“I don’t have the time.”

I’ve heard a few too many of my prospects and clients say this.

I’ve heard it more from family, friends and acquaintances.

No one seems to have enough time.

Most people don't get around to doing everything between work, health, leisure, relationships and whatever else you can fit in a day.

They are stuck doing their work for long hours and don’t have time for their health, friends, sleep and personal growth. And with one area of your life dominating so much, everything else suffers.

Most entrepreneurs and creators fall into the trap of overworking, burning the candle at both ends and sacrificing their well-being. But there’s a better way.

A way that lets you almost have it all.

The 8-8-8 method, originally conceptualised by industrialists over a century ago, is more relevant now than ever.

I’ve found it to be a simple but powerful framework to balance your day between work, health, and personal development.

This holistic approach to your day gives you more time and energy to build your business without burning out or sacrificing any area of your life for business growth.

Let’s break down how you can use the 8-8-8 method to reclaim your time and supercharge your growth.

The Hustle Culture Trap

Hustle culture has glorified hustling.

You’ve probably heard it before:

“We always grinding!”

“Stay busy. If you’re not working, you’re wasting time.”

“You’ll sleep when you’re dead. Sleep is for the weak!”

Though these are really catchy and often motivating, these phrases and the mindset that comes with them do more harm than good.

Working long hours and overworking yourself while neglecting your health, pushing against burnout and feeling like you aren’t doing enough, create a vicious cycle.

A vicious cycle where energy, creativity and motivation decline. You start making poor decisions and your work quality decreases, all compounding to lead to less progress and your business stagnating.

Instead of getting ahead, you’re stuck in a cycle of exhaustion, frustration and stagnation.

Work and achieving personal success are important to many of us, but the hustle mentality glorifies constant work while ignoring the need for balance.

Work is a single PART of your life, not the whole thing.

For many, they believe more hours equal more success, but this can have diminishing returns and ultimately sabotage your success.

Without adequate time and energy invested into your health, relationships and personal growth, your business will suffer.

You’ll make the mistake of sacrificing all those for the sake of your business, only to realise too late that the lack of balance is exactly what’s hindering your business’s growth.

Instead, you want a system that balances all areas of your life in a way that allows them to elevate each other.

And the 8-8-8 Method is a perfect system to help you do that.

How the 8-8-8 Method Flips the Script

The 8-8-8 Method offers a refreshing alternative to hustle culture. You leverage working harder as well as working smarter.

Here’s how it works:

1. 8 Hours for Work: Focused, deep work on your business. No distractions. No multitasking. Just intentional effort on high-impact activities.

2. 8 Hours for Health: Your health isn’t just about how much your exercise in a week. It includes sleep, nutrition, and relaxation. Prioritising your physical and mental well-being to maintain high performance and energy.

3. 8 Hours for Personal Development & Leisure: This is your time for learning, skill acquisition, hobbies, family, friends, romantic relationships and personal growth. It’s what fuels your creativity, fires up your soul and keeps you motivated.

Why the 8-8-8 Method Works:

• Prioritisation: Most people biggest problem is their inability to prioritise. When you implement the 8-8-8 method, it forces you to focus on what’s truly important in your work hours and in your personal hours.

• Sustainable Performance: By deliberately allocating time for health and leisure, you create time to rest. Rest is crucial for high performance. And by making time for you health and relationships and growth, you maintain high levels of energy and creativity. Burnout becomes a thing of the past.

• Holistic Growth: Having time for personal growth gives you ample opportunity to grow as a person and as a business owner. With time to learn and study, you can stay ahead in your market and learn lessons from life they you might not have learned just working on your business.

Implementing the 8-8-8 Method in Your Life

Now that you understand how to use the 8-8-8 method, it’s time to implement it into your own life:

1. Audit Your Current Schedule:

   • Track how you’re currently spending your time in a week.

   • Identify areas where you’re overcommitting, wasting time, or haven’t made time for but would like to.

   • Identify the activities you’re doing that aren’t moving you closer to your goals.

2. Define Your Core Work Hours

   • Choose the 8 hours where you’re most productive. For many this could be the 9AM to 5PM block. If you have a job, this will typically be your work hours anyway.

   • If you’re looking to create more freedom working less, you might opt for a 4-6 hour working window. Again, find the time that works for you and stick to it.

   • Block these hours for deep focused work on your business (or at your job).

   • Make sure you have no distractions.

   • In this work block, you have to work on the top 3-5 activities that drive your business forward.

3. Create a Health Routine

   • Schedule 7-9 hours of sleep.

   • Dedicate time (45 minutes to 1 hour) for exercise.

   • Stick to a sustainable, enjoyable diet and make sure your meals fuel your body, not deplete it.

   • Have a 30 minute window for meditation or journalling for a clear, sharp mind.

4. Personal Growth and Socials

   • During this time you want to prioritise yourself and your personal life.

   • This means making time for family, friends and romantic partners.

   • It means having time to read the books you want to read, doing the hobbies you want to do, watching the movies you want and learning new skills.

5. Clear Boundaries

   • Define your hours and do your best to stick to them.

   • Have clear boundaries for family and friends when you’re working.

   • Have clear boundaries for work when you’re with family and friends or prioritising your health.

6. Adjust, Iterate and Optimise

   • As with anything new, assess what’s working and what isn’t.

   • For the first week to 4 weeks, it will take some getting use to, but give yourself the flexibility to figure it out.

   • Keep adjusting the structure until you find what works for you.

   • Keep track how the 8-8-8 method is affecting your productivity, energy, and overall happiness.

7. Stay Flexible:

   • Life happens. Don’t be too rigid. The goal is balance and sustainability, not perfection.

   • Don’t expect to get it perfect right away. Start by improving one area—like your sleep or work hours—and gradually incorporate the other parts of the 8-8-8 method.

As with any system or framework, you want to mold and change it to fit your specific needs and goals.

Don’t force yourself to follow it strictly and get upset if you go over by an hour here or there.

Use it as a guideline and make it your own.

The 8-8-8 method is a game-changer for entrepreneurs who want to build their businesses without sacrificing their lives. But it takes intentional planning and commitment.

Give it a shot and let me know what you think.

— Shana.