Weekly Routine
Hello, guys, gals, and ghosts of all types.
Today I wanted to talk to you about chopping up everything you do for your business into manageable pieces.
Before the Routine and Getting Ahead
I used to be the person who tried to get it all done in one go and I found myself drained. I wouldn't get half of what I wanted done before I would feel the need to hide under a rock and not come out for several days on end.
Those days are now few and far between with the help of my weekly schedule. Here it is to give you some inspiration of how much you can actually accomplish in a week.
Some of you may know that I'm currently getting ahead of my writing. It's a bit of an insurance policy for me should something happen and I'm not allowed or can't type on the computer. Around where I live when the internet goes out it goes out for days, so I need my stuff typed up and ready to post.
So, I write 5 articles every week to get ahead. I publish 3 a week, so every week I get almost a full week ahead in my writing.
When I get up to 2-3 months ahead. That's 24-36 extra posts that I don't plan on putting up right away.
Maintaining my blog will free up some of my time, but do you think I'm going to slow down at all? Probably not. I have another website that's been collecting dust that I get to go play on afterwards.
I will tell you that in between every single one of these tasks, unless I am truly on a roll, I will take at least a 15-minute break. That break is normally away from the computer all together. It's good to give your mind a chance to cool down.
The Breakdown
Monday
Monday is the start of my work week. It's one of the tamest days as far as stuff that needs to be done. On Monday I need to:
- Post my blog
- Do blog checklist
- Double check all internal/external links are in place
- Embed YouTube video - if it applies
- Add featured image
- Meta title/description
- Post to Google +
- Fetch as Google
- Get comments
- Work on Canva for my Pinterest posts for the week
- I started working with Canva after my site had posts on it so I'm play catch up with 5 Pinterest pins a week.
- Schedule Pinterest posts on Tailwind
- Get 5 keywords for posts this week
That may seem like a lot but the longest thing on this list is working with Canva. I want to have the best picture for pinning as I can make it. I can overdo it, too. Thankfully I use Tailwind to actually post to my Pinterest and Instagram so I don't have to worry about that.
Tuesday
This is where things start to pick up. Monday was me getting started, Tuesday was hitting my stride. It's not a posting day, but that doesn't make me less busy.
- Take notes for posts
- I normally do 2-3 notes for posts
Yes, that is it for Tuesday because taking notes is probably the most time-consuming thing on my list. Each review that I do takes 2-3 hours of notes by themselves. I try to make it to where at least 2 of the keywords are personal stories so I don't have to overwork myself.
Wednesday
Wednesday is the final prep day for my posts. Here is where I finish everything up.
- It's posting day again
- Do post checklist (See Monday for further details ;) )
- Finish notes if they weren't done Tuesday
- If I have a keyword that was particularly difficult then I will shunt an easier one to Wednesday just so I can give it the attention it deserves
- Create framework for posts
- I admit that if it's a story or something personal that I tend to write off the cuff so to speak and so there won't be any framework for that
Wednesday is also my prep day to going back to my day job. It's a ball and chain that I wear with a heavy heart, but my blog keeps my spirit alive.
Thursday
My first day of work. I work in security and I'm grateful every day that my day job allows me access to a computer so I can continue to grow my blog. I work 3 12-hour days back-to-back. Thursday is when I'm in peak mental condition so it's also the day that I get the most work done.
This is because after I get off of work I go home, eat, and sleep before repeating it all again. I don't really have any down time outside of work unless it's my "weekend"
- Write 3-4 posts
- That includes links
- Finding videos is applicable
- Putting pictures in my blog
- Posts tend to run between 700-2,000 words
- Do lesson
This will take me most of the day and it is an awesome way of getting time to go by . . . as long as I'm not interrupted every 5 minutes. I work at a metal detector and every time
someone comes through here I have to stop what I'm doing, look everything over, have the person go through the metal detector and clear and then I get to sit down and continue working.
It's a hard process as I am continuously interrupted, but I do manage to get it done.
Yes, I am still going through the Bootcamp. I am taking my time and making sure I'm doing everything right. I'm on Phase 4 so I'm over halfway there.
