Friday, November 1, 2013

Settling into a Routine

I'm sure some of you are self-employed / work from home, so you probably know this already, but it takes a while to get into a routine! Even though I started doing this full-time on 7/29, it seems I've just now got a routine set.

One reason it took time is that T wasn't working when I first started working from home, then he had a contract job for almost 2 months, and then when that ended, he was home again- it shakes things up! (Starting on Monday, he will be working again.) That made it difficult for a while, but in October, I think I finally got it.

So, my routine:

Work from 9-5 with a 30min lunch break. (Sometimes that would go long, like if T wanted to take us out for Tacos. Can't beat yourself up about a long lunch, right?)

Monday, Wednesday & Friday
  • Print until lunch. If i wrapped up a project early, that's fine, but I have to start those days in the studio. If the project continues into the afternoon, that's fine, too.
    Once I decided that those days were printing days, I printed up a schedule with two columns: My Projects and Client Projects. October was mostly My Projects (aka things for the shop/shows: greeting cards, holiday cards, stationery...) but November is filling up with Client Projects. This sheet is SO HELPFUL with scheduling jobs, very glad I made it. Schedule goes until 12/20 which is when my "vacation" will start.
  • If store work was printed, package, price and photograph new items.
  • Client work- emails, prepping files for platemaking, gathering materials for orders.
  • If there's still time, there's always more to do: Quickbooks, social media, prepping for the next print day, order supplies, etc.
Tuesday & Thursday
  • I start each day with a design. Last week I made two new wedding designs! One is the couple under the parasol. (The shown silhouettes are stock images but are meant to be swapped out with custom ones for the couple! Very excited about it).
    Wedding Invitations
    The other one I created might be really challenging to print, so I want to test it before offering it. This week I started Valentine's designs.
  • Blog posts, twice a week.
  • Prep listings for the monthly Shop Update.
  • Thursday is Errand Day, so after designing go run errands- grocery shopping, bank runs, paper/ink pick-up, things like that.
  • And Client work. 
  • If still time, take care of the little tasks that pile up.
Now the challenge is, add exercise to it.
Tues & Thurs, I will do my Zombies, Run! after designing. Monday, Weds & Friday, maybe in the afternoon, when done for the day, do shorter runs? And add Ballet Beautiful again? MWF will take some time figuring out what is best; we'll see how my days work with T's new schedule, but I'm looking forward to it.

How do you squeeze exercise into your days??  Leave a comment, I'd love to hear it!

Cheers,
ashley

4 comments:

  1. I wake up, look at Yoga Yoga's schedule & take a class. (Usually the 9 am class usually that is their first class they offer of the day.) I'm usually tired by the end of a workday, so less likely to go to a class after work these days. It also frees up my evenings to relax with my Mr. or be social with friends.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Replies
    1. Thanks, Julie! It's been fun so I hope it continues...

      Delete