It was definitely colder, and the weather couldn't quite make up its mind (although we did have some sunshine!), but we had another lovely morning together.

We caught up on what we'd been up to over the past month, shared how things were going in our businesses, celebrated our wins — big and small — and offered each other advice and encouragement.

It's so lovely to have a group of women who understand what it's like running your own business and are always ready to support and cheer each other on!

Our mini mastermind took us in a slightly different direction this month. We explored the difference between networking and collaboration.

Networking isn't just about finding customers or swapping business cards. It's about building genuine relationships, supporting others, sharing knowledge, offering encouragement and celebrating each other's successes.

And sometimes, those connections can lead to something even more exciting… collaboration!

We challenged ourselves to think beyond our own businesses and explore what could happen when we combine our different skills and strengths to create something new that benefits everyone involved — including the customer. We paired up with the person sitting next to us, and the ideas were brilliant!

✨ A PR consultant + an Interior Designer
They came up with a package to refresh offices, tea rooms, coffee shops and restaurants, with the designer transforming the space and the PR consultant promoting the results.

✨ Two Virtual Assistants
They explored creating a complete support package for tradespeople, combining customer service with invoicing and accounts.

Two fantastic examples of what can happen when we look beyond our own businesses and start connecting the dots!

💡 But what if we went a step further?

What if we looked for collaborations that are a little unexpected — pairings we wouldn't normally think of, bringing together businesses that seem completely unrelated at first glance?

Sometimes, those are the combinations with the most exciting potential!
Imagine creating a service or package that feels completely fresh, solves a problem in a new way and gives customers something they can't easily find elsewhere.
You could stand out from the crowd, reach new audiences and offer something genuinely different — all by combining skills and ideas with another business owner.

Don't just ask, "Who could send me referrals?" Ask, "What could we create together that neither of us could offer on our own?" 🩷

Just imagine the possibilities when we take the time to get to know other business owners, understand what they do and explore how we might work together.
Sometimes, your next big idea begins with a simple conversation. You might discover that the person who can help you create something wonderful is someone you've never considered working with before!

💭 So, here's a little challenge for you…
Who could you collaborate with, particularly someone outside your usual circle, and what could you create together that neither of you would have thought of alone?
Don't be afraid to look beyond the obvious. Your skills, experience and ideas could be even more powerful when combined with someone else's!

🤎 A big thank you to the team at Browns Exeter!

Thank you for hosting our Walk & Talk and providing such lovely refreshments. We really appreciate your warm welcome and hospitality, and it's wonderful to have a welcoming place for our group to come together after our walk!

🌸 Come and join us for our next Walk & Talk!
📅 Saturday 14th November
💷 Our theme will be Money & Financial Wellbeing.

Come along for a walk, a chat, fresh ideas and the support of a welcoming community of women who understand the ups and downs of being in business.

You don't need to have all the answers or arrive with a plan. Just bring yourself, an open mind and a willingness to connect.

Because at Her Time to Shine, we believe in helping women build businesses that fit their lives — not lives that fit their businesses.

And when we support one another, share our ideas and dare to think differently, who knows what we can achieve?

Let's build something wonderful, together. 🩷

Thank you so much for all your support

"When I drove home I felt tired but like I’d had a mini break!!!!! Worth getting up early on a Saturday for.
As ever thanks for continuing to organise this Chris"

18/09/2026

When did you last do something simply because you enjoy it?

Not because it's productive.
Not because it benefits your business.
Not because someone else needs you to.

Just because it makes you smile.

Make a little room for joy today.

17/09/2026

Focus, Productivity & Digital Distraction
How to Enhance Focus and Improve Productivity | Dr. Cal Newport

This is a longer conversation, but there are some really useful ideas in it, particularly around digital distractions, task-switching, scheduling and creating an environment where you can concentrate.

One part I think is particularly relevant to our Focus & Productivity theme is the idea that constantly switching between tasks comes with a productivity cost.

It made me think about how often we:

📧 check an email while working on something else
📱 glance at a notification
💻 jump between browser tabs
🔄 start one job, get interrupted, then try to remember where we were

We're technically busy, but our attention is being pulled in lots of different directions.

💭 Try this today:

Choose one task that deserves your full attention and give it 30 minutes without switching.

No email tab.
No social media.
No checking notifications.

Just one thing.

Then notice how it feels — and whether you actually got further than you normally would.

🎥 Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4ZfkezDTXQ&utm_source=chatgpt.com

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Cal Newport, Ph.D., a professor of...

16/09/2026

💜 It’s not just about getting the admin done. It’s about adding value.

One of the things I love most about supporting businesses is being able to look beyond the immediate task and find ways to make a real difference.

This lovely testimonial from Charlie at Lanthorn Consulting Ltd sums that up beautifully:

"Chris has not only saved me a great deal of time by taking on the administrative burden that befits all micro businesses but also added real value in a number of areas of Lanthorn / development. Her tenacity is borne not only on strong organisational skills but a desire to see effect."

