many people have recently asked me how I am able to make time for a blog, work a full time job all the while maintaining a social life. my response is usually, "i make time for things that i love" but what i really mean is "i organize the shit out of my time to be as productive as possible". i want to share some organizational tips that help me be productive and i hope that you learn something new that you can apply in your day to day.
create shortcuts (replace text)
text expander is the shortcut tool i use daily on my computer. i use it to replace all of my responses to my candidates at work, but also i use it for my blog reach-outs and brand replies a lot of times too. if there's ever a form of communication you send multiple times a day, this tool will allow you to create a shortcut for it. for example my shortcut to reschedule something is:
#resched
and when I type in #resched on my computer this response populates:
Hi X,
No problem, we are happy to reschedule your interview. If you wouldn't mind shooting us over 3 dates and times that may work well for you, we'd be happy to take a look and see if one of our interviewers can accommodate.
Best,
{email sig}
you can use text expanders for just about everything. Email signatures, customer responses, address, cancellations, good luck emails, reach outs, etc.
text replacement on your iphone
there's a feature on your iphone that's very similar to text expander that you can use to replace any text (like the one they auto add to your iphone, omw= On my way!). you can add any custom text replacements to your phone and enter your own by using these steps:
1. settings
2. general
3. keyboard
4. text replacement
5. click +
6. add your phrase and your shortcut
i use this feature on my phone for emails i often send, long lists of hashtags, signatures/links, etc.
asana
the app called asana has truly helped me stay organized with my tasks & to do lists. i use asana for all my blog post deadlines and i create due dates & a to-do list. if i work with anyone on a project where i need them to do something, i can add them to my project and task them with something i may need from them to complete the project. with asana everyone knows what’s going on and where to find it. i've found asana really helps reduce the back and forth via email. Some of the features i love are their shared task list that you can assign and mark items as complete. Their organizational charts to manage tasks & make sure you hit deadlines. there's also notifications that come to your phone (or computer) when someone on your team completes a task or adds a task. i also love that there’s a project dashboard and a shared team calendar. whether you work alone or with a team this app is amazing to stay organzied.
iCal
i use my calendar on my phone as my source of truth. any workouts, appointments, meetings, hangouts or vacations wouldn't happen without my calendar. if you haven't gotten used to having everything in one place, i can't recommend highly enough syncing all your email accounts to your phone. i always set reminders for myself (or even alarms) on my phone to make sure i'm in the know of what's going on when. it also helps, if i get asked to go to something i can quickly look to see if i'm free, so i don't have to let people down by backing out when i'm not available.
workout productivity
this one is probably a little less conventional, but i want to get the most bang for my buck when working out. on nights that i need to do laundry, i throw it in the washer & start an at home workout (my two favorites are tone it up and yoga with adrienne). i set an alarm on my phone for when i need to change my laundry and get back to my workout. i finish my workout, shower and by the tijme i shower, my laundry is done. i also LOVE to walk. instead of sitting on my couch watching tv, i throw on a podcast and go on a walk OR i call my friends and do my catch-ups with them while getting my steps in.
sunday night prep
every sunday night before i go to bed, sometimes wearing a facemask & hair mask i take a look at my week. i decline meetings i don't need to be at, i block off time to blog, i sign up for workout classes, take a look at what i want to eat that week & go from there. overviewing my schedule helps me do a little pulse check on my week. i really try to not overbook my social calendar, so if i have plans 1-2 nights a week i know i'm maxed out and can't agree to anything else. night prep can also be done daily, if your schedule is busier than mine
i really do hope these tips help you feel a little more like the boss babe you are!
