Being a business owner means I get complete control over my day working from home (well, as much control as I can have with a toddler underfoot). Since going full-time almost 4 years ago, I’ve tried many variations of how my work day goes. It always ebbs and flows, if I’m being honest… again, toddler… But, there’s a few things I do every week and every day that help me prepare my work days for success. So today, I wanted to share how you can setup your work day to be the most productive!
Sit down before the week and plan.
One of my favorite things to do is sit down on Sundays in my office quietly and plan out the week. I’m a pen and paper gal so I prepare my week in my Happy Planner. I write down the tasks for each day, any appointments or calls (personal and professional) and any major errands I need to plan for. Every other week, my sister-in-law and I sit down and share recipes to meal plan and lay out our workouts for the week. Those notes also go in my planner, too! One less thing to think about. When I’m working, I may add additional tasks that come up and can fit into my week, but the bones of the week are there already.
Review Trello each week.
Most of my clients provide work and communicate with me through Trello. So during the week, I’m pretty plugged into the site. But, on the weekends, I’ll take a peek to make sure nothing new was added. This is also how I plan out my months – knowing which content I’m writing, what the team is preparing, and passing along what they need to do their jobs. Trello is SUCH a great program for building out schedules and workflows with clients, so I highly recommend it!
Focus when you’re working.
Easier said than done, I know… But, for me, I know I have a limited time to work. So I plan a lot beforehand instead. That means when I sit down, I know exactly what I need to write, design, or prep. I put on my music, check my email when I sit down, and dive into work. Try to avoid leaving your email open – you’ll be tempted to check it, trust me! And give yourself breaks. I’m terrible at this. But it’s okay to get up, refill your water, move laundry, and sit back down. There’s literally nothing wrong with that. You need to stretch, but I also find I can think more clearly when I give myself space to breathe for a second.
For me, being able to really get things done in an efficient way is all about the prep. I take time each week and month to lay out what’s expected of me (again, at home and at work) so I can make sure I’m giving myself enough time and space to complete everything. Is it perfect? Heck no. But, it does help my stress levels! PS. If you want more tips about working on a limited schedule, check out a recent blog HERE!
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