Good Book Energy: Free Time by Jenny Blake

The book: 

Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business

Why I love it: This is hands-down the best book I’ve read so far this year. Free Time speaks directly to our Five Acres core value, #worktolive. We’re all about smart systems that help us get in the flow, create intelligent and masterful solutions, and allow the work to be–dare I say it–easy. Jenny Blake’s processes have already saved me hours of work and empowered my team and business to become self-sufficient. 

Who should read it: I’d recommend this to anyone who owns a business, particularly with teams under 50. It’s also great for managers within a larger organization who are looking for tactical ways to streamline.

Favorite takeaways: The book is well-written and packed with analogies and metaphors that delight. It also has an easy-to-read recap after each chapter, including a two-sentence summary, permission statement, personal reflection, and action item. This makes it easy to revisit for some quick inspo.

Here are a few of Blake’s concepts that really stood out to me:

Time-to-Revenue Ratio (TtRr)

Blake breaks down a phenomenal concept called “Time-to-Revenue” ratio (TtRr). She encourages business owners to look at revenue in a new way and identify the missing metric in their P&L (profit and loss statement): time. She challenges hustle culture with the idea that long hours and over-laboring are actually not profitable. Instead, she opts for efficient systems that allow for fewer, more impactful work hours. Most importantly, she reminds us of the value of joy.

Every Question Lives Three Lives

Blake suggests that, “Disorganized documentation around common questions in your business triples the work–and the frustration–for your team and your customers.” When answers can only be given by one managing member (business owner, etc.) it creates bottlenecks. This also creates a constant distraction for the sole “All Seeing Question Answerer.” Blake encourages team members to present recommendations vs. questions. When questions do arise, she suggests that they should always live three lives. The three lives are broken down like this:

1. The first time the question is asked and answered is in an email, conversation, or project correspondence.

2. Question and response are added to a  Manager Manual, so the information no longer lives in a single person’s mind or inbox.

3.  Question is added to a public-facing resource, reducing the need for others to ask that same question in the future. 

How you bake is as important as what you make

This book offers a refreshing perspective on intentionality and how mindset creates a better product, service, and business. Blake refers to spiritual texts like Gary Zukav’s The Untethered Soul and reminds us that our state of being is a reflection of what we think, feel, and believe. Business, like any aspect of our life, is connected to our frequency. When we’re operating on a higher energetic level, we draw our most beautiful desires closer.

Since reading Free Time, I’ve also tuned in to some of Jenny Blake’s podcasts on the same topic. Episodes range from 8-45 minutes and are equally delightful as the book.

Recently, I’ve had more space in my schedule to listen to podcasts, cook healthy meals, and write blogs about things I care about (I guess that’s what happens when you have more free time 😉). I’m fully embracing systems and enjoying every second of downtime as a result. 

So, who wants to borrow it first?