The Power of Routine
Last Wednesday, I wrote about work life balance and suggested the problem most self-employed face is poor accountability. It is difficult enough if you have only a partner who demands accountability but just imagine how bad it is if no-one does!
After my mother died, my father, who suffered from MS, had to structure his life around the home. He was on his own and his movements restricted. He appreciated routine. Routine is actually a powerful tool for anyone, especially if self-employed.
Here are some of the advantages of routine:
- It brings structure to your day and your week
- You know what you need to do next and so you don’t need to think about it
- This can lend emotional support during periods of stress
- It helps you remember things, eg shopping lists
- You can ring-fence your best working times
The point is the more you do routinely, the better you can focus on the time dedicated to your business.
Allocating Time for Your Business
There are probably 4 or so hours in the day when you are at your best. You can work at other times but your mind is sharpest during those hours.
So, when you’re at your best, do the creative work you need to do: preparation for clients, package design, blog posts, etc.
At other times you can answer emails, edit blog posts, monitor your marketing. These important tasks need your attention but they do not need you at your peak.
The other things you need to do, such as housework, need to be scheduled into the day as breaks or when you’re tired. Sometimes a break, doing something else can refresh you. So, tired after a working day, you may find cooking tea a refreshing break!
Housework
Look it’s probably not that important. If you have a room for meeting clients, it must appear clean and welcoming but your family and friends are not that bothered. Indeed your shabby home may reassure them about theirs!
Obviously there are things you must do daily and weekly and these should be part of your routine. Things that should be kept clean include you, your clothes and pots and pans. Most other things can be cleaned when necessary, that is when you can’t bear it any longer!
Another thing to remember is when you move to another room, what can you take with you? The term I use, from chess, is en passant, in passing. Things circulate around the house and whilst you can organise hunting parties from time to time, it is more efficient to make sure you have something in your hands. If you have something in your hand, it harder to forget about it!
Finally, as soon as you can afford it consider paying someone to do cleaning, decorating, etc. This is a service you can provide for the local economy!
Have you any suggestions to how to work more efficiently whilst developing your business?