The 7 Disciplines for Working Less And Making More

👇 TL; DR: This Week in The Digital CEO Weekly 👇

✅ The 7 Disciplines for Working Less And Making More: Learn the core principles I’ve used to avoid burnout, stay inspired, and grow a wildly profitable business... while only working a few hours a day.

✅ Uncover Your Biggest Business Blindspot in 64 Seconds: Take this free quiz to pinpoint the hidden bottleneck in your business, so you can unlock more visibility, momentum, and revenue.

✅ The 2025 Digital Business Forecast (And What It Means for You): On the podcast - The digital product space isn’t saturated, it’s evolving. And this episode reveals why 2025 might be the best time to finally launch.

From the Desk of James Wedmore:

I wanna talk to you about how you too can start working less, WHILE growing your business. 

Now... this might sound counterintuitive to a driven entrepreneur, but working less isn’t about doing less just because you don't want to work.

It’s about doing less for the right reasons.

If you wanna work less because…

❌ You're just lazy, and want something for nothing

❌ You don’t actually enjoy ANY of the work you're doing

That’s an entirely different issue that needs to be addressed. 

Because the goal isn’t to avoid effort altogether. It’s to align your effort with the highest-yielding activities that produce the results that actually matter to you.

So like... if you don’t like pouring lemon juice in your eyes, less lemon is still gonna be painful. 🍋

For me, I love what I do.

I love my work and I rarely feel like I want to work less. And I probably still work way less than most people in this industry. 

Monday I had 3 meetings averaging 30 minutes each. Tuesday and Wednesday I was hosting a private Mastermind Event for some of our clients. And Thursday... I did nothing. Absolutely nothing. Today (Friday) I'm finishing up this newsletter and recording a podcast. That's my week.

And I’m not saying any of that to brag – I’m saying it to show you what’s possible when you shift how you approach your business.

What I want you to understand is that we don’t just have a finite, fixed amount of hours in a day, but we ALSO have a finite amount of ENERGY.

So this is really about mastering our ability to CONSERVE and utilize our time and energy as efficiently as possible so it yields maximum results.

And I get it. If you’re reading this thinking, “I don’t even have time to read this.”

That, my friend, is exactly why you need to.

Because the moment you started a business, you didn’t just create a new job for yourself…

You created 10 jobs... maybe 15. 

In fact, in all my years working with all sorts of different businesses, I’ve found that most businesses in our space, even when they’re just getting started, require SEVERAL ROLES:

Roles like:

➡️ Customer Support

➡️ Copywriter

➡️ Content Creator

➡️ Head of Marketing

➡️ Social Media Manager 

➡️ Video Editor, Graphic Designer, Podcast Editor...

➡️ Head of Sales

You get the idea. 

And if you're like most... YOU'RE the ONLY ONE doing ALL THE ROLES. It's just lil old you trying to do 10 roles. 

So no wonder you’re so busy – it’s YOU trying to fill 10 jobs. You should be proud you've done this well! 

So what do we do here?

Most just default to working harder, longer, and faster. 

Consider this:

Working harder, longer, and faster is simply an entrepreneur’s coping strategy for numbing the fear they don’t want to feel...

...Fear of it not working.

...Fear of wasting time. 

...Fear of failure.

And you’ll know that’s you if you can’t take a day off without feeling guilty. If pausing (even for a moment) feels uncomfortable... that's you. 

So we need to call it what it is: staying busy gives us something.

But the payoff is temporary… and the COST sneaks up on you.

Because working too much, for too long, especially on unfulfilling tasks, is a fast-track ticket to burnout.

So no matter what phase of business you’re in, I wanna share 7 distinctions that I’ve learned, applied and mastered over 18 years of business. 

These are the shifts that have helped me:

✅ Avoid burnout
✅ Stay inspired
✅ And grow a business while working just a few hours a day

Because you deserve a business that grows with you, not one that drains you.

And this is especially important for one VITAL REASON:

The name of the game is momentum. The longer you can do something consistenty, the bigger it will grow and the further you'll grow.