Charlie also highlighted my initiative, internet and communications skills, and the contribution I made to raising Lanthorn's profile and developing new business.

And perhaps the words that mean the most are:

"She continues to be a pleasure to work with - determined but not intrusive, open yet confidential."

For me, that's what Time Well Spent is all about — being a trusted pair of hands who doesn't just complete the task, but genuinely cares about helping your business move forward. 💜

15/09/2026

**Does this really need to be done by you?**

It’s a question I think every business owner should ask themselves regularly.

Because when you’re running your own business, it’s very easy to fall into the trap of thinking:

“I’ll just do it myself.”

But look at your week.

What tasks:

➡️ Take you a long time?
➡️ Do you not particularly enjoy?
➡️ Don’t require your specialist knowledge?
➡️ Could someone else do more efficiently?
➡️ Stop you concentrating on the work that really matters?

Those are the tasks worth looking at.

Delegation isn’t about giving up control.

It’s about making sure **your time is being used where you create the most value.**

And sometimes getting a little support can give you back far more than just the time spent on that one task.

It can give you back headspace too.

So, what’s one thing on your to-do list that **doesn’t actually need to be done by you?**

I explore this, along with automation, systems and simplifying your workload, in my latest blog.

🔗 https://time-well-spent.co.uk/what-would-you-do-with-five-extra-hours-a-week/

Discover practical ways to save time in your business, improve focus and productivity, and create more space for the work and life that matter.

14/09/2026

“Everyone is not your customer.” — Seth Godin

One of the biggest mistakes we can make in business is trying to appeal to everyone.

When you try to speak to everyone, your message can become unclear.

But when you know exactly who you want to work with, everything becomes easier.

Your messaging becomes clearer.
Your marketing becomes more focused.
Your offers become more relevant.

Not everyone will need what you offer — and that's okay.

You don't need to convince everyone.

You need to connect with the right people.

The people who value what you do.
The people you can genuinely help.
The people who are looking for exactly what you have to offer.

Knowing who **isn't** your ideal client can be just as valuable as knowing who is.

You don't need everyone to choose you.

You just need the right people to find you. 💜

13/09/2026

September Walk & Talk – Planning

What a lovely morning for our September Her Time to Shine Walk & Talk.

The morning started with an overcast, very autumnal feel, but thankfully the sun eventually came out — and so did the conversations! ☀️

We were delighted to welcome a new member to the group, and after our usual introductions and business catch-ups, we settled into our mini mastermind all about Planning.

We started by talking about what everyone wanted to achieve in their businesses — from creating communication email models and finding more clients, to developing a membership, creating new packages and introducing retainers.

But the conversation wasn't just about what we wanted to achieve.

We explored how to make those goals happen in a way that fits around real life.

Some of us could block out dedicated time. Others talked about using those little 10-minute pockets when they appeared. Having a clear list of small steps meant that even a short amount of time could be used productively.

We also talked about:

✨ Breaking big goals into smaller, less daunting steps
✨ Working out what might get in the way — and finding ways around it
✨ The tools, people and learning that could help
✨ Knowing when a goal has actually been achieved
✨ Giving ourselves permission to change or abandon a goal if it is no longer relevant
✨ And, importantly, how a Stop Doing List can help create space without simply working more hours

Everyone went home with our Goal Planning Template and Planning Prompt Reference Sheet to continue the thinking and turn those conversations into action.

And perhaps the best part?

The ideas bounced around the group, everyone had something to contribute, and we left feeling supported, energised and ready for the month ahead.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us — and to Browns for providing such a lovely new space for us to meet along the river.

It's amazing what can happen when you bring a group of women together, give them some space to think, and let the conversation flow.

What could you achieve if you stopped trying to do everything and simply focused on what matters most?

11/09/2026

Your body is giving you information.

Tired?
Tense?
Restless?
Finding it difficult to concentrate?

Instead of pushing through, pause and listen.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is respond to what your body is telling you.

10/09/2026

Procrastination & Getting Things Done
Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED

Ever find yourself putting something off even though you know it needs doing?

This entertaining TED talk by Tim Urban takes a fascinating look at why we procrastinate — and what happens when we leave things until the last minute.

It got me thinking about how procrastination can quietly eat into the time we think we don't have.

Sometimes the problem isn't that we don't have enough time.

It's that we're avoiding the thing that needs our attention.

💭 A little question for you:

What's one task you've been putting off that would feel good to finally get started on?

Don't necessarily aim to finish it today. Just make a start.

That connects nicely with our One Small Experiment in this month's Compass: Make starting easier.

🎥 Watch it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU&utm_source=chatgpt.com

Tim Urban knows that procrastination doesn't make sense, but he's n...