Over the years I’ve been asked many times how I manage to get everything done with the business, blog, and life. Being self-employed means that I’ve needed to learn how to manage my time wisely, avoid burnout, and effectively build my brand. These aims sometimes compete with one another and the balance between them is challenging.
Over time I’ve found a great way to manage my time day-to-day is to keep things simple. I sit down at my desk each morning and write out a list of tasks that I plan to accomplish in the day. I don’t think about any particular order, I just dump the tasks on the paper as they come to mind. Once I’ve got everything written down, I look at the list and prioritize the items. In general what is most important or urgent is at the top of the list and less urgent/important items are assigned to be done later in the day. This way if I’m not able to accomplish everything, the items that are left over can be completed the following day.
Sometimes I take the time to write out bigger scale goals like what I intend to do each week, but these daily to-do lists are what I rely upon for pace, direction, and time saving. By thinking ahead and determining the task order, I don’t have to stop throughout the day to pick the next item. It’s all laid out for me before I even begin.
Any other scheduling suggestions out there?
