How I create structure in my life so I can go enjoy life in Paris. 

Almost a year ago now I moved to Paris to change my life and live immersed in French culture. 

But I was able to do that move because of a profitable business I built early Jan 2020 that I was able to take with me, pay myself a salary and enjoy the life I dreamt of living.

Coffees in gardens, trips to Spain, glasses of wine on terraces, these things truly bring me joy…but, guess what..they all cost money as well as require you to have the abundance of time and energy to enjoy them. So how do you balance running a business with running a beautiful life?

Here are my tricks for structuring a business life to fuel my Paris one. 

1. Automating as much as possible

To enjoy the dreamy flowy life while having my business run successfully requires some extra help…the computer kind!

I look at my business and installed automations, templates and processes where possible. Clients can book into my calendar through a link. Emails with notes and recordings are templated so I can easily send after calls. My onboarding process is templated and automated so my new clients get everything they need right away!

My bills are automatically withdrawn from the accounts I need and my savings is also drawn automatically. 

I also plan my social media and posts as best as possible. 

Automation allows for small, but daily tasks to happen while I sip rosé on a terrace (well when they open again..)

2. Boundaries on time

I also set boundaries on when I work and what I work on. Client calls are open to be booked in 2 days a week and only two nights a week do I work evenings. Allowing me to have 5 of 7 evenings to go meet friends or enjoy a quiet evening at home with loved ones. 

I also try to set days of the week I will work on certain things as non-negotiable and treat them like client meetings. But leave a list of Weekly Tasks or projects that are open-ended for when my feminine self feels like tackling them. 

3. Paying myself first

When I started my business, one of the first things I did was have my accountant give me a payroll calculation for various levels I hoped to hit. I began paying myself a salary and paying income tax on that right away. Even if it was small. This ensured that I was an equal priority as my business and that my business was already contributing to my life and not running it. Even if it’s $200 a month. Paying yourself is your energy exchange and reminds you why you are doing what you do. YES, it’s for the impact/love of what you do, but also for the life you want to create yourself. Too many entrepreneurs think that all that is important is “loving what they do”. It is, but so is living a beautiful life. 

4. Having a list of what brings me joy and centers me

Running a business and paying yourself can be tough sometimes and we can easily get into the obsession around our business and working. So to keep my connection to the life I love, I keep a list of things that bring me joy. Baths, coffees in the gardens of Palais Royale, puppy walks, watching Friends for the millionth time, long walks discovering Paris, wine by the seine, burrata and roasted tomatoes. I keep this list so that when I feel overwhelmed, stressed or disconnected from life, I pick one and go do that. It can be hard to remember what brings you back to yourself when you are in those moments. So I find having that list allows me to quickly remember, choose and off I go. 

5. Finding your routine

As the fiery Aries I am, I don’t love routine or structure in my life. But I do find that without it, I can find myself out of alignment with myself along the way. So I have found that a strong routine for spirituality and fitness help allow the rest of the day to flow in and out of work and play. 

The key is to explore what this routine is for you. Many of you will have one from your childhood, or what society says is a good idea, but the key is to find one that works for you. Experiment for a week then change it up..see what works for you! What’s mine look like? Stay tuned for a future blog post on that. 

So there you have it, a small list of ways I build my business while living the life I always dreamt of here in Paris. I hope this helps you build your own FEMPIRE, but more importantly, build your own beautiful, dream life!