One of the things I get asked a lot by people is how I manage to fit everything in – my own writing, my freelance writing and my blog. The truth is, I fit it all in because I make a conscious decision to fit it all in.
Its not because I’m some sort of machine – it’s because I plan my time efficiently and make that time count. Below is a rough schedule of my days. to show you all it is possible, and how you can get so much done in a day if you work productively.
Start Time – 11am
I am so not a morning person, so rather than flounder around half doing things and getting annoyed, I have a bit of free time before I start work for the day.
11am-1pm
I dedicate this time to social media, email etc.
- Respond to emails and sort into the correct folders
- Respond to comments on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and my blog
- Like around 50 Instagram pictures and follow some new accounts
- RT tweets from my favourite bloggers and writers
- Stumble 50 posts on Stumble Upon
- Pin my new post (if applicable) and add it to Stumble Upon and Google+
- Do some repinning
- Post to Instagram
- RT posts from my linkys
- Join Facebook threads with that day’s post where relevant
- Comment on five blog posts
1pm-7pm
I spend this time doing writing for my clients on a Saturday-Thursday and writing and scheduling my own blog posts and social media updates on Fridays. Some days I’m writing horror, some days crime, some days romance. It all depends what projects I have going on. No two days are ever alike.
7pm-11pm
I take a rather long break here.
11pm-Midnight
Again, I concentrate on social media at this time:
- Recheck and respond to any new emails and sort them into folders
- Respond to any new social media comments
- Complete any threads I joined
Midnight-2am
This is my time to work on my own stuff and usually entails one of the following:
- Blogmin tasks such as rejigging design elements, checking broken links and updating old posts etc.
- Working on my own fiction
- Working on my own non-fiction
- Editing and proof reading
- If I’m really busy, I sometimes do more client work here
2am-5am
This is my wind down time where I might watch Netflix for a bit, read, or usually do a combination of both.
So there you have it. My general daily routine. It’s not set in stone. If I am going somewhere during work time, I re-jig my schedule. And I still have a nasty habit of checking social media and emails through my other time slots too.
But it’s doable, and I hope this shows you that with a bit of simple planning and some dedication, there is absolutely no reason why you can’t easily run your blog and still do other things too.
Do you have a set routine that helps you be more productive? Let me know in the comments 🙂
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YOU are sooooo inspiring..thank you for sharing…..and so agree…..we have to carve out a schedule that works for us and stick to it!
Thank Eileen 🙂 Yes, its all about finding what works for you
I wish I could get up later than I do and stay up later, but that pesky day job keeps messing things up. 😉
I know what you mean – I really struggled to everything in when I had a day job too!
Great post! You just inspired me to stick to a schedule too in order to be more productive! Thx
#BloggerClubUK
How on earth can you stay up til 5 am! I can barely make it past 10 pm these days!
#anythinggoes
I’m practically nocturnal these days haha 🙂
5am!!!!!!! You really are inspirational. It’s so interesting how you turn your day almost upside down to a lot of people’s to suit your body clock. It sounds as if you are very organised and productive. Brilliant – thank you for sharing this. Alison x #AnythingGoes
For years I tried to be a morning person like “normal” people – finally, I just accepted it’s not who I am x
Wow its unusual to find someone who stays up til 5 too! Its really difficult, I have 3 kids under 3 to manage during the daytimes so I cant really work on my writing then as their noise is not conducive to concentration and creativity! So I find I work better in the small hours. Its tiring though! #AnythingGoes
I’ve always been more of a night owl- I seem to focus more somehow. Glad I’m not the only one who does it haha
I remember the days when most of my productive work got done after everyone else went to bed. My work schedule is different from day to day but I try my best to have a schedule set out before I get started. it really does help get things done #anythinggoes
I’m so much more productive when I have a schedule (its not set in stone, just a rough idea). Before I used to waste hours deciding what to do first!
Wow! You stay up till 5am? I’m lucky if I can make it unitl 10pm! Great job!
#anythinggoes
I’ve always been more of a night person 🙂
Never really thought about scheduling but this has really made me think about how to improve the day! Thank you! #anythinggoes
You really are a night owl! How fun to know your routine Debbie, it was like having a glimpse in your house. 🙂 #AnythingGoes
I totally am 🙂 I like a little nosey into other people’s routines so I thought it was only fair to share mine haha
Oh my Days it is interesting to hear your routine. I am total opposite. I will be at laptop by 7am with a coffee, but I will finish by 3pm have a few of hours, house work etc then back on 7pm ‘blog-keeping’ and social media till 9pm ish.
