197 - You Need A Schedule Lisa Woodruff 56:32

On the podcast this week, I talk about Time Management and productivity.

I’ve finally figured out what is missing for women on this topic!

Everyone needs a schedule. You need a plan and you need to proactively tell yourself what you should be doing. Because if you don’t, you will just end up sidetracked and distracted.

I haven’t talked about Time Management and productivity very much in the past. That is because I think that you need to get physically organized first before you can get mentally organized.

This is a little different from what you’re used to hearing me say. I do think that change happens in your mind first and then in your physical reality – as far as getting physically organized and decluttered.

But when it comes to productivity and Time Management, we’re at a whole new level. Now we are visualizing what change will look like and mentally making the changes.

That is why I want to make this physical for you. I have created some AMAZING printables that I’m so happy to share with you. You can download them here and they go with this week’s podcast episode and next week’s episode as well.

They also go with episodes 192 and 193 on routines.

Making changes to our Time Management and how we manage our schedule does not happen overnight.

I have devised 4 steps for creating a plan for Time Management.

Steps 1 & 2: Morning and Afternoon & Evening Routines

I recently created two podcast episodes on my morning routine and my afternoon and evening routines.

Thank you for all the feedback that I’ve received on these episodes – I loved recording them and they’ve been really well received.

Many people talk about morning and evening routines, but for me my afternoon routine is my most important routine right now (between 2-5pm – after my productive work) .

In this week’s podcast episode, I talk you through exactly what I want you to do to creat your routines and my worksheet will help you formulate one – just add ONE new thing into your morning, afternoon and evening routine.

Step 3: Work out all of the roles that you are responsible for in the household

This step is going to overwhelm you!

I take you through the task of working out how many roles you are responsible for when it comes to running your household.

There are A LOT of roles and you will be surprised how many relate to you. For example, healthcare coordinator, taxi driver, vacation planner, etc.

On the worksheet, you are then asked to work out all of your ‘to-dos’ for each role. You may find this difficult, but give it your best shot!

To put this into context – a couple years ago, I completed a time study for me and Greg. We discovered we were spending 36 hours a week on household and childcare related tasks.

Step 4: Planning your time and creating a schedule

In this final step on my worksheet, you actually plan your time. You create a schedule.

The focus is on being PRODUCTIVE. When you plan your time in advance (right down to the minutes), you will find that you have more minutes. Yes, you get more time back in your day!

I can work with you on this task, if you’d like. I love helping people plan their schedules in order to be more productive. Just click here to book a Coaching call with me.

You NEED a schedule – especially if you work from home.

Whether you are an entrepreneur, a work-from-home employee, a stay-at-home mom, or you have any other role that requires you to work from home, you NEED to have a schedule.

I consider “work” as your life purpose. That is how I define work. This could be paid or unpaid (i.e., stay-at-home mom). Whatever your work is, it’s your life purpose.

Time is so valuable and you can never get it back so you need to work out a schedule that ensures you do not fritter away your time.

Share your new schedules in the Organize 365 Facebook Group!

View the complete post here: https://organize365.com/197

Lisa Woodruff Founder & CEO of Organize 365®

Lisa Woodruff is the founder & CEO of Organize 365®.

Lisa, along with 87% of America, believes organization is a learnable skill. Yet less than 18% of those same Americans feel they are organized. Through The Productive Home Solution course, Lisa aims to teach Americans young and old the skill of organizing and unlocking their time for what they are uniquely created to do.

As the host of the top-rated Organize 365® Podcast (which has 17 million downloads and counting) Lisa shares strategies for reducing the overwhelm, clearing the mental clutter, and living a productive and organized life. Her sensible and doable organizing tasks appeal to multiple generations. Her candor and relatable personality make you feel as though she is right there beside you; helping you get organized as you laugh and cry together.

Under Lisa’s direction, Organize 365® has conducted academic research establishing the definitions of housework, home organization and the weight of paper in the American home. This ongoing research is making the invisible work at home visible to all. The goal is to eliminate it and free people from the monotonous tasks of daily living; and unlock their time for what they are uniquely created to bring forth in the world.

She is the author of four books including: How ADHD Affects Home Organization and The Paper Solution. Lisa’s understanding of the lived female American experience has helped her to create products & courses like the Sunday Basket®. These products and courses externalize the routine tasks that take up the executive functioning capacity of our brains; freeing us up to think and create again!