5 ways to make your working week more productive

5 ways to make your working week more productive

I don’t know about you but the past few weeks have lacked structure. With the children’s school holidays my normal working schedule went out of the window… it actually took a zip wire out of the window and crash landed on top of a moving vehicle.

I’m very lucky that I’m able to work my business around my children and don’t have to spend a fortune on childcare through the holidays, perhaps the children will even thank me one day for spending time with them and having the odd day out. I must say though, I’m really looking forward to some routine and, the lack of it over the past couple of months, has left me eager to make a plan for how I’m going to get more organized and make the time I do have available for work as productive as possible.

 

1 Save time arranging appointments and client calls

I’ve just downloaded Calendly, an app which syncs with your online diary and allows clients to choose from a selection of available dates and times, pre-set by you and your diary.

Once you send clients a link to your Calendly page, they are able to then choose their preferred slot from available dates and times. So much time is saved without the too-ing and fro-ing between you and clients trying to agree on a mutually convenient date and time.

 

2 Protect your most productive hours

Many people find that they work better in the morning while their brain is still fresh. If you’re one of these people try keeping client meetings and calls to the afternoon and save your mornings for those tasks which need the most focus and concentration, such as writing, which leads me to…

 

3 Write every day
For those of you who are trying to build and maintain a blog for your business or even write a book, it can be overwhelming knowing that you have to fit it between doing client work, dashing to and from appointments, doing the school run and trying to prevent the house from resembling a pigsty. One of the best tips someone gave me to avoid the overwhelm and ensuing procrastination is to set yourself the target of writing for 3 minutes each day.
What can you write in 3 minutes I hear you ask? Well, maybe very little. But by setting such an achievable target, you’re far less likely to find excuses not to do it and once you actually get started, chances are you’ll get into the swing and end up writing for far longer than the 3 minutes.

If you’re having an off day and don’t write for any longer, you’re still a winner! By the end of a week you’ll have a good chunk of a blog written and maybe even be well on the way to having one completed.

 

4 Set aside time to make videos

I’ve really got into filming video recently. As a woman though one of the things I find really difficult is picking times when I have suitable layers of makeup on and my hair is looking remotely presentable. I sometimes get the urge to film and am full of things to say but I look like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards and the thought of making myself look camera ready is enough to stop me doing it.

What I’m going to do is set aside a morning a week to film a batch of videos, which I can edit later. That way I can let myself go for the rest of the week!

 

 5 Encouraging clients to video call

I live in quite a rural area and so, in order to meet clients face to face, they usually have to drive quite a way to meet me, or me to them. Over the last few months I’ve spoken to people all over the world via video call and have found that I can build just the same rapport, all from the comfort of my own office chair.

I, and the client, save travel time and expense and get near enough the same experience. It’s a no brainer.

 

These little hacks may just save you a few minutes each day, but all those minutes add up and, actually, the feeling of being in control of your own time and schedule is extremely liberating and gives you the momentum you need to keep chipping away at world domination!

The Lakeland Businesswomen’s network is a great source of support if you’re looking to share your experiences with other like-minded individuals. Explore the website to find out more about our events and our community.

2 Comments

  • Danielle Hone Reply

    Really useful tips, Natalie, thank you. I particularly like the idea of writing for 3 minutes a day – perfectly achieveble – I just have to remember to do it! Little and often (as I remind my Pilates clients) promotes good habits.

  • Emma Ormerod Reply

    Thanks Natalie, some great tips! first day back at school today and breathe….and plan!!! This has really helped

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply to Danielle Hone Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.