Early January Q&A for Q1 of 2021

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Towards the end of 2020, the DMs on IG starting lighting up, asking me to do a Q&A. I get asked how I balance working from home full time, the brand and family life, and the short answer “I do.”

I’ve always been the type of person that gets it done by any means necessary. When you’re the daughter of a Navy man and an entrepreneur woman, you learn that “I can’t” is not in your vocabulary. 

I learned quickly last year that I had to change how I structured my time. Noah is brilliant and picks up very quickly on the mannerisms of people and their actions. 

Cooper, the corgi, also is a handful. In the early part of 2020, I had two under 2. I was a mad woman trying to get things in order. 

Since I am getting more and more questions about managing my time and productivity, I will share the essential tools that I am currently using.

Later Media

Later Media is the platform that I use to schedule all of my Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest content. It has allowed me to be consistent. 

I get up before everyone in the morning and schedule out my content a couple of days in advance. Later has been a lifesaver for me. While I am working full time or handling family matters, I’m able to show up for you every day, all day. 

I currently use the paid plan, but Later also has a free plan to help you start. You won’t regret it. 

Planner 

I write out my to-do in my planner for at least two weeks at a time. There are times that I have to switch tasks around, and I use post-it notes to do that. It has allowed me to clarify what I will discuss when I talk about it and what I need to do.

I schedule my photo shoot days, video editing days, themes, topics, and more in my planner. It helps me see the bigger picture and allows me to get more cohesive in my messaging. 

If you don’t like using a physical planner, you can always use your phone as one. I have learned that using the phone calendar doesn’t work for me as effectively as a physical planner does. If you want me to do a Q&A about how what planners are the best, let me know.

 

Communication with the Hubs

“There is no I in team.” I make sure to tell my hubby ahead of time my plans so that he is aligned. Sometimes he has to watch Noah, or he has to be in the shoot or take my photos. With his schedule varying all the time, giving him the heads up allows us to plan.

Talking to the hubs has been very instrumental in me growing the brand because, with his support, I can execute more brand partnerships and create organic content without the stress. If you want me to do a hubby Q&A let me know.

Waking up early

I think most moms do this, but even if you are not a parent, I think this will be helpful. GET UP EARLY!

I am not a morning person. However, I know that getting up when the family gets up limits my time in what I can accomplish until Noah takes his nap, and sometimes he doesn’t. 

I currently get up about one to two hours before the family. I use this time to get everything I need to get done for the business, including answering emails, writing blog posts, scheduling my content, or updating my planner. 

This uninterrupted time is so vital in my productivity that I told myself I have to go to bed early to get up early. The trade-off is worth it. 

Limiting Screen Times on Social Media

I use to be on Instagram for like two-three hours a day, and when you add that up in a week, I realized that I am missing out on crucial time with my family or doing something productive for the blog. 

If you have an iPhone, you can set limits on the amount of time you are on social media a day, and by implementing this, it’s been a game-changer. 

It can be hard to disconnect because, especially with Instagram, the more you are on it, the more the algorithm will favor you, but I can’t grow a business and not do anything all day. 

I have seen the shift this week alone in really pulling back and not worrying so much about what is going on, which has freed me, and I hope this will free you too.

Thank you for the questions! This was a great Q&A.

Writing this post was such a joy to do that that I will do more Q&A’s in the future. Most of the questions I get come from my Instagram page. To ask me to make sure you follow me by clicking here. 

Of course, if you have other questions you want to ask, you can always email me.