No Manager Required
As I work on starting my own business, there are a lot of non-business things I have to get right in order for the business to have a shot. One of the big things I'm working on now is figuring out a work schedule. I know I need some balance between work and non-work, but what should that look like? How can I end the day feeling like I was productive and most importantly, got the right things done?
While I love to read about the morning routines and habits of people whom I admire, I know I've got to figure out my own way of working. Right now, I'm trying out a few things:
- Waking up at 6:30 a.m. – There's no impetus for waking up early since I'm not going into an office, but I need a routine! No matter what time I go to bed, I need to get up and move it. Sleeping in = feels like I'm on vacation.
- Meditating – I've been meditating pretty regularly for the last couple of years. Now that my days are completely mine, it's even more important for me to clear my head. I try to get in 15 minutes of Headspace in the morning (just started the "Prioritization" pack), and if I don't do it in the morning, I'll often do a sleeping meditation at night.
- Top 3 to-dos – I'm notorious for making mile-long to-do lists, and only making it through a few items by the end of the day. This always leaves me feeling really crappy. Instead, I'm forcing myself to make a top 3 each morning and really focus on getting through those tasks. So far, this is working well.
- Pomodoro focus – Since I'm mostly working from home, I needed a way to force out distractions as I work on my top priorities each day. I've used the Pomodoro Technique in the past but never relied on it regularly. A Pomodoro is a short, timed interval to focus on one task with zero distractions. With time, it can help increase your attention span an concentration. I turn on my Tomato Timer, focus on my Top 3 task, and don't look at my phone, social media or email (unless the task is in email). So far, it's working really well! Right now, I'm experimenting with getting about seven Pomodoros in per day. This week, I had a day with five Pomodoros, and also a day with nine. It's a work in progress!
Having my own time is incredible, but also a challenge – I could laze around in my pajamas all day and no one would know. I could also have the most productive day of my life, and no one would know. Without accountability from colleagues or a team, I'm working on figuring out how to get things done and be happy about it – no manager required.
(Photo by Nicole Franzen)