Since the global pandemic, many small business owners have been forced to work from home. Some may even have to wear different hats in the household – such as teacher to their children, dog-walker, gourmet cook, and dealing with a spouse who is now a co-worker.
Implementing a structure to your day can give you a sense of control. It can help improve your focus, organization, and also productivity. Creating a routine at home will not only help the day-to-day responsibilities of your business but can help give you time to focus on some self-care.
We’ve listed a sample schedule of time blocks to get started – of course, you can adjust them as needed, but remember to add time for yourself and rest.
Morning Hours
Time to start your morning and go till lunch. If you’re not an early riser, you can slowly train your body to get used to waking up early. Some important tasks in your morning routine can be:
6:00 am: Wake Up and Work Out – Working out in the morning will not only help you with your fitness goals, but it can also even help give you a boost of energy before your first cup of coffee. Some people can also use this time to meditate.
6:45 am: Get Ready for the Day – Time to hit the showers, eat a hearty breakfast, and take care of family responsibilities before you plop in front of the computer.
8:30 am: Do the Most Important Stuff – You’ve worked out, showered, ate breakfast, and ready to go. Time to tackle the most important tasks of your workday. Some business owners and entrepreneurs like to start their day with the most daunting project first – that way by the end of the day and you’re ready to shut it off, you know you put in a good effort during the first of the day.
Noon Through Mid-Afternoon
This is the time to take a break from your morning and shift your focus on other things.
12:30 pm: Eat Lunch – Make sure you schedule a time for lunch – and don’t sit at your desk and eat. This is your time to step away, relax, and regroup.
1:30 pm: Learn Something New – Take this time to read that article you’ve bookmarked on your browser. Take an online class or learn a new skill that will help improve your business. You can even use this time to catch up on emails and phone calls. Whatever it is, make it worth it!
2:30 pm: Make Yourself More Visible – How are you establishing yourself in the community? Are you connecting with other professionals online? Is your business showing up on pages and forums where it should? When was the last time you posted online?
Breaktime
Of course, there are other things that need to be tackled throughout the day – life doesn’t stop just because you’re working from home.
3:30 pm: Take a Walk – Getting natural sunlight and the body moving is a great way to boost your energy and alertness level during the midday.
4:00 pm: Free Time – Use this time to address anything that was needed during the day. Such as focusing on the kid's homework, thinking about dinner, shopping – anything that needs attention, including business tasks.
Late Afternoon
Once you’ve gotten through most of your day, it’s time to focus and prepare for the day ahead – tomorrow. Many people sleep better knowing their next day is planned and ready to go.
5:00 pm: Plan For Tomorrow – What are the top three priorities that you need to focus on tomorrow? What didn’t you complete today that you need to still do? Write them down and adjust your schedule as needed to get them complete.
6:00 pm: Time To Shut Down – Whether you want to spend time with family, or hang out with friends, this is your time to relax by yourself. This is your personal time and shouldn’t involve any work.
Evening Wrap-Up
8:30 pm: Log Back On, Briefly – As a business owner, you may have gotten some emails during your personal time. Or maybe that small task that you have to get done is calling your name. Take an hour to clean-up anything that you feel is necessary to complete.
9:30 pm: Shut Down – Close the laptop, put the phone down, and take a little more personal time before bed.
11:00 pm: Good Night – Sleep times vary from person to person, but try to get at least 6-8 hours each night. That means no phone, tv, or anything else. Rest your brain – tomorrow is a new day.
No matter what your business or home life is like, it’s important to prioritize and get into a routine – even at home. As mentioned earlier, you can adjust these times and blocks to fit your personal needs.
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Salty Red Dog Marketing, LLC is a marketing agency in Westport, Connecticut, and Red Bank, New Jersey. We service businesses with marketing strategies, digital marketing, social media, and consultations.
Contact: info@saltyreddogmarketing.com Phone: (203) 429-9671
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