Strategies for Introducing New Routines Into Your Busy Schedule
If you’re skincare and wellness obsessed like me I’m sure you have so many little things you want to fit into your schedule. Like I want to have time for weekly face massages, daily movement, proper sleep, meal prep, and socializing. Oh, yes, and work! Sounds impossible? With the right amount of planning, efficiency, and organization, I’ve found it’s possible to fit in our wellness rituals, work, skincare routines, and everything else.
scrub me secret: According to a survey conducted by Vagaro, individuals in the United States identified several benefits of practicing self-care. Benefits include an increase in self-confidence (64%), heightened efficiency (67%), and an increase in overall happiness (71%). Furthermore, engaging in self-care activities can also contribute to the prevention of physical ailments such as heart disease and cancer.
Over the years I’ve learned and read about many different productivity-boosting habits and strategies. I’ve refined it down to the ones that really work best and are easiest to apply to daily life. The strategies I’m listing below are methods I use to organize and add structure to my days/weeks so I can get the most out of my time. That means more time for wellness rituals! (gua sha face massage is my favorite😍)
Productivity-boosting methods I use to maximize my time
Plan the full week out with as much detail as possible
This is something I’ve been doing for many years now and I find it really helpful for making the most of my time. It’s also key for ensuring I never forget about an obligation I have made. Work for scrub me skin care and the skincare studio makes up 60-70 hours of my week. I need to be able to keep my business tasks organized as well as fit in the time for my wellness rituals, family/home time, and social activities. By detailing out my weeks ahead of time I can easily see where I have time to fit in everything I want.
Here is how I do it:
🔸Take half an hour on a Saturday or Sunday to sit down with your calendar/planner (choose digital or physical planner) and plan the week ahead.
🔸Write in any and all tasks for each day that you are aware of. There will be room left for tasks that may arise during the week. Examples of this might be writing down “prepare for Thursday meeting” on Tuesday or “Go to dinner with the girls” on Friday. I like writing down what I’ll do for exercise on each day. If I know I’ll be fully booked with clients at work and I know I won’t be able to do much else I’ll write down “focus at work from 10 am-8 pm”
🔸After this planning exercise is done I usually have 1-4 tasks listed on each day for my week that is ahead. When more tasks arise or if someone asks you to do something social you’ll be able to see what day/time works best for you to add it to your calendar.
Ivy Lee Method
I first learned about this method while listening to the Skinny Confidential podcast. After reading a bit more about it I found that it was a popular productivity hack used among top performers. As a solo business owner, I need to create as much structure in my days as possible and the Ivy Lee Method is a simple method that helps me stay on task day after day.
Here is how it works:
🔸 Write down 1-6 tasks you need to accomplish for that day (the Ivy Lee method says no more than 6)
🔸Prioritize the tasks in order of importance. Number 1 is the most important and number 6 is the least.
🔸Focus on the first task. Work until it is complete. Do not work on more tasks until it is complete.
🔸Tackle the rest of the list in the same fashion.
🔸At the end of your work day if you have any remaining tasks, move them to the top of your list for the next day. Ideally, you will have zero or very few tasks remaining.
scrub me secret: I do a little bit of an altered version of the Ivy Lee method. My daily to-do list usually includes more than 6 items. Sometimes if I have a task or 2 lingering at the end of the day it may get pushed to the next day or I might place it somewhere in my planner for later in the week
Use a timer for your tasks
There are only 24 hours in a day and if you read my last blog you’ll know that ideally we are spending 7-8 of those hours sleeping. That’s why it only makes sense that we maximize our time by being efficient with our work tasks and chores. I find that setting a timer helps me stay on task and gives me a good idea of how much time it takes me to do a certain task when I’m being efficient. This productivity hack eliminates dilly-dallying around when you are supposed to be focused on finishing a task. Being more efficient opens up room for things we like to do the most, or simply relaxing.
Here is how I do it:
🔸 When I begin a task I set a timer for the amount of time I think it will take me to get it done. If it’s something I’ve done many times before I’ll have a pretty good guess of how much time I need (e.g.: folding my spa laundry). If it’s something I’ve never done before I’ll make an educated guess
🔸I set the timer and begin my task. Focus is required because I know I only have a certain amount of time.
🔸The goal is to finish my task before the timer ends or to be wrapping up when the timer goes off.
🔸If the timer goes off and I have not finished my task I’ll put a bit more time on my timer OR if I need to move on I’ll schedule time later in the day to finish up.
Helpful tips for fitting new habits into your daily life
Make it fun
Looking for time to implement something like face massage, body brushing, home cooking, etc. into your weekly routine? Pair it with something that you already like to do, like listening to an audiobook or watching your favorite TV show. You can also try stuff like playing your favorite music while you do your skincare routine or while you’re doing a cool rinse in the shower to make the whole experience really enjoyable.
scrub me secret: Little things like this help us slow down and savor the moment. Appreciating the moment and practicing gratitude greatly improves our overall mood and stress levels. When we are happier and less stressed we are able to show up to work and our personal relationships as our best selves.
Keep a daily journal for 1 - week to asses where you can find time
This is a tip I learned when I read Habits of Highly Successful Bloggers by Ryan Robinson. Part of improving the success of a blog is writing often; and in order to write often, you have to find time for it in your already busy life.
This practice can be used to open up time for anything you choose: Commit to keeping a journal of everything you do in a day for one whole week. At the end of the week, you can look back at your journal and see where you are spending time on time-wasting activities like scrolling on social media, finishing tasks for others, or watching hours of YouTube TV.
Learn when to say “no”
In order to have time to do things we want to do, like care for ourselves and spend time with loved ones, we have to learn when to say no to things that don’t align with our wants, needs, and goals. If you planned to stay in on a Tuesday night to cook, don’t say yes to a work happy hour you really don’t want to go to. Need to wake up early on a Saturday to get a workout in? You might have to say no to the Friday night comedy show that goes past midnight. Choose what matters the most to you and learn when you need to say no to the other things. Trust me, it all balances out in the end and you can still make time for the wellness things, work things, and social things. We just aren’t able to do ALL the things, and that’s okay 😉
Don’t overcomplicate it
Sometimes the thought of implementing change into your life seems really daunting. The thought and stress of thinking about adjusting or adding something new to your already busy life can end up in mental paralysis and as a result, no real change is ever made. But don’t overcomplicate it! Take away the tips and habits from this blog and apply what feels best and most doable to you. If you’re not ready to start just yet I have a few book recommendations that were super inspiring for me.
Books that taught me applicable life habits
Tim Ferris - Tools of Titans
A great resource! This book is filled with interviews with a wide variety of people who are successful in their own right. I have pulled so many tips from this book and it has sparked many ideas for my business.
Ed Mylett - Power of One More
A very motivational book that helps you look within yourself and realize you can function at your full full potential. This book also has some applicable tips on how to maximize your time as a busy person.
Ryan Robinson - Habits of Highly Successful Bloggers
This e-book has tips that apply to both bloggers and non-bloggers! This is where I got the productivity hack I listed above about journaling for a week. This book helped me find time to write one extra blog a month and gave me tips to make my blogs more visible.
Jay Shetty - Think Like a Monk
Such a good read! This book helps you refine your wants and needs in life and get granular about what’s important. It gets deep but in a really great way.