How to Plan Your Day Like a Boss

I’ve been asked A LOT recently how I get everything done in a day.  I wish I could say that I am super mom, but I definitely am NOT. There are things that I have let slide or have totally forgotten about.  Just today, I had to reschedule a client call because I totally forgot we had already made plans for the day.I’ve been late to appointments.I’ve had to skip meetings.I’ve let people down.I am FAR from “super mom”.  But, I do know that one thing I do well is creating a routine and schedule that allows me to be as productive as possible.  I am able to get A LOT of things done in a short period of time because I know how to plan out my day.Today, I want to share my tips for creating a routine that works for YOU to help you be more productive during your 24 hour day - without having to wake up at 4AM to get it all done.

1. Get your day started EARLY.

OK, so I know I said you didn’t have to wake up at 4AM, but I do highly suggest getting your day started before 7AM at the very latest.  I don’t know about you, but I know that I am the most productive before 11AM. Does that mean I get ALL my work done before 11AM? Absolutely not.  I still take advantage of naptime to get stuff done. But, I know that I can get A LOT done in the morning when I wake up before 7AM (or for me 5AM).I wake up every single day at 4:45 or 5AM.  I go for a run. In the summer, I do a quick HIIT workout in the garage or on the front porch (yup, I’m the crazy neighbor).  I shower + get ready for the day. I get the kids ready + feed them breakfast. I eat breakfast + drink coffee while I do a quick Power Hour.  By 9AM, I have gotten A LOT of things done in my day. Typically, by 9:30, my computer is off for a few hours and I have time to spend with my kiddos.You might hate it at first, but I HIGHLY recommend trying to get up earlier.

2. Plan your day out ahead of time.

On Sunday nights, I get out my planner and write down everything that is on my schedule for the week.  Miles’ soccer practice. Phone calls with clients or with Kelli. Team meetings + group coaching calls with my team.  EVERYTHING that has a set schedule is added to my daily, time blocked calendar. (Because I know you’ll ask, I use the Day Designer by Whitney English.)From there, I fit in my work times, schedule in my Facebook lives, and schedule in my workouts.  I know every morning I do my Power Hour while I eat breakfast + drink coffee. I also know that I will do some work while Miles’ naps in the afternoon.  I know that I will workout first thing in the morning. I’m basically filling in some of the white space in my day with things I know I need to get done.The other white space in my day is for family time, like playing games with the kids, or going on a family outing to the zoo or the brewery.Does every day go exactly as scheduled?  Absolutely not. Sometime things take longer than I expect, or an unexpected event comes up last minute.  Things happen, but I try to remain flexible enough that I can rework my schedule a little if necessary.

3. Create your ideal day.

I learned this from my business coach when my business first got rolling and I was working fulltime.  I needed to figure out exactly what needed to be done each day and when I would have time to do it. So I created an hour-by-hour spreadsheet and wrote down exactly what I wanted and needed to be doing each hour of the day.  For example, I knew that from 7AM to 3:30 PM, I was at work. I had a break in my day that I could get some stuff done if I needed to, but I knew those hours needed to be blocked out. I added in time with the family because that’s a priority.  I added in scheduled work time so I could stay focused. And I batched my business tasks, focusing on different things on different days. (That’s a post for another day though…)This gave me a general overview of how I wanted each day to run, so that when I did sit down on Sunday nights to plan my day, I had a good idea of exactly what I needed to be doing each and every day.

4. Determine 3 MAIN priorities for each day.

Again, not Super Mom here.  I CANNOT do EVERYTHING in a day.  It’s just not possible. So, I have to figure out what are the 3-5 most important things I need to get done THAT DAY.  This changes daily for me, so at the beginning of each day, I write down the 3 things I know I need to get done.For example, on Wednesday, I know I need to get a lot of my longer client tasks done.  I work on websites + membership sites. I do longer tasks like creating automations and adding clients into spreadsheets and email lists.  Wednesdays are always my longer tasks. Thursdays are all about MY business. I create a content calendar and ideas for the week. I find pictures I want to use for my content.  I determine what things I want to talk about each day, either in my posts or on my live videos. I schedule some things ahead of time, but it really depends on what I’m feeling inspired by, so there are several things I will wait until the day of to talk about.  But, I at least have an outline of what I want to talk about each day.Everything else that is not a priority that day goes on my “task” list.  Things I need to remember to do soon, but are not a priority that day. And if I have extra time, I can get started on them.I know I just threw A LOT of information at you, but the big thing is, a schedule + routine are going to be your best friend.  If you are always flying by the seat of your pants, you’re going to be frustrated with the lack of things you are actually accomplishing each day.Ready to start scheduling out your day?  Grab my Ideal Day Planner for FREE today!