5 Things I do to help increase my productivity! Burlington Christian Academy Senior Pictures

I get asked all the time “how do you do it all?”  Well the truth is I don’t!  There is SO much I don’t do.  I often feel very discouraged at the end of a day or week because I feel that I’ve achieved so little.  The real picture is that I fall some where in the middle.  I obviously am able to achieve quite a bit as my business is thriving, but there is so much more that I would do if I could.  Productivity is something that I focus a lot of attention and resources to.  Because I’m busy and I’m a mom and wife and am involved in school and church activities not to mention community service and sports…I have to make sure that I’m productive!

So while I feel I struggle a bit in this area, I also feel that there are several tips that I do that help me stay on track!

  1.  Prioritize!  I look at my tasks at hand for the day, week and month and I make a list of things that HAVE to be done that day!  If they don’t, something bad will happen.  Here’s my list for today

Fill out and email Micah’s soccer medical form   A
Send invoices  B
Blog  B
Research campers  C
Pharmacy A
Place album order  A
Call D  B
Follow up emails  A
Dunhams   B
Thank you notes for Christmas  B
Sneak Peek  Levi, Caris,  B

So you get the idea, those things marked A’s are things that I have to get done.  Thankfully, I did!  The “B” will most likely become A’s tomorrow and C’s move up.  This just helps me make sure that things that I know HAVE to be done…get done and I don’t waist my time trying to figure out where I’m going to start.

2.  Gray Time:  This is time that I am doing something else but can easily multi task.  For instance, driving…. I make use of my time in the car…I’m in there all the time, so I use voice dictation to write emails and blog post.  I also make sure that I use the car time to return phone calls and write my “lists”  Another “Gray time” is waiting for kids or for appointments.  I make sure that I always have something to do.  Whether it’s read a blog post that I needed to read or send an email or even write “thank yous”  I make sure that I don’t waste those few moments.

3.  Making the Most of My Productive time:  So I know that I’m the best and work the best in the morning.  Usually from 6-10…I’m super productive.  So I try really hard to not schedule things during that time, and to make sure that I’m doing the tasks that I know take the most brain power.  It’s when I actually write my blog posts, its when I design albums and when I make sure details of what I do are handled.  I feel like I can accomplish so much in that time as long as it’s interrupted.

4.  Weekly Review:  A friend of mine shared this with me and it has helped tremendously.  Every Friday, I take an hour or so and do a review of my past week.  I write down all that I accomplished, I dream a bit, I make sure that there are no A’s left, I make a list of things that I have to do the next week, I give myself 3 goals, I write down what I was really good at that week and what I needed to improve on.  I list 10 things I’m thankful for and 10 things I need to pray for.  I grade myself as a mom, wife, friend and business owner.  I make notes about people that I want to reach out to…all of this just helps to see that I really did accomplish things and helps to keep me focused.

5. Dreaming:  I’m a creative…I dream!  Sometimes, I find myself paralyzed by my big dreams and thought.s  So last fall I started implementing dream time…meaning 15-30 min each day when I just dream.  I journal, I draw, I visualize all that I want to be.    Most of the time this is business oriented, but sometimes it becomes persona.  But I have found by giving myself the freedom to do this every day, it keeps me more focused on my tasks and I don’t mind wander as much.  When I do, I just tell myself to wait until tomorrow and using it during dream time!  Sometimes, dreamtime is when I’m driving (see above) and sometimes I do it when drinking my cup of coffee, but I make sure I set aside that time.  Some BIG ideas have come from that!

So there are some of my tips for productivity!  It’s a never ending battle I feel and one that I’m always trying to improve!

Switching gears just a bit!  I’m so excited to share this beautiful class of 2017 senior pictures!  I was so excited to capture Miss Taylor!  She’s just gorgeous!  I loved the fact that she had a vision for her session.  She wanted to incorporate her sports, the american flag, special mementos and even a favorite spot Zacks Hotdogs!  I know her family is so proud of her and we can’t wait to see what her future holds.  Thank you Taylor for making your session so fun and for being you!  You are beautiful and I know God has big plans for you!

 

Burlington nc Senior Pictures2017-01-30_00202017-01-30_0019BCA Senior pIctures2017-01-30_00172017-01-30_00162017-01-30_00152017-01-30_00142017-01-30_00132017-01-30_00122017-01-30_00112017-01-30_00102017-01-30_00092017-01-30_0008BCA senior pictures2017-01-30_00062017-01-30_00052017-01-30_00042017-01-30_0003Burlington christian class of 2017zacks hotdogs

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Burlington, NC Newborn Photography, Chapel Hill Family photographer, Chapel Hill Senior Pictures, Greensboro Newborn Photogrpaher, Burlingotn Senior pictures, Holden Beach Photographer, Ocean Ilse Beach Pictures, Mebane Newborn Photographer, Bald Head Island Photographer

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