My secret weapon is longevity. And if you can't sustain what you're doing NOW... how the heck are you ever gonna do it long term?

Digital CEO Discipline #1:

Give Yourself The Damn Promotion

Let’s start here. 

If you were to take a moment and map out all the roles in your business...

(Note: a role is simply a function within your business… like “Customer Support” for example.)

... you’d probably notice two things right away:

1. There are a lot of roles in your business.

2. Not all of them are created equal.

Some roles directly impact the bottom line (the growth of the company) more than others.

Now, if there’s any task you’re doing right now that once felt fun and light,  but now feels heavy, draining, or just straight-up soul-sucking…

That’s your soul already trying to tell you:

 ✨ It’s time for a promotion. ✨

You just didn’t get the memo. 

In other words: the "task" feels heavy, because you aren't supposed to be doing it any more!!

So here’s your first assignment.

Ask yourself:

What low-value tasks am I still doing that are below my current pay grade?

And more importantly…

How quickly can I get them off my plate?

This is where outsourcing comes in.

Now, I’ve been in business 18 years. I’ve been teaching this operating system for over a decade.

So I can almost hear the thoughts going through your mind right now. Your objections and rebuttals to my strong urge that you begin to outsource.

And with all due respect:

Most of those reasons? Total nonsense. 🛑

My personal favorite?

“James, I can’t AFFORD to outsource.”

To which I say:

You can’t afford to outsource because you haven’t been outsourcing.

If you’re spending all your time and energy on tasks that DON'T make you money…

Then of course you’re not going to have the money to grow.

But something magical happens the moment you finally say yes to getting help. ✨

And here’s the good news: you don’t need to start with hiring a full-time employee or investing thousands. You can begin with just a few hours a week – and it makes a world of difference.

In fact, I recommend using sites like OnlineJobs.ph to connect with incredible overseas virtual assistants for a fraction of what you’d expect to pay.

Even offloading just a few recurring tasks each week means:

✅ You’re buying your time back
✅ You’re freeing up your energy
✅ And you’re stepping into the role you were meant to play

This is where it starts.

Digital CEO Discipline #2:

Document More

“James, I don’t have time to train others.” 

Of course you don’t.

Because you’re doing everything yourself.

But here’s the thing:

Since you’re already doing the task anyway…

🎯 Document it while you do it.

That’s it. That’s the hack.

I have a rule I live by in my business:

I’ll never do any task more than once.

So the first time I do it?

I record it.

You can use simple screen recording software like Loom or automatic process documentation software like ScribeHow.com. 

Boom. Now it’s saved. And now it’s trainable.

And honestly, this discipline ties into a much bigger principle I’ve operated from for years:

Keep. Your. Business. Simple.

No need for complicated systems.

No $50,000 custom-coded websites.

No tech headaches.

Software like Kajabi exist for a reason.

Because today, anybody – and I mean anybody – without any training or experience can use these platforms to run and scale a digital business. 

And if there’s something you don’t know how to do?

A quick Google or YouTube search = instant training video. ✅

So the next time you find yourself repeating a task, don’t just do it…

Record it. Document it. Delegate it.

Because your future self (and your growing team) will thank you.

Digital CEO Discipline #3:

Project Management Automation

Now, let’s be honest.

The dark side of outsourcing and working with other humanoids?

You become a manager.

And I get that. 

But here’s what I’ll always stand by:

👉 When you hire great people who do great work, managing them takes far less time and energy than continuing to do everything yourself.

That said, there’s a way to make this even easier…

Automate the management process.

We use tools such as Monday.com as our project management hub. 

And here’s the magic: it’s not just a task tracker. It’s a management assistant.

Inside tools like Monday, there are built-in automation features that take repetitive work off your plate.

You can set it to:

✅ Automatically renew tasks on a recurring schedule
✅ Send reminders as due dates approach
✅ Notify you when a task is completed… or when it’s falling behind

These aren’t just productivity hacks. They’re energy savers.