Friday
Normally on Fridays I am tired. The inspiration isn't really there and I just want to curl up and go back to sleep. I do have a solution that I use for days that I do not want to work. I understand that I do need breaks and I give them to myself. I also understand that there may be times when I need to take an absence from blogging and that's what my head start is all about.
As for my solution I listen to Never Enough from The Greatest Showman. It's the one song that makes me want to continue to work on my blog when I want to procrastinate.
- Post blog
- Do blog checklist
- Finish writing posts
- Do lesson
As for posting my blogs during my work week I am up at 4:30 every morning. This gives me time to post in the comfort of my own home with nothing to bother me. The same goes for my checklist. It gets done before I have to get ready for work at 5:45
Saturday
You will notice that there is one thing that has not made it into my weekly schedule and that is something that gets done on Saturday. I'm running on fumes by this point and not because of my blog. I hate my day job. I hate working with people who do not care. I hate working with people, period, and I get to be surrounded by them all day long.
As an introvert it drains me to the point where I don't want to do anything. That's what Saturday is for me. I still do things for my blog, but it's not the major things that I need to do to continue to have my blog running smoothly
- Work on Canva for Instagram posts
- Post to Tailwind for the week
- Watch 1-2 training replays
- Do lesson
It's a very light list for Saturday, which is a good thing for me.
Sunday
So, what do I do on Sunday? Nothing. This is my 1 day of true rest. This is the day when I Get to do everything else that needs to be done outside of my blog like buying groceries and interacting with people that I care about and love.
So, that's that. Can you imagine me trying to cram all that into 2 days? It would be utter lunacy.
What does your weekly schedule look like? What do you think of mine? Let me know, okay?
Take care,
Michelle/Anne
Recent Comments
3
Thank you, Michell/Anne, for sharing this as it gives me a overall idea how you break tasks down in your discipline...just a couple of questions.
Is this routine something that has evolved in time with what works best for each task in your work week; something by trial and error and re-alignment, or an outline that you sat to organize this way from the beginning? Did you prioritize according to the length or difficulty of the task to fit your day?
My own schedule is based on the workload that I have for my #1 business (flooring sales and installation) with the starting time fluctuating slightly because I diligently accomplish my personal studies/ address comments and incorporate my workout routine as first priorities.
What seems to be most difficult is maintaining or refocusing my momentum back to my goals after the work day which leaves me exhausted, wanting food and a mindless distraction before bed.
Here's where I need most suggestions for improving as I feel I
can use time in my later day more productively and need only to
discover a method of rebooting,rather then heading straight away for the downtime... Funny, as I am writing these words I sense my own answers, but what is it you do to maintain a longer level of energy?
Anyway thank you, my friend, for being here to give organization thoughts to the process...respect and admiration, David
Hello, David
Thank you for your comment. I'm glad you got something out of it.
This schedule is a bit of both. I sat down and organized a general concept of what I wanted to happen every day, then tried it out, and re-aligned with what worked best for me. This is what came of it.
As I continue evolving as a brand and a business it is more than likely that my routine will change as well. I'll be sure to keep you updated.
I find that taking breaks is both a blessing and a curse. It helps my mind to ease up so I can refocus back on the tasks that need to be done without becoming overwhelming, but if left unchecked I will continue to do the mindless stuff all day long.
My solution is I have a timer on my phone that I set when I am taking a break at home. It allows me to be able to relax, but as soon as it goes off I have to shut whatever I was doing for my own enjoyment down and go back to what needs to be done.
I'm not sure if that's what will work for you, but it's what I do to keep on track. I also write out my schedule each and every day with the times on which I want to work on something. That also helps me keep on track since I have a set time to do it and can't just keep putting it off til "later".
Good luck and I'm sure you'll find something that works.
Take care,
Michelle/Anne
Wonderful reply, Michelle. I see this working beautifully for me as one really shouldn't ignore an alarm...especially the fire variety!
It has been vitally important to gain an insight in this area. My goals are very important in re-inventing my career focus.
Though I have been self employed throughout most of my life
it is significant to say that mainly this, a labor of hands and servicing homeowners. You have to be there much like an hourly employee and then further work evenings in estimating etc...so I know that level of commitment and organizing myself.
What you have added is how I will set scheduling where there isn't an expectation by anyone one other than me to make a reasonable productive effort in this opportunity we share.
Again thank you so much, David