I do a lot of stuff. In the past, I've allowed myself to get overwhelmed by the amount of things I have to do to the point that I don't even know where to begin. Being a listmaker, I decided it would be easier if I broke it down into sections. I used to break it down by time, but then my day was thrown off if I overslept or had to run an errand. My new schedule goes like this:
Monday
One hour to check, respond to, write and organize messages.
Balance my budget (however long it takes...usually around 10 minutes).
One hour to work on filing (this could be physical files or digital...trying to streamline my PC files).
Two hours to address my business to-do list (I have a Google Keep list of all outstanding tasks).
Four hours of writing. I use this time to write all blog/Instagram/Facebook posts for the week. I schedule them through Hootsuite unless they include more than one image.
Tuesday
One hour for messages.
One hour to work on household chores (laundry, dishes, etc.)
Two hours to address my personal to-do list (usually things like fixing a ripped seem or helping my daughter find scholarships).
Four hours for art design and production. This is where I work on current commissions.
Wednesday
One hour for messages.
One hour to follow up with potential clients.
Two hours to post completed work. This could include editing videos or adding items to my website.
Four hours of design and production.
Thursday
One hour for messages.
One hour for household tasks.
Two hours for personal to-do items.
Four hours of design and production.
Friday
One hour for messages.
Balance my budget.
One hour of work on my website.
Six hours for education. This could be reading a book or taking an online course. I'm currently taking a Udemy course on how to use Blender (3D modeling software).
Saturday and Sunday
One hour for messages.
The rest of the day is "flex" time. I can do personal stuff or do nothing at all. If there were any items that I wasn't able to finish during the week, I add it to the weekend. For instance, last week, our air conditioner broke. Because of that, I wanted to spend as little time in the house as possible. On Friday, I didn't work on my class at all. Instead, I did the entire six hours on Sunday (in my nice, cool house).
I have it printed out and laminated. I use a sharpie to check off items as they are completed (I set a timer on my phone) or to write notes. At the end of the week, a little rubbing alcohol on a paper towel cleans it all away to start fresh.
So far, this schedule has worked really well for me. I'm not much of an early riser, so I often work into the night, but that's OK. As long as I get my work done, I'm happy. This schedule keeps me from getting overwhelmed and has also led to my house and office being a little tidier. I try to be somewhat flexible with it all. I've got several commissions on the books right now, so I may have to add some more design/production work over the next few weeks, which is fine with me because that's my favorite part!
(Maybe someday, I'll be able to hire an assistant to do all the other stuff.) ;)
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