I’m on deadline right now – I am every day, so there’s nothing new there. Except that I’ve felt the urge to write a blog.
Dammit. Always comes at the most inopportune time. But as I have said before. When you’ve got to write, you’ve got to write. When I feel the urge, I literally drop everything and put manicured fingers to keyboard.
I’m really humbled to be asked by up-and-coming (well, even seasoned) journos, writers, bloggers and small business people about writing and why it keeps me up late at night and makes me spring out of bed in the morning.
I get asked a lot how do I fit everything into my day/week/month.
I don’t think it’s so much about that as it is doing something you love. I 100 per cent, wholeheartedly love what I do. So if there’s an opportunity to write or edit – I’ll take it hands down, no questions asked. I’ll figure out the finer details later. Logistics are boring anyway.
Right now I am editing a gloss magazine, I write for three other magazines online and print) and one other online business platform regularly. I had to give a couple of other writing gigs away because I’m not super human and it was getting too much.
I also run two businesses – this one and Makeup Media Marketing – and I’m writing a book on – you guessed it – writing (it’s almost at the printer) plus I’m in the process of getting an online writing course happening too (it’s launching soon). I’ve already ready co-written another one this year.
This, plus working on my business keeps my days packed out. But when you love what you do … right?
In all honesty, it’s more about managing my time and setting times around each task. I use a bucket load of reminders what start when I rise at 5am and keeping a structured diary and to-do list. I’ve tried other things, but I like to put pen to paper for my to-do list. Then cross it off with hot pink highlighter (highlight of my day).
This what a typical day looks for me:
5am – Get up, make coffee, start work. The night before I’ve devised my list for the day and have it set out at my desk ready to go. I also start scheduling working into my week.
I work best between 5-9am so I always do client work at this time or my own serious work like writing my book or online course.
9am – Gym or going for a run (I’ve been doing more running than gym lately).
10.30am – emails (sort out diary, client meetings, etc)
11am-2pm – Client work and editing
2-3pm – I usually have a break – sometimes I need a walk, sometimes I go shopping, sometimes I catch up with friends.
3-6pm – Emails again (depends if I’m deadline; the Get it magazine team and I email each other a lot) and client writing or editing.
6-9pm – Break, dinner, catch up with friends, dancing practice, netball, exercise, webinars, accountability group meetings, or phone hook-ups with my business partners for Makeup Media Marketing.
9-10pm – I often do a little more “work” (I don’t really like to call it that because I don’t consider it work) and get the next day prepped. Or read or write in my journal – I’ve also started my next book! – or chat to my bestie, friends or family on the phone.
10pm – Bed. I don’t like to be up too much past 10.30pm during the week as I get up early and like to have seven hours sleep a night. I’ve worked out I can survive on that. Six just is OK.
Of course, things change and I sometimes sleep in or work well into the late, or should I say early, hours of the morning. I also outsource as much as I can and I have a VA who does my social media posting and other various marketing and admin duties.
This year, I’ll start to do that more and get my systems and processes sorted more so my biz runs without me in it so much.
Talk to me about your time management tactics – I’m sure I can improve in many areas. I tend to get distracted – oh, look at that pretty, shiny…
Conclusion
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