By Lisa Giancarli

 

 

Ever catch yourself saying, “There just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done?” Maybe it was last week. Maybe it was this morning. Maybe it’s every day.

Here’s the truth: it’s probably not a time problem. It’s a task problem. You’re doing too much of the wrong stuff—and not enough of the right stuff. You’re constantly reacting, fixing things, staying late, and still feeling like you didn’t make a dent in your to-do list.

So let me ask you: what’s one task you keep doing even though you know someone else could take it off your plate? Something that’s under your pay grade. Maybe it’s something you’re holding onto because it’s easier to just do it yourself, or you think no one else will do it quite right. I’ve told myself that too. But it’s those little tasks that silently drain your energy and keep you stuck in the daily grind.

They block your growth. They get in the way of your leadership. And they’re holding your business back.

So let’s talk about taking your time back. Let’s get rid of some stuff. Let’s give some stuff away. Let’s create a safe space. And let’s work smarter—not harder.

 

 

What’s Really on Your Plate

You ever walk into your center, drop your stuff in your office, then not return for hours? Your purse is still on the floor, your coat’s still on the chair, and your computer hasn’t even been turned on. Because the second you walk through the doors, you’re pulled into fire after fire—staff issues, parent complaints, licensing questions, toilets clogging, and lunch orders missing. It doesn’t stop.

And if you’re honest with yourself, you’ve trained your team to depend on you. They wait for your answer before making routine decisions. They come to you for everything because you’ve made yourself the bottleneck. You didn’t mean to—but that’s what happened. And now you’re not just reacting all day; you’re also working late, sacrificing your weekends, dragging your work home, and waking up already tired.

Some of you have told me, “I don’t stay late—I have young kids. I go home to be with my family.” Good. That’s important. But how many of you are still thinking about work the whole time? Or checking your phone just in case? That’s not balance. That’s survival mode.

And when you’re the one making all the decisions—big and small—you start to experience serious decision fatigue. You get so exhausted from being “on” all day that even simple choices feel overwhelming. You stop being the visionary your center needs and instead become its manager, referee, and janitor.

Eventually, something breaks. Your energy. Your joy. Your business.

 

 

From Burnout to Boundaries

I had an accident last summer and had to be out of my center for an entire month. But I wasn’t panicked, and I didn’t have to check in constantly. Why? Because I had systems. I had a leadership team I trusted. I had boundaries. And because of all that, I could rest—and the center kept running.

Most owners can’t do that. They can’t even imagine stepping away like that. And it’s not because they don’t care—it’s because they haven’t built the foundation they need to step away.

When you’re overwhelmed, your leadership suffers. You’re not leading with clarity or vision—you’re just barking orders and trying to keep everything afloat. I call it being a “mousique,” a family word for someone who’s constantly bossing everyone around but not actually leading. And that’s not who you want to be.

Your impact as an owner doesn’t come from managing snack orders or fixing a toilet. Your impact comes from leading. Vision, culture, growth—that’s the top of the pyramid. That’s where you belong. But most owners? They spend 80% of their time stuck at the bottom, in the daily grind of operations. That’s where burnout lives.

 

 

Your Worth Is in the Big Picture

I challenge you to do a task assessment. Write down everything you do for a week—everything. Then ask yourself: What’s high-value and what’s low-value? What actually grows your business, and what just keeps it running?

High-value work is strategic. It’s enrollment, financial planning, staff development, parent relationships, community partnerships. That’s your zone. That’s your worth.

Low-value work? That’s the busy stuff—supply ordering, classroom coverage, paperwork, phone calls, scheduling. And yes, it’s all important. But not for you. Someone else can do it. You just have to let them.

I used to do our social media—until I realized I was 50-something trying to keep up with 20-somethings who lived on TikTok and Instagram. Now I have younger team members who love that stuff. They create amazing videos and reels, and they’re proud of the work. I once gave a staff member the title of Social Media Manager—she was so proud, and she crushed it. 

 

 

Why We Struggle to Delegate

We hold back from delegating because it feels easier to just do it ourselves. We don’t have time to train. Or we’re not sure we trust someone else to handle it.

But here’s the thing: delegation is how you grow. It frees up your time, empowers your team, and often gives you better results than if you did it yourself. Still, we hold on—because letting go feels risky. Control feels safe. But it’s not helping.

Start by giving away one routine task. Something easy. Something that won’t give you a heart attack to let go of. And don’t dump everything on your director either—look at your whole team. Who has the desire? The skill? The bandwidth?

Set them up for success. Give clear instructions. Explain your expectations. Follow up, but don’t micromanage. And then let it go.

You Have to Know Yourself First

When Brian asked me to talk about time management, I laughed. “You want me to do a talk on time management?” I am not a great time manager. But I am great at setting boundaries and delegating—and that’s helped me use my time well.

You have to be honest about your time management style. Are you the firefighter, reacting to every crisis? The procrastinator, always running late? The perfectionist who spends way too long on every detail? The over-committer who says yes to everything and ends up overwhelmed?

None of these are wrong. But knowing which one you are helps you figure out what works for you. Maybe it’s time blocking. Maybe it’s the Pomodoro technique. Maybe it’s just a simple, handwritten to-do list. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Do what works for you.

