A common struggle I hear from potential clients in my world of EOS is that they can’t take a real vacation. Sure, they can leave town, but in today’s always-connected world, as long as their phone is with them, they’re never really “out of office.” Sound familiar? I get it—I’m a small business owner, too! This pain point is exactly why I’m so passionate about my work as an EOS Implementer.
But this isn’t just about getting a few days away from your laptop or taking an occasional trip to the beach. EOS is about giving you your life back. When your business is built on a strong, simplified foundation, you create the space you need for your passions, your family, your health—and yes, even self-care.
And if you’re someone who loves what you do so much that it never really feels like work, I get that, too. But here’s the thing—when your passion turns into a business, and that business starts running your life, it’s easy to wake up one day and realize you’ve sucked all the fun out of it. EOS helps you take back control so you can fall in love with your business again—not just as an owner, but as the person who started this journey in the first place.
So, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day and this whole month of love and kindness, let’s talk about how you can simplify your business, rediscover your passion, and make space for yourself again.
Getting Started
To fully reap the rewards of EOS, implementing the entire system is key. However, if your business feels chaotic and you don’t know where to begin, start with three foundational areas: Vision, Traction, and Healthy—looking closely at Core Processes, including the Accountability Chart. These are the core elements that will help you regain control, simplify your operations, and create a business that works for you—not the other way around.
Vision
A clear vision is essential for business success, but it only works if it’s Shared By All. It’s not just about leadership knowing where the company is going—everyone needs to see that bigger picture in their mind’s eye. Once you do that, the chances of reaching your goal are significantly higher.
Consider the example of the three bricklayers, all doing the same task. When asked, “What are you doing?” the first bricklayer replies, “I’m laying bricks.” The second replies, “I’m building a wall.” But the third smiles and answers, “I’m building a cathedral—a place where people will gather for generations to come.”
How does their sense of purpose shift depending on the vision they hold for their work? Do your employees know how the bricks they layer fit into the overall company vision? Do they know why it’s important to provide excellent customer experience, or prepare a room the right way before a customer walks into it?
When your team understands how their efforts contribute to the bigger picture, everything changes. When your vision is clear and shared by everyone, the path to achieving it is more clearly illuminated.
Traction
If you want to simplify your business (and your life), start with Traction—it’s what keeps everything moving forward naturally and without you having to push every little thing along.
First, start by living in a 90-day world, or thinking in terms of 90-day goals. EOS calls these Rocks—your top priorities for the next quarter. This gives you and your team a clear picture of your targets so everyone stays laser-focused on what actually matters and helps ensure you hit them!
Next, start living in a weekly world of the Level 10 Meetings, or L10s. Once a week, your leadership team sits down to check progress, solve issues, and make sure everyone is staying on track with those 90-day Rocks. This creates consistency, clarity, and—most importantly—frees up your mental space so you’re not constantly worrying about whether things are getting done.
The best part? When everyone knows the priorities, checks in weekly, takes ownership of their Rocks, and works together to solve key issues as they arise, you don’t have to micromanage. That’s how you step away from the day-to-day without everything falling apart.
Healthy
The Healthy foundation of EOS is about fostering strong leadership, clear communication, and a cohesive team. It ensures that everyone is aligned, accountable, and working together to solve issues efficiently—laying the groundwork for long-term organizational health.
Accountability Chart
You will never find time in your day – you have to make it. You make time by delegating. And you can’t delegate if you don’t have the right people in the right seats. And you can’t have the right people in the right seats if you don’t have the right Accountability Chart in place.
Think of this as your business blueprint—a simple, clear structure that spells out who is responsible for what. No overlap and no room for confusion means you’re empowering your team to take ownership and fostering excellence by holding them accountable.
When you set your Accountability Chart up correctly:
- Every function has a single owner—one person, one responsibility, no blurred lines.
- Expectations are clear—your team knows exactly what’s expected of them.
- Communication improves—because everyone understands their role and how they fit into the bigger picture.
This makes delegation so much easier. Instead of wondering, “Who’s handling this?” or “Why isn’t this getting done?”—you already know who owns what, and they know it, too. That’s how you step back without worrying that things will slip through the cracks.
Core Processes
Processes may not be the most exciting part of your business, but trust me—they’re the key to keeping things running smoothly. Processes are about making sure you and your team can consistently execute on the most important things in your business the right and best way every single time even when you’re not in the room. Documented, repeatable processes.
Start by identifying your core processes—the handful of essential things your business can’t function without (sales, operations, customer service, etc.). Then, train your team to follow them—because a process is useless if no one actually uses it. Finally – and this is critical! – remember to keep them up to date—businesses evolve, and your processes should, too.
When you have clear processes in place, you gain the confidence to step away and enjoy your hobbies without worrying how someone will handle an otherwise tricky situation.
Start Here, Simplify, and Take Your Life Back
EOS is designed to give you freedom—freedom from chaos, from overwhelm, from feeling like you can’t step away. While implementing the whole system is the goal, if you’re feeling stuck, start with these three things:
- Vision – Reach your goals quicker when your business vision is Shared By All and your team is filled with purpose.
- Traction – Be clear on your priorities, and hold weekly check-ins to stay on track.
- Healthy – Strong leadership means keeping everyone accountable and getting systems in place that make it easier for you to step away.
- Core Processes – Document what matters most so your business runs consistently, no matter who’s in charge.
- Accountability Chart – Get the right people in the right seats so you can delegate with confidence.
With these foundational pieces in place, you’ll be amazed by the extra time you have to enjoy however you wish, while being even more productive than you ever were. I have days where I’m incredibly busy, whether that means speaking to masterminds, facilitating workshops, talking with clients, or something else, but I get to plan my days so that I can still pick my daughter up from school. That work-life balance is a gift I give myself every week, and it’s one I love giving to other hard working small business owners.
What would you do with even an extra hour of free time each day? Let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear about the hobbies and interests that make you, you.
Ready to take back your free time while optimizing productivity? Reach out today to schedule a quick 15-minute chat and discover how EOS could help you create space for self love, fall in love with your business again and take a real vacation—without bringing your business baggage along for the ride.
YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES