I'm Val! Coach for creatives like you who are ready to be healthier, happier and more empowered women who love the business you run, the people you serve and the life you live!
It really feels like we’re in a movie. There’s so much unknown, so much fear, so many changes on the daily (and hourly), it just makes your head spin! It can be SO easy to go down rabbit trail after rabbit trail of coronavirus news updates and social media posts discussing the implications and showcasing the fear and hardship it’s causing. It’s REAL hard to focus in the midst of it all. Heck, it’s hard to focus when you work from home without a pandemic hanging over your head.
Well, if you’ve been around for a while, you know there’s a few things I’m pretty passionate about and one of those is definitely productivity.
So as I considered how I could be a resource in this crazy time, it just seemed right to share my best tips for focusing and getting work done even in the midst of all the unknown and anxiety that comes with such uncharted territory.
Please let me be a resource to you during this time, friend. Join my email list and Facebook group for direct access to me and tell me how I can help.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
So whether your brain is on overload, keeping you from focusing in, or you just need a refresher, take these tips seriously and I really believe you’ll get more done!
Set dedicated work time and housework time and don’t mix them! As soon as that project you’re working on gets a little bit hard or annoying, the dishes or laundry will seem like a good idea. They’re not. You need to have focused work time, especially when working on longer, deeper projects! If balancing work and home is a struggle, I’ve got more thoughts to help you in this blog post!
Stick with your regular health routines or start some for both your physical and mental well being. See my friend, Tarah’s tips for caring for your mental health as a creative entrepreneur!
Before you start working, write down the things that are making you anxious or stressing you out. If any of them are out of your control (like Coronavirus) write that next to them. If they are in your control, make a note of what you can do and when you can do it. If you’re a person of prayer, give ALL of these things up to God and ask for energy, focus and peace. This is a serious game-changer in the midst of anxiety, friends.
Prioritize + align your work tasks with what matters most in your business to reach the most important goals you’ve set. Not sure how to do this? Get my step-by-step breakdown in the post Why You’re Not Reaching Your Business Goals.
Set your computer and phone to Do Not Disturb (or whatever the android equivalent is ;)) Also, if you didn’t know, YES, you can set your Mac to DND also! Just open your Notification Center (three line icon far right of your menu bar), scroll up and set to DND!
Close the million extra tabs you have open that you don’t need. ESPECIALLY your email and any social media that will notify you. Take this seriously, tabs are a huge distraction!
Take legit breaks. And I don’t mean a work break to scroll Instagram. I mean a no-screens, stand up, get moving, get outside if possible break. You’d be amazed at what just 10 minutes can do for you! Also, take a 30 minute to 1 hour lunch break with no screens. Give your eyes and your mind a break and refuel your body!
Now is the time to take social media breaks seriously. In the midst of all the crazy happening, you need a break for your mental health. I would honestly recommend only allowing mindless scrolling 1-2x/day and have a time limit on it. For Coronavirus specifically, I love the idea of only looking at news updates on the outbreak once/day.
So, you have some extra time?
Some of you are experiencing cancellations and a wide open schedule with the outbreak, which can just be disheartening and cause you to spend your days bingeing Netflix and maybe low-key moping……but I would encourage you to take advantage of this rare opportunity!
Just because you have extra time doesn’t mean you’re going to be productive with it. This is an opportunity for you to tackle some backburner projects or get up-to-date with all those things you’ve been putting off forever! Here are a few of my suggestions for projects to work on now that you have the time!
FINALLYget your finances figured out.
Now is the time to finally sit down and create that budget you’ve been putting off. Now more than ever, you need to be super intentional with your finances and this is step one! Lucky for you, I’ve got a blog post taking you through this process step-by-step.
Once you’ve got your personal finances figured out, it’s time to tackle the business side!
You may have put it off, you may have thought it wasn’t a necessity, but hopefully by now, you’ve learned that a contract is the only thing saving you in a time like this. But just piecing one together from Google isn’t enough. Invest in a legit contract either from a local attorney or purchase one online from *reputable* shops like The Legal Paige! Also join her Facebook Group if you’re looking for help navigating hard situations with coronavirus!
Create workflows
It gets pushed aside time after time, but you’ve heard that once you have workflows in place, you might actually become more efficient. This is not fake news. 😉 This is real, friends! Workflows WILL save you time, energy, and ultimately money in many cases! Check out my friend Jenn’s post to get started with workflows and also check out her blog for more helpful workflow + system content!
Update your systems.
You know all those little details in your business management system (like Dubsado or Honeybook) that take you a few extra seconds or minutes every dang time you have to do them because you just haven’t updated the settings? A few examples of these might be wording tweaks in email templates or the order of items in your workflows. Maybe it’s the email signature that automates or the payment schedule you need to update. Now is the time to make all the updates you never get to.
More than anything, friend, I want you to know that you’re not alone in this. Whatever you’re experiencing, feeling or struggling with – SO MANY PEOPLE are in the same boat. I LOVE that our creative business community is stepping up in real ways to support each other. What a beautiful thing.
Let’s not let coronavirus win. Sure, it can take away our in-person social life for a while, but it can’t take our passion, our relationships, or what we were made to do….love, create and serve. I’m here for you. Let me know how I can help. <3
I'm Val! Coach for creatives like you who are ready to be healthier, happier and more empowered women who love the business you run, the people you serve and the life you live!
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