How to Organize Your Day for Success
Raise your hand if you can relate to any of the following questions:
Do you ever feel like you’ve been busy all day but you don’t really feel like you have much to show for it?
Do you feel like you are not as efficient as you can be?
Do you ever feel like you don’t have control over your day?
Part of being your own boss is setting boundaries for yourself so you can, ya know, actually accomplish things. I am definitely guilty of all of these, but when I feel like I’m starting to spiral out of control (and giving my husband an earful), I always resort back to these tips.
Set specific times of the day that you will be checking email
If you let yourself be distracted by every email as they come in, answering email is all you will ever be doing. You are way more productive by only checking at set times during the day. Let your focus be on the task at hand.
This is also why I have my main communication with clients be email. I have found that agreeing to use other messaging services often sets the expectation that you are available to answer at all times of the day. And that isn’t productive for anyone.
Turn off notifications that distract you while you’re trying to do other things
Similar to email, other notifications are just (if not more) as distracting. Turn off as many notifications as you can.
I know it can be exciting to see all the social media notifications come in on a successful post, but it’s really difficult to stay on the task at hand when your phone keeps beeping or flashing. You will still get to see them all when you log back in at your next designated time!
Time block your day for specific tasks
Allow yourself uninterrupted work time for projects.
Schedule meetings on specific days so you can free up other days with long stretches of time to accomplish things.
Block off time for lunch or personal things that make you happy.
Set goals for the day, week, month
Set goals and also regularly revisit what they are so you always know that things that are the highest priority are always getting done. That way, when unexpected things come up (like your child has hand foot and mouth disease like mine does right now) you know where your priorities lie and what things are essential and what ones can wait for another day.
These tips have kept me (somewhat) sane during the unpredictability that is owning a business and being a parent.
Tell me in the comments how you organize your day for success