Because the less you have to chase people down or remember who’s doing what, the more brain space and time you reclaim to focus on what matters most.

So yes, you may still be managing a team…

But with the right tools in place, you’re no longer the bottleneck.

Digital CEO Discipline #4:

Less Offers

I learned this lesson the hard way.

Back in the day, I used to believe that if I wanted to grow my business, I needed to have more stuff for sale. 

More offers = more sales, right?

Well, although that sounds like solid logic, in reality it only guarantees one thing:

👉 You’ll be working way harder.

Because every single offer in your business (no matter how small) comes with baggage:

🧩 Systems
🛠️ Software
📞 Customer support
🔁 Updates and maintenance

And the more offers you have, the more complex your business becomes –and the more your time gets eaten up.

One of the biggest decisions that helped me take my business to over $12 million a year and work way less was focusing on just one core product:

Business By Design.

Eventually, I added a coaching program to support BBD Members, Next Level, but even then – it was still connected to the same core offer.

And I will stand by this simple truth: 

You can go further, faster with less offers. 

And it’s not just my experience.

We see it with our students too. Many of them hit seven figures a year with just one or two offers.

So if you’re currently juggling a bunch of different products, and you’re not yet at $2M a year?

It’s time to reevaluate your product suite.

Because simplification = amplification.

Digital CEO Discipline #5:

Launch Less

Now look…

Although I run tiny promotions and automated funnels all year…

I’ve also become known for doing some of the industry's biggest launches. 

Last year alone, we had over 75,000 people register for The Rise The Digital CEO. 

And let me be real with you:

Even when we streamline it… automate it… perfect it…

It’s still a massive undertaking.

Because no matter how dialed in your systems are, a big launch pulls time, energy, and resources from your team and your life.

But here’s the interesting thing: 

I used to do two of those big launches a year for Business By Design. And one day I had a crazy idea… 

What if I just did one? 

And that year, in one single launch…

💥 I made over $1 million MORE in ONE LAUNCH than I did in two launches COMBINED!

That’s when it clicked.

When you do less, you can do more. And do it better.

Fewer launches = more space to think, create, and actually enjoy your business.

Digital CEO Discipline #6:

Plan More

I hate that most entrepreneurs hate planning. 

It’s like a badge of honor to “wing it” and take massive, messy, inspired action TODAY.

Lame. 

That might be cool in startup mode, but that’s not sustainable and it’s extremely reactive. 

So, you've gotta start planning more.

Here’s what I can guarantee:

The more time and energy you put into planning, the less time you’ll spend scrambling… and the less you’ll need to work.

Because the truth is, projects and promotions that are thrown together at the last minute?

They almost always underperform.

But the ones that get your full mental focus…

The ones you take time to think through, map out, and actually care about?

🎯 Those are the ones that perform best. Every. Time.

I created a 13-minute YouTube video that walks through my simple planning process that I’ve been using for almost a decade now, and it transformed the way I run my business. 

I think it’ll help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ3BWOeD7jo

Digital CEO Discipline #7:

Rinse and Repeat

My newer clients tend to complain about all the emails or copy they have to write in order to prepare their product for launch. 

And sure, there’s effort involved up front.

But what most people don’t realize is this:

👉 Once you create that copy, you can use it again.
👉 And again.
👉 And again.

So consider this your official permission slip:

Reuse. Repurpose. Repeat.

It’s one of the biggest game changers for getting your time back.

Did those open cart emails work great last year?

Cool… use them again this year.

Tweak if needed, but don’t start over from scratch.

This is how smart entrepreneurs build leverage:

You wanna look at all the ways in which you can repurpose all of your content.

In fact, I follow a simple rule in my business:

🎯 The 1-to-3 Repurpose Ratio

Before I say yes to any new task or project in my business…. I ask myself:

“Can this be reused or repurposed in at least 3 distinct ways?”

If not? It’s probably not worth doing.

Let me give you an example: 

Years ago, I offered a live event as a bonus to a product I was promoting. Now real talk – live events are a LOT of work. So I had to really think it through.

