Listen "RFM158 – Establishing effective routines to help with productivity and work/life balance"
Episode Synopsis
Main talking points include: Prefer to watch this show? Subscribe to the YouTube Channel! The challenge: We're all exceptionally busy – and if doesn't matter if we're an agency of 1 or 100, we all need to make sure that items of work aren't forgotten, deadlines are hit, our company is marketed, the booked an payroll are done, invoices are sent and that we have some time for ourselves and our family. The solution: Whilst it may sound exceptionally boring, establishing effective routines means you can become more efficient and think about the output rather than the process. This also seriously helps with delegating if some of these routines include catch-ups. Here's my predicament:I run 2 businesses – that's two lots of staff, two lots of project management, two lots of sales and support, and two lots of everything!That also means everything is held in two places – we have separate project management systems. Here are my techniques:Regular (weekly) catch-up meetings with core team membersWeekly planning of my week (generally on a Friday)Start up and shut down processesStartup: review the day, and what needs to be done firstShut down: check the day (what got done vs what didn't) and confirm the plan for tomorrowDo, Delegate, Delete <- as much as possible... this is for far more than emailOnly check email a few times a dayHave a separate communication channel for staff, but even then manage the notificationsPlan your social time/activities in if they encroach on your "normal working day"Have a "normal working day" (or days). Mine are:Monday: 9-5Tuesday 10-6:30Wednesday: 9-5Thursday: Either 9-5 or 10-4 + 8-10 (late call every other Thursday)Friday 10-3 (including no meetings)Calendar Blocking where necessaryHave SOPs for EVERYTHING. Software to help with this:Project Management is in ClickUp for both companiesI run "personal" management through ToDoistiCal for CalendarTrialling Sunsama that is bringing everything task and date based together from across all three sources (agency, SEOHive and Personal)Newton for EMailSlack for Internal Comms Join the Facebook Group