(And why the hell would you even care?)
No, this is not another COVID work-from-home productivity post. I think we’ve all had enough of those for a lifetime. (But then I’ve had enough cookies for a lifetime too, but I still keep baking them and eating them!)
"So why are you sharing this???" you ask.
I'm sharing this so you understand why I don’t want to get on a call with you in the morning. Ever. Unless you work in Finland and then, well…okay. Fine. But don’t make a habit of it!
It’s all about knowing when you are at your best and protecting that time. I am at my best in the mornings. Full disclosure…I am at my best writing and editing…I am not at my best peopling. Be glad I’m not taking your call in the A to the M.
Every morning I start by making coffee, checking email quickly for any emergencies (what the hell could possibly be a writing emergency???), then I check my plan for the day and make adjustments as needed. Next, I meditate for 10 to 15 minutes because if I don’t do it now…well, you know that story.
Once that’s done, I’ll do a bit of reading until that first cup of coffee is gone. Then it’s time to pour another cup, and I also turn off all distractions and focus on my core work (writing/editing) for the next three to four hours.
I amaze myself with the amount of work I can get done in a short amount of time when I’m on my game. This is why I’m not charging you per hour, either. Because that would just totally suck for me. That and you’re not paying for my time. You're paying for my brilliance!
By this time (around 10 or 11 am) I’m ready for a break. I put on my water shoes (I’m writing this in the spring…almost summer…I do not put on water shoes in the winter…that would be crazy), harness up the dogs and go for a nice three-mile creek walk. After that, I have a tasty lunch and look through slack, teams, and email to see what the rest of the world is up to.
My afternoons are a catch-all. I’ll work on research, go to meetings, conduct SME interviews, and work on some of the more artsy sides of projects. Such as making things look pretty, be that a PowerPoint or white paper. That’s my standard day.
From there, each day has its slight differences…
Mondays - If I don’t have a heavy load of client writing/editing that week, I will ease into my Monday by catching up on my reading. This helps to keep up with what’s going on in industrial marketing and my clients’ industries in general.
If I don’t have any research or interviews that need to be done, I’ll do a bit of my own writing in the afternoon. (I know, I know…that’s not my best time for writing, but it’s my stuff so I’m just going to have to squeeze it in when I can. And why are you complaining…I’m saving the best time for you!)
Tuesdays and Thursdays - I and some of my colleagues get together online and do one hour sprints. We show up on our slack channel, announce what we want to work on, set a timer, turn off all distractions, and put our heads down and work. This is where I do all those tasks I’ve been putting off because…well, for any number of reasons. The “we’re in this together” vibe really helps. You should try it. You might want to check out CaveDay if you’re really serious about it.
Friday - Nope, sorry, not going to do it. Afternoons are me time. This is where I work on a course I am taking or perhaps think about my business and ways to help you reach your goals faster. Plus, it’s Friday. Who the hell wants to be in meetings on Friday afternoon???
I try to keep my weekends laptop/desktop computer free. I don’t do any work, and I just rest my eyes and my mind. That sounds so zen and also a bit bullshit because I may or may not be binge-watching some old series...again. But definitely no work and no computer. If not binging…then I am definitely reading fiction.
So, here’s the short version (don’t you wish I would have given you this at the top!?) I've been at this for a long time. A really long time. I’ve worked out what works best for me. Let me stick to it, so I can do a better job for you.