Can I make this worth it?

Turns out: YES.

Here’s how I got 4x the ROI from one event:

1. It fulfilled a bonus that drove a ton of sales ✅

2. I recorded the entire event, which means now I have all of the content that I can use elsewhere ✅

3. Since I had people in person, I got incredible video testimonials from attendees – a huge win! ✅

4. I pitched a new offer at the event, and generated even MORE revenue ✅

One event. Four outcomes.

That’s the power of repurposing.

From Philosophy Into Practice:

How This Newsletter Follows the Same Rules

Let’s apply the same 1-to-3 repurpose rule to this very newsletter.

For starters, yes – I’ve wanted to write a newsletter for a long time.
I love writing, and I thought I’d really enjoy it (spoiler: I do).

But I couldn’t let enjoyment be the only reason I committed to it.

Because here’s the truth:

👉 There’s a lot of things you can enjoy doing, but don’t actually make you money.

So here’s what I knew this newsletter could do:

1. Deliver Value: Everyone opening these emails is getting real, actionable value. And that alone is huge. Value and storytelling build stronger relationships with your audience.

2. Promote What I’m Working On: This newsletter becomes a natural way to share about anything I’ve got coming up, like my free 3-part training, The Rise of the Digital CEO, happening May 29th.

3. Fuel Content Creation: Every time I sit down to write a newsletter, it sparks ideas. I turn those ideas into podcast episodes and short-form content to share on social media.

4. Grow My List: This one surprised even me. A team member suggested we promote the newsletter itself as a new list builder… and guess what? We’ve already added hundreds of new subscribers just from people wanting to read it!

So that’s not just 3…

That’s 4 outcomes from ONE activity.

That’s leverage.

And not only that, but…

I only spend 45 minutes on this. #worthit

To wrap this up, here’s one final piece that ties everything together:

Chunking down.

When people hear I publish a newsletter every Monday, they assume it’s just “write and send.”

But it’s never that simple.

✔️ There’s formatting…

✔️ Adding images and links…

✔️ Uploading it into our system…

✔️ Testing…

✔️ Scheduling…

✔️ Sending…

Let me ask you something…

Do you think I do all of that? 

Do you think that’s a good use of my time to touch every single piece of this newsletter?

No. It’s not. 

In fact, all I do is I write the first draft of the newsletter in a Google doc. 

Then a team member does everything else: uploads, edits, formats, adds the visuals and queues it up. 

Then 24 to 48 hours before it goes live, I review it and sign off on it.

Some people ask me how I can do so much. 

Like posting 2 to 4 times a day on Instagram, recording and publishing 2 to 3 podcast episodes per week, and publish this newsletter… on top of running our products, programs, and events…

This newsletter only takes me about 45 minutes a week. And it can take that little because I got all the other pieces off my plate.

So what it all comes down to is…

You don’t have to do all the things.

You just need to know which things are yours to do, and delegate the rest.

The Digital CEO Online Business Assessment:

Uncover Your Biggest Business Blindspot in 64 Seconds 🔍

Ever feel like you're doing all the right things, but somehow still not getting the growth, sales, or traction others seem to effortlessly attract?

This quick 64-second quiz will help you pinpoint the hidden bottleneck that's quietly holding your business back...

So you can finally unlock more visibility, more revenue, and more momentum.

➡️ Find Out Now! Take The Quiz Here.

This Week on the Mind Your Business Podcast:

The 2025 Digital Business Forecast (And What It Means for You) 📈

Is the digital product space too saturated to succeed in 2025?

Tune in as I break down the real shift happening in the online business world – one of sophistication, NOT saturation – and why now is actually the PERFECT time to step into this space.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to launch, lead, and show up with your unique voice, this episode is for you.

🎧 LISTEN To The Episode Here

This Week In A Meme 🔥

Remember, this game isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things, the right way. When you master that, you’ll start working less, making more, and actually enjoying the business you built.

Thanks for reading and see ya next Monday!

Cheers,

James