We are total opposites! It’s all about finding what works for you 🙂
I wish I can dedicate the time you do for the blog… between work, the house and the kids I just have a couple of hours left to work on the blog 🙁
#AnythingGoes
I know what you mean – when I started the blog I had a full time job (where I actually had to leave the house lol) and fitting everything in was a nightmare!
Oh my days! I changed my job working nights as I couldn’t deal with it! Well done you for having such and organised, productive day #AnythingGoes
Wow! I am not a night owl at all so would struggle with this – good for you xx #bloggerclubuk
Wow! I do all my work and blogging around the children. I wake up at 6.30 and am in bed about 9pm! #BloggerClubUK
I love the first line – you fit it all in because you make a conscious decision to do so. That in itself is so inspiring… I agree, if you set your mind on something, you will make it happen! Thanks for sharing.
#BloggerClubUK
Thank you 🙂
I really admire your organisation and determination. How you’re staying up until that hour though is a mystery to me, I’m done for by 8pm!
#BloggerClubUK
Sounds like a good working routine though how you can manage to stay awake beyond 2am is beyond me! #bloggerclubuk
I’ve always been more of a night person
Always interesting to see what someone elses day looks like #bloggerclubuk
Wow – you are certainly a night owl! I could stay up occasionally to 5am when I was younger and usually at a weekend but not now with two smalls who wake at 6am! TBH I am crashing by 11pm. Great to have a routine though. I think I need to work on grabbing chunks of time inbetween the work/parenting hours. Not needing to have a whole hour but using spare 20 mins to do some writing. Sounds like you’re doing great 🙂 #bloggerclubuk
I’d love to go to bed at 5 and get up at 11. My first school run is 7.15am though so no chance. I blog post school run or after dinner till I go to bed. The middle of the day is Coombe Mill stuff and after school the kids activities and cooking. I agree it is possible to fit it all in, but I rarely get to watch TV or the like. #bloggerclubuk
Ahhhh! Now I get it! You just don’t sleep much! 😀 This is really insightful – thank you for sharing it! 🙂 #bloggerclubuk
I do have ar routine but it revolves around Peachy’s routine. A lot of my time is taken up with taking care of her. That and social media/emails. I should stop checking in on those things outside of the designated time slots I have scheduled for them. #BloggerClubUK
Wow, what a great insight into your routine. I love finding out how people manage everything, it really is motivating #BloggerClubUK
It’s great to have a routine, although I’m a morning person, there’s no way I’d do anything at 5am in the morning if I’d not slept first lol
#BloggerClubUK
Wow this is amazing – I was only saying yesterday how I seem to get productive so much later in the day so love how you’ve set your routine to suit you. Thanks for hosting #bloggerclubuk xx
Well I can quite clearly see where I’m going wrong now. I go to bed at 9pm lol. I’m still struggling to see where you fit in time to cook, clean, shower, eat or spend time with your family though.
#bloggerclubuk
What I call a break is mostly filled up with practical stuff like showering, cooking etc. And I don’t have children – if I did there’s no way I’d be able to work so many hours!
I am not a night owl! I wish I could work into the night, but I have to be in bed by midnight otherwise the morning is unbearable and I’m not a lark either, everything has to be done in snatches of time. But well done you for getting all your work accomplished in all this time! #bloggerclubuk
Love this. I am much more of an evening than a morning person but it has been forced on me in recent years (career/kids) to be the opposite. I think in time I’ll go back to rising later and working into the evening #bloggerclubuk
How inspiring. I couldn’t be doing anything past 11pm though, I’d be struggling to keep my eyes open! #AnythingGoes
You’re a real night-owl! I like to do things a bit differently to other people but I’m usually asleep in front of the TV each evening 😆 #BloggerClubUK
When do you manage to get any sleep? I’m so impressed by your work ethics and scheduling – you’ve made me think I really need to schedule my day more. It’s amazing how much you manage to do with all your projects. #bloggerclubuk
Gosh I don’t know how you manage to stay awake until 5am!
You sleep from 5am to 11am? You are CRAZY!! But i may try slotting in more set times for social media as i find it sucks the time away on my blogging days #BloggerClubUK
Haha no, usually about 9am I just don’t start working until 11am!