A New System

I have really struggled with this whole work from home thing. It seems so simple, right? I mean you just need to set aside the time to get stuff done, and do it. I wish!

The truth is you need a plan. Telling yourself “I think I will film three videos this week, and write a couple of blog posts” just doesn’t work. It was all too easy to find myself sitting at my work space, thinking of all of the possibilities, and getting overwhelmed. It was also easy to get distracted. Text alerts, Facebook messages, and emails are constantly coming in. Family and friends call, someone needs you to take them somewhere, and suddenly you realize it’s five o’clock and you accomplished very little.

Setting Some Boundaries

Step one to being more productive was informing my family and friends that I would now have regular work hours, and wouldn’t be available during those times. This was definitely easier said than done. I still get calls, texts, etc on occasion, but it is much better than it was.

I Need a Plan

Step two was realizing I needed a plan! For me this meant a paper planner.  As I often do, I searched YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram for inspiration.  I found lots of ideas for scheduling my time to be more productive.

I also searched Amazon, and read a lot of reviews, to find books on working from home, direct sales, social media, and productivity. I’m currently working through several of these books, and plan to do a few reviews soon.

Setting Up a New System

Step three was taking all of this new information and setting up my new planner. Below is a video showing the beginning steps I have taken to set up my new planner, starting with an editorial calendar.

 

More to Come

I’m currently working on sections to track my stats, plan/brainstorm, track my income/expenses, set my 90 day goals, and set up the details of my day to day schedule. I’m sure this will be a work in progress with lots of tweaks, and adjustments, along the way. I will continue to update you on the progress I am making, as well as the times I stumble, and need to make adjustments.

Let me know in the comments below if you have found a great schedule, planner, etc that works for you. Stay tuned for Part 2.

Dedra