The Time Management Puzzle: Balancing Clients, Focus, and My Inner Crit

The Time Management Puzzle: Balancing Clients, Focus, and My Inner Critic

(With JUST a Dash of Anxiety)

As a newly (self-)appointed consultant, I pictured myself confidently managing my (modest) client base, brimming with purpose and poise. Reality check? Even with just a few clients, I’m mentally exhausted—juggling their needs feels like managing my kids’ extracurricular schedules.

It turns out the challenge isn’t just managing the workload. No, no. That would be way too straightforward. Instead, it’s the mental gymnastics of leaping from one client’s strategy to the next, each with completely different expectations, timelines, and requests. One moment, I’m immersed in Client A’s long-term vision for 2030, and the next, I’m buried under Client B’s HR policies. It’s like trying to change gears in my 2012 Jeep—my brain’s gearbox might actually need oiling.

And then there’s the whole time allocation dilemma. Can—or rather, should—I charge for all those back-and-forth emails? What about the “buffer time” it takes to mentally pivot from Client A’s big-picture goals to Client B’s legal jargon? Or is that “buffer” just my personal time now? Do consultants even get personal time? I tried the solution of blocking off entire days for each client: dive in, get it done, then move on. But even that has its own set of challenges—by the time I circle back to another client, it feels like trying to reassemble a 1000-piece puzzle, in a different language. Big gaps between updates make progress feel real slow.

Oh, and then there’s the classic (yes, I’ve heard it a few times): “Cands, why don't you just hire someone!” solution. Ah, yes. Except hiring someone means I’d have to figure out what I actually do and then explain it to another human. I can picture it now:

• “So, what exactly do you need help with?”
• Me: “Uh, everything?”

Cue preparations for December Christmas holidays.

New client proposals! Because why not? Of course, they always appear right when I’m wondering if I should (or even could) actually take time off. Logic says, “Of course you should take a breather—regroup after the festive season.” But my inner FOMO says, “What if this client is the one? The one who magically quadruples my income and gets me a ticket to the UN?” (If you know, you know.) So naturally, I say yes. Because sleep? Overrated. Showers? Optional. Gym? Trying!

By this point, I’m navigating each day with a faint whiff of dry shampoo and a LOT of coffee, all while pretending my inner critic isn’t running the show. You know her—the one who insists that setting boundaries or saying “no” would somehow brand me as a failure. She’s relentless, I tell you. If anyone asks, I’m absolutely not drowning—I’m just… deeply focused. (Note to self: make sure this blog stays private.)

At the end of the day, I realize I might never find that elusive balance. Maybe one day I’ll learn to say no and actually mean it. Until then, here’s to late-night proposals, caffeine dependency, and the faint hope that, eventually, I might figure out how to feel “finished.” But even if I never do, I wouldn’t trade this rollercoaster journey for the world.

To wrap things up, I’ve got to say—I was blown away by the love and support my first blog received. I never imagined it would get that kind of traction! Huge thanks to everyone who read, shared, and encouraged me.

And to my fellow journeyers—those emotional, coffee-breathed conversations in the school car parks? You know who you are. Here’s to more chats, more laughs, and more caffeine-fueled solidarity.