Before I start into setting a schedule - I'm so glad to see the comments on the past entries... and to know that I'm inspiring some of you to get organized! Spring is the best time to do this!! :) As you organize yourself, please share what works for you because what works for me is not what's going to work for everyone and additional opinions are AWESOME!!!
Setting a schedule:
So, the biggest thing I struggled with when I started just working from home here in San Antonio was that I could never remember what I needed to do next, and I found myself heading off to go shopping or constantly going out to lunch with friends. Then, instead of making money and being productive, I was spending it… like crazy.
One thing I realized about when I was teaching was that I loved the daily routine. I had a schedule, and we very rarely strayed from it because kids need structure and routine. Well, actually, we all do. Think about your daily life. Do you have a set routine that you follow? If you do, you probably get a lot more accomplished in your day than if you are someone who flits from activity to activity. I know, because I see the difference in my productivity… and also in my income!
It’s no secret that when you offer good customer service, you keep your customers happy and they in turn share your company information with their friends. Here’s how this has worked for me – I set a schedule for my day. It’s not written down anywhere, but it started out that way. Until you make it a habit, a post-it note (I love them!!!) with a run-down of what needs to be accomplished at what time, or in what order is a great friend and helper.
Your routine is not my routine, my routine is not your routine. I’m NOT saying do what I do… because it wouldn’t work for everyone. BUT – here’s an example of my day… and what I believe helps me to be more successful in business and in life!
I get up and go workout first thing (Curves is amazing for you girls who thought you’d never go work out – try it… I love it… and it really boosts my energy level for the day!) unless I feel bad but usually, I’m there. Then when I get home, I check Facebook, make the bed, then hop in the shower. Then the first thing I do is I go and clean up the kitchen. (Some people prefer to do this at night, but I have very little energy at night, and usually we make more dishes than one load in the dishwasher so it needs to be unloaded and re-loaded in the morning.) Then I fix my bowl of cereal and sit down to work on whatever needs to be done for work. Some days I have tasks for Pampered Chef and for the travel agency. I prioritize the travel agency work to get done first. Then, I usually take a break around 10:30 or so and do my household chores. If I’m doing laundry that day, I try my best to keep it going (see laundry tips tomorrow!) so it’s completely done by the time I’m done with my work and I can get it put away pronto. Today my household chore is a big one – I’ve got to sort through my box of Spring and Summer clothes and figure out what I need to wash when I do laundry tomorrow. So, I’ll probably do some of it around 10:30, and then some later after lunch. Then I hop back in and get the rest of my work to-do list done around 11 until noonish and then I take my lunch and finish up my household chores. This typically leaves the afternoon for me time! That’s right – by 3:00 I’m done. Sometimes this changes if I have quotes to get out to a travel client, but everything from my Nothing Else pad should be done by 3:30, and I plan my attack on the next day.
It’s important to plan breaks into your schedule. When you are first figuring out what works for you, write “BREAK” on your post-it note. During this time go to the bathroom and get a drink of water. Think about when you were in school – your class probably had set times for bathroom and drink breaks. Don’t deprive yourself of that! Otherwise you’ll get wrapped up in your work and end up dehydrated or with an upset stomach. Also take time for a snack in the afternoon – it keeps your brain going and your metabolism working – esp if you work in an office and HAVE to be at work until 5.
If you are working away from home, then it’s very important that you make a schedule for your time at home so that you accomplish the most possible each day – including your ME time. Never forget how important it is to take time to do something you want to do! On Monday nights your ME time might be an hour long while you watch Castle, or you might even allow it to stretch for American Idol nights to two hours every now and then. I do suggest that if you like several shows on the same night (like Dancing with the Stars and Castle on Monday nights... GUILTY! ;), instead of making the whole night ME time and not accomplishing anything, hit record on the dvr and tell yourself that show doesn’t come on until the next night. Each evening you are home you need to accomplish housework, and probably plan on cooking dinner (I'll give you kitchen and cooking planning tips later). You might even have kids to help with homework. If you do have a spouse and/or kids, talk to them about setting a schedule, and figure out what works best for your family. Because if you do have a family, you not only need to schedule ME time each night, but you also need WE time. I might just be that your WE time is during dinner. Or it could be that WE time is as soon as the kids get home from school before soccer practice when you sit down at the table and help them with their homework.
I’ll go into setting up a family calendar later, but that can also be very helpful in setting routine. Because routine with a family doesn’t mean doing the same thing at the same time everyday, it might mean doing the same thing every Monday because it’s Monday, but Tuesday is different, etc…
Best thing tho is just to figure out what works for you and stick with it. I guarantee that if you set a schedule and stick with it, you will definitely be more productive and feel better about yourself!! (Just remember – always make time for ME time!! (and WE time!))
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