 

 

Your Workspace Matters Too

Where you work matters just as much as how you work. If your environment is chaotic, your mind will be too. I’ve learned that I can’t be productive when I’m in the front of the center. Too many distractions. I see the squirrel out the window, the phone rings, a parent’s at the door, someone’s knocking—I can’t think straight. So I moved my office to the other side of the building. Now I have a space where I can actually focus, and I set it up to support how I work best.

Some of you are working from home—in the kitchen, on the couch, maybe even in bed—surrounded by coffee cups, laptops, and chaos. That might seem convenient, but it’s not helping your productivity. And let’s talk about working right in the middle of the school, in the lobby or next to the front desk—you’re setting yourself up to be interrupted every five minutes.

Your workspace should be a sanctuary. A place that feels like yours. Somewhere you can breathe, think, plan, and get big-picture work done without a dozen interruptions. Even if you don’t have a private office right now, consider how you can carve out some kind of focus zone—even if it’s just a quiet desk, a separate room for admin work, or a time of day when you’re unavailable to others.

So be honest—does your current setup help you thrive? Or does it keep you stuck in reaction mode all day?

 

 

Boundaries Are a Leadership Tool

Let’s be honest—running a child care center means constant multitasking and constant interruptions. It’s easy to fall into the trap of being “always available.” But without boundaries, you will burn out. You’ll feel overwhelmed, you’ll become less efficient, and you’ll start resenting the work you once loved.

I see it all the time. Owners who give everyone their cell phone number. Owners who answer emails at midnight. Owners who take calls on the weekends, even while they’re trying to spend time with their families. That’s not leadership—that’s exhaustion. And it’s not sustainable.

Boundaries protect your time, your energy, and your decision-making power. They allow you to stay focused on the big things—like leadership, culture, and growth—instead of being dragged down by every little fire. I tell my team, “These are my hours. If I want to come in on a Saturday, it’s because I want to—not because I have to.” That distinction matters.

One of the most effective tools we’ve used is a visual boundary system. My directors created laminated stop signs for their office doors. Green means come in. Yellow means pause and think—can this wait? Red means stop—only enter if there’s an emergency. Simple, clear, and respectful. And it works. Over time, your team learns to solve problems on their own and be more thoughtful about when they interrupt.

Boundaries aren’t just for other people—they’re for you too. Set your own cut-off time. Turn off Slack. Stop checking messages after hours. The work will still be there tomorrow. You are not on-call 24/7, and you shouldn’t have to be.

Leadership isn’t about being available to everyone all the time. It’s about knowing when to say no so you can say yes to what actually matters.

You don’t need to be available 24/7 to be a great leader—you need boundaries that protect your time, your energy, and your vision.

 

 

Your 5-4-3-2-1 Challenge

You’ve heard the strategies—now it’s time to put them into action.

This is your 5-4-3-2-1 Challenge—and yes, I really want you to do it. Not just think about it. Do it.

 

5 – Get rid of five low-value tasks.
You know the ones. The busywork. The things you do just because you always have. Maybe it’s ordering supplies, covering breaks, checking the playground in the morning. Let. It. Go. Delegate it. Systematize it. Or just decide it doesn’t need to be done anymore. You’re not being paid to stock paper towels or drive the bus. And if you’re still cooking lunch? We need to talk.

 

4 – Focus on four high-value tasks.
These are the things that actually grow your business. Enrollment. Financial planning. Coaching your staff. Strengthening parent relationships. Pick four of them and make space for them in your schedule. Don’t just say they’re important—treat them like they are. Block time for them. Show up for them. That’s your real job.

 

3 – Choose three people to delegate to.
Think outside just your director. Who’s an A-player on your team? Who’s eager to grow? Who lights up when you give them responsibility? Give one person a task that levels them up. Let them surprise you. When I  gave a staff member the social media manager title—she was so proud, and she crushed it. Delegation is leadership development, not just task dumping.

 

2 – Set or reinforce two boundaries.
What are the boundaries you wish people respected? Start there. Maybe you need to stop answering your phone after 6 PM. Maybe your team needs to know that when the red stop sign is on your door, you are not available unless the building’s on fire. Or maybe it’s internal—you need to stop staying late or checking Slack from your bed. Pick two boundaries and get firm with them. Be direct. Be consistent. Be respectful. And don’t apologize.

 

1 – Pick one time management system that actually works for you.
Don’t go buy the fanciest planner or the prettiest calendar app unless you’re actually going to use it. Be honest—what works for you? Time blocking? To-do lists? Pomodoro? Post-it notes on your desk? I don’t care what it is, as long as you use it. Find your rhythm and commit to it. Don’t try to copy someone else’s system if it doesn’t fit how your brain works.

 

Take this challenge seriously. It’s not about doing more—it’s about doing less of the wrong stuff and more of what actually matters.

And when you do it—when you delegate that one thing, set that one boundary, or finally take a Friday off—I want to hear about it. Email me at lisa@childcaregenius.com and tell me what changed.

Because when you stop trying to do it all, you make space for what matters most—and become the leader your center truly needs.