Running a business should give you the freedom to live life on your own terms, not leave you feeling chained to your desk. But between client commitments, family responsibilities, and the never-ending to-do list, finding that balance can be challenging. The secret isn't necessarily working harder, but learning how to structure your time, manage your energy, and create systems that work for you.
In this episode, we sit down with Marie Fox, Canva coach and creative operations partner at Craft Fox by Design. Marie shares how she turned her existing skills into a business that fits around her family life, why time blocking is essential for staying organised, and the simple productivity strategies that help her stay focused without sacrificing her wellbeing.
Creating a Business That Works for Your Life
Starting a business isn't always about chasing big ambitions. Sometimes, it's about creating opportunities that fit your personal circumstances and give you greater control over your time.
- Turning Skills into Opportunity: After a change in family circumstances, Marie pursued further study and discovered she could turn her existing skills into a business helping other small business owners.
- Flexibility as a Priority: Living in a small country area, Marie wanted work that could adapt to her household responsibilities rather than the other way around.
- Working Around Family Life: By structuring her business around school hours and school holidays, Marie can adjust her availability depending on her family's needs.
Time Blocking and Planning for Better Balance
A well-organised calendar isn't just about fitting more work into your day. It's about protecting your time and making room for the things that matter outside your business.
- Plan Around Your Priorities: Marie blocks out school holidays, pupil-free days, and public holidays in her online calendar well in advance to avoid double-booking herself.
- Make Self-Care an Appointment: Exercise and personal time go into her calendar just like client meetings, creating visual reminders to prioritise her wellbeing.
- Create Space to Work on Your Business: Marie generally schedules client calls and coaching sessions from Tuesday to Thursday, leaving Mondays and Fridays more flexible for bookkeeping, administration, and content planning.
Managing Energy and Staying Productive
Productivity isn't about sitting at your desk for eight hours straight. Understanding when you work best and recognising when you need a break can make a big difference.
- Work With Your Natural Rhythm: Marie schedules different types of tasks on particular days and at times when she knows she's more productive.
- Recognise When You Need a Break: Sometimes stepping outside for 10 minutes of fresh air is more beneficial than forcing yourself to push through a task.
- Protect Your Freedom: One of Marie's reasons for becoming a business owner was to avoid being tied to a desk all day, so she makes conscious choices to maintain that flexibility.
Overcoming Procrastination and Getting Things Done
Getting started is often the hardest part of any task. Marie shares practical ways to overcome that initial resistance and build momentum.
- The Five-Minute Rule: Set a timer for five or ten minutes and commit to working on a task. Once the timer finishes, you can decide whether to continue or take a break.
- Use Co-Working for Accountability: Online co-working sessions with other business owners provide focused 30–40-minute work sprints, followed by short breaks, to help tackle tasks you've been putting off.
- Break Big Tasks into Smaller Steps: Instead of focusing on an overwhelming task like sending a newsletter, Marie breaks it down into manageable actions, from brainstorming content to creating Canva graphics.
Keeping Your Branding Consistent with Canva
As a Canva coach, Marie knows how important it is for businesses to maintain a consistent visual identity, especially when creating content regularly or delegating design work.
- Set Up a Brand Kit: Keep your brand fonts, colours, hex codes, and logos together so your designs maintain a consistent look and feel.
- You Don't Need a Paid Account: Even Canva's free version allows you to create a simple one-page brand reference using available templates.
- Make Delegation Easier: Documenting your visual preferences, whether minimalist, bright and colourful, or earthy and subtle, helps anyone creating content for your business stay on brand.
My Challenge to You
This week, take a look at your calendar and ask yourself: Is my business working around my life, or am I working my life around my business?
Choose one small change to make your week more manageable. It could be blocking out 20 minutes for exercise, setting aside a dedicated day for business administration, or trying a five-minute timer to finally start that task you've been avoiding.
Connect with Marie Fox
- Website: craftfoxbydesign.com
Enjoyed this episode? If this conversation inspired you to rethink how you manage your time, stay productive, and build a business that supports your lifestyle, share it with another young entrepreneur who's ready to work smarter and create more freedom in their day.
Highlights
- 00:00 Meet Marie Fox
- 00:35 Turning Skills into a Business
- 01:20 Finding Flexibility Through Entrepreneurship
- 02:00 Planning Around School and Family Life
- 03:00 Time Blocking for Self-Care
- 03:45 Structuring Client Days and Business Admin
- 05:00 Managing Energy and Taking Breaks
- 05:40 Overcoming Procrastination with Timers
- 06:10 Co-Working and Accountability
- 07:00 Breaking Down Overwhelming Tasks
- 07:45 Creating a Consistent Canva Brand Kit
- 09:00 Final Thoughts and Where to Find Marie
