One of the most asked questions I get on Instagram (if you are not following me on Instagram, you definitely should @emmalynlove_) is about how I manage my time, or where I find the time to create content.
Time management has been something I’ve struggled with for years. Now, I am proud of how far I have come.
I have shared that I am a single mom, I work part-time as a nurse (or, whatever is considered part-time in the nursing field), I run an online boutique, and, of course, my blog.
I’ve also recently decided to go back to school, so that is what I am currently doing in hopes of furthering my nursing career.
Evidently, my plate is pretty full, especially now that my son is home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, I have added homeschooling to my already long list of things I do. That, in and of itself, is a whole other story.
Planning is your friend, period—I don’t wing anything. I plan my days, hour by hour. It truly helps. Planning has made such a huge difference.
Monthly Planning
At the beginning of each month, I write down my goals for that month as well as my daily to-do list. Because without a goal there really no sold today list. I write them down in order of most important, to the least.
It’s not usually fancy, I write it in my planner and make a list on my phone. I also set reminders.
For each goal or task that needs to be accomplished, I also assign a due-date—that helps tremendously.
#Girlboss suits
According to Parkinson’s Law, “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”.
In essence, this means that, if you give yourself a set amount of time to do something, then that’s how long it will take you. For example, if the time you give yourself is one month, that’s how long it will take; if it’s a week, that’s how long it will take.
Weekly Planning
Once I have my monthly goals and to-do list, then I start planning on a weekly basis. After that, I break them down day by day, then on an hourly basis. I think you get the picture.
Example of Weekly Planning
Sundays and Thursdays are usually the days I create content (at least, that’s my new quarantine schedule).
When it comes to content creating, I try to set one day a week aside for that. Some weeks are more hectic than others, so, during weeks that I am not as busy, I planned two days.
Once I know my shoot dates, I start putting ideas together—Pinterest is a great tool for this; I put together ideas for planning outfits.
I try to do this two weeks ahead of time so that I’m not running around at the last minute, trying to figure things out. Bulk content creating can be pretty stressful, so I try to eliminate any added stressor.
As we all know, things don’t always go as planned. For instance, just look at everything that’s going on now. I had to adjust all of my plans for the months of March and April. In other words, I improvised.
I try to stick to a schedule so that I don’t abandon my other responsibilities.
Sometimes, I dedicate an entire day to content creating, especially on days that my son is with his father. This way, I don’t have to be away from him while he’s at home with me.
I wake up at 7:00 a.m., get ready, and create content until about 5:00 p.m. I take a lunch break as with a regular job. Then, when I’m finished, I relax for two hours and unwind before I attend to schoolwork or housework.
This is how I stay on top of things. I am only human and, sometimes, I get burnt out. Then, I take days off and come back. I hope this helps you in some way.
Some of my favorite books.
