So every day is a different schedule as I work on social media full time, but there are steps I do daily to manage my life. I’m always bouncing ideas off of my associate and she asked me if I had tips for others that work for themselves. I’m certainly no expert but I’ve been an entrepreneur for 7 years, so these are things I do to get the day going!
{1} Get dressed and ready for the day. So I don’t lay around in pajamas or sweats. I wear an outfit, typically put makeup, and try to do my hair (sometimes in a ponytail which you guys don’t see). Being ready enables me to run errands, go to meetings last minute and also puts me in work mode. It’s easy to not be efficient when you work from home, so this step is a key one for me.
{2} Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I rarely skip meals. I LOVE food, but I also find that by eating meals (I’m not a big snacker) I have more energy throughout the day and I am less likely to eat junk between meals.
{3} Check my calendar and write lists of to-dos. I’m SUPER DELIGENT about this step. I need to make sure it’s all done and look at where I may be headed. Before I head to bed I look at my schedule for the next day to make sure I’m prepared.
{4} Set alarms on my phone for conference calls and pick up. If I don’t do this, I’ll be late or forget things. They help me more than pop-ups on the phone which I tend to dismiss.
{5} Look at my payable invoices and keep track of invoices. Always a priority: MONEY. I do this often, maybe not daily, but enough that I know when my checks are due and also to remind companies to pay.
{6} My kids have a routine. Kids routine at night is before bedtime we read books and lay out their clothes so that there’s no arguing about what to wear the next day. I had to make this rule as the mornings were so chaotic and being a single parent on those days I was tired of the crying and fighting about what to wear. So now, whatever I lay out the night before is just it. There’s no arguing or crying. Two of the days I pick, one day they pick. So far it’s worked out!
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Shop more crewneck solid and stripe sweaters here.
{7} Shop for groceries for that day. This is a new thing I’ve done since being a single mom; I shop for groceries I’m going to cook for that day or next and don’t buy extras for the week. I am always on the run and eat out a lot. Plus, depending on time and my kids’ schedule, I like to decide that day or night before for the next day. I actually end up saving money on groceries and throw away less food as we typically finish the produce and meat I buy.
{8} My kids have a small chore list. They must help me put away their toys before bedtime and they make their beds in the morning. From time to time, they help me cook. When I do laundry they put their underwear and socks away in their drawers. These small things help me and hopefully teach them to take care of themselves.
{9} I don’t watch TV during the day. This is a don’t do. I already get distracted so I don’t have the TV on to maintain my focus on emails, my blog, and my phone for Instagram. I actually spend most days on my laptop responding to emails, making sure things are set, helping clients, and then once to twice a week I spend a few hours putting together a blog post. Although writing my blog posts typically happens later at night.
{10} I give myself one hour to do whatever I want. From a glass of wine to watching TV, or shopping online. I try to give myself me time at least one hour a day.
{11} So I lied there’s 11! Every day my kids and I pick our favorite moment during the day. I want us to reflect on the good and we also open up if something bad happens. We do this at dinner time and we catch up on our day. My kids are only 6 and 4 and I love that we learn about each other during conversation. I openly tell them if I have had a bad day, but the focus is always first on our favorite part of the day. My oldest asks me often when I pick him up “Mom, how was your day?” Caring about how others are and listening is something I want my boys to have as a skill.
So there it is! It is funny when I jot down things, I surprise myself lol! Any rituals you do to keep you motivated or on daily tasks?
