3 Keys to my Daily Organization
I get it! You're busy!
But "busy" isn't a badge of honor we wear.
Being constantly busy is not a virtue.
It just means that you don't know how to manage your time or your to-do's.
Busy is your distraction from what you're really unhappy with.
I apologize - I'm not trying to call you out this early in the blog but it needed to be said.
I mean, I'm a single mom of two teenagers. I don't have any family near me so leaning on grandparents has never been an option for me. I'm kind of riding solo in this parenting thing.
I'm also an entrepreneur, I have been for 12+ years now. For over a decade I've carried the weight of all the bills, the debt, and the survival on my shoulders - mine alone. If the businesses aren't running, there are big issues.
I also have a personal life. At 36 years old, I'm slowly realizing the importance of community. As a homebody, I started to realize how energized & expanded I felt after spending time with people who were an energetic match for me & began prioritizing things outside the house.
Pilates classes.
Brunch with friends.
Coffee shop dates to work on my business.
Dinner dates.
Farmers Market visits.
Horse Riding Lessons.
And with all of that, my clients and community on social media are usually amazed by how much I get done in my day.
I am constantly bombarded with questions like:
"But when do you do laundry!?"
"Okay but when are you doing dishes and household things?!"
"How do you do it all!?"
It's like, because I do so much during the day, I can't possibly be fitting in normal human things like cleaning?!
So here's a typical day in my life:
wake up around sunrise (6:30a)
make my mushroom coffee
feed my dogs & let them potty
sit outside to read a chapter of my book
turn on my audiobook
get workout clothes on
morning skincare & fix my hair
make my bed
start a load of laundry
journal one page
55m pilates class at the studio
coffee date with a friend
move laundry
post my IG content for the day
(2-4) one on one coaching calls
share to IG stories
pause for lunch & sit outside
write weekly blog & share to Pinterest
connect with the kids
feed the dogs dinner
head to the Farmer's Market
unload the dishwasher
make dinner at home & eat with my girls
pick up dinner & wipe down kitchen
finish laundry & pick up the house
take a walk with Archie
5 min drive to visit my horse, Joey
home to wind down
skincare & shower
read in bed for 30 mins
lights out by 10p
Now, that's a typical day.
There are days when I do a little more (appointments/errands) and some days when I do less.
Reading it back, it does seem like a lot and the truth is, it doesn't feel like a lot because I've sprinkled so much joy in between all of my productivity.
So lemme share my strategy and the key focuses I have when planning my days.
1. I PLAN ONE WEEK AT A TIME:
I don't care about what's going on next week or next month. Of course, there are events, appointments, etc. on the calendar but they don't take my energy or attention yet.
Every Monday, I sit down and write out my week on my TIME BLOCK PLANNER.
I start with my non-negotiables. These are things like work calls and appointments that I need to show up for.
Next I plug in the habits I want to be consistent with like:
daily movement
journaling
taking intentional breaks
reading
family time.
From there, I identify where the gaps are in my day so I can either take them as an opportunity to pause or fill in the gap with something that moves me closer towards my vision.
Time Blocking has been a game changer for me as I have a lot to balance in my life.
Especially with the "Brain Dump" section on my planner that allows for me to jot down things that come up as I'm working. I can dump them down on that list and pull from that list when I have a gap in my day to fill instead of letting that thing become a distraction.
2. I USE A DIGITAL CALENDAR/PLANNER also:
Because I don't want to carry my planner with me everywhere, I use the free calendar in my phone if I'm on the go. If something comes up that needs to go on my time block planner, I dump it into my phone as a place holder.
Every Monday when I create my week, I pull the info from my Google Calendar and fill in the to-dos.
I also allows me to stay on track and on time when I'm not home.
The Notes app in my phone is also something I use daily.
As an Entrepreneur, my brain is constantly going, especially when I'm moving and on the go.
When a ping or download comes, I drop it in the notes in my phone so I can easily retrieve it when I'm back in front of my time block planner. Some of the things stay in my big "MASTER DUMP LIST" in my Note, others automatically get plugged into my planner for the week.
Dumping it all out makes it easier to see what needs my attention now and what can wait until next week or next month.
Not everything needs your attention now.
3. REDUCE CLUTTER IN YOUR SPACE
I know we learned this in preschool but people - we have got to pick up after ourselves.
This is a key for me in staying organized with my time and my life.
The truth is, everything in my home has a home.
There is a place for my planner, a place for my phone.
There's a place for my dishes and a place for my laundry.
There's a place for my mail and a place for my keys.
There's a place for my books and a place for the dog toys.
There's a place for our shoes and a place for...
Okay, you get the point.
AND STOP: don't give me the "yeah but with kids..." line.
My kids were young once too, and I'd like to argue that teens are messier.
The key is communication. When you've created the space & organization, you need to communicate your expectations and goals with the entire family.
Dishes don't get left in my sink, my kids know that.
Laundry doesn't just sit in the washer or dryer, you take it out and fold it.
My family is my team and we pull the weight needed to keep our space clean and organized.
There's a lot more I could share but I'll save that for another blog, newsletter, or dive deeper with you individually in my one on one coaching.
For now, what you need to know is that:
Time blocking will save you, try it. You're resisting it because it's unknown, lean into that.
Remind yourself of what's important. Your non-negotiables are non-negotiable for a reason.
Delegate what doesn't need your personal touch. You can do anything, but not everything.
Go one week at a time. Don't worry about next week or next month, focus on the present with your big vision in mind.
Prioritize your joy. Those gaps in your day need to be filled with things that recharge you, not things that drain you - this alone will increase your joyful productivity.
Set a small goal each day. It could be to eat 3 solid meals or to stay focused in your work blocks. What do you need today?
Don't be afraid to say no. Things will come up, test you. If you're saying yes to something, you're saying no to something else.
