How many of you posted pictures of your kids going back to school? I posted my favorite preschool picture in honor of back to school and was SUPER excited about the big day. Why in the world would I be excited about my kids going back to school? That means summer is over, the nights of watching back to back episodes of Grey’s Anatomy with Emma Freda cease, no more waking up past 7am and greeting the day in my pajamas, road trips to Caswell Beach end, wearing a baseball cap all day is no longer an option.

Back to School means Back to Business when you are a professional business person. It’s time to be strategic by scheduling effectively, setting boundaries and determining priorities. Here are a few strategies to help you launch your new school year or new business schedule.

  1. Start your day with at least 5 minutes of quiet time and pick one inspirational thought to be your fuel for the day. For example, I read a passage from two books each morning, then write down one sentence that is meaningful in my journal. Note-sometimes I read the Bible, currently I’m reading a devotion on how to pray for your kids and a leadership book.
  2. Each day make a To-Do list. Monday, I made a list in one column marked Work and the other column marked Personal. I starred the ones that had to be completed by end of business day.
  3. Check email in the morning and afternoon instead of constantly through out the day. This helps to reduce distractions and following the shiny objects.
  4. I scroll Facebook for 5-10 minutes when I need a break and make sure you hide posts from people that are negative or toxic (only 5-10 minutes – not continuously throughout the day) Be cautious of time wasters and this includes people too.
  5. Put a check mark by the tasks once completed, and smile and say, “Way to go!”
  6. Block schedule your week on Friday afternoon or Monday morning….I don’t like thinking about work on Sunday night. It’s important for me to be present with my family and friends and to get a good night’s rest to start the week off strong. For example: Monday’s are my call days to schedule appointments for meetings for the week, check emails, and business plan or work on content for courses or the Sedgefield Living newsletter. Tue/Wed/Thu are meeting days, sprinkled in with volunteerism and Friday is usually paperwork or personal appointments. I color code my calendar: Light Blue – Coach MKay, Red – N2 Publishing, Purple – Young Living, Yellow – Volunteerism, Pink – Emma Freda (tennis, soccer, orthodontist, etc.), Green – Harrison.
  7. Remember your in box will NEVER be empty, so do what you can and leave the rest. Figure out how you can delegate, ditch or delete certain tasks that weigh you down and ask for help when needed.
  8. Focus on your strengths and outsource tasks that other people can do better or that will free up your time to be present in your top priorities. For example, I am bringing on an intern to help me with some meeting planning, speaking paperwork and administrative tasks and can’t wait for this to start!
  9. Block off vacation time so you have something fun to look forward to!
  10. When you are with your family, be with your family. When you are at work, be at work. Balance has always been a struggle for me and I realize that every day is a gift and when I go to Emma’s first tennis match this Wednesday, I’m gonna leave my phone in the car.

Do you have a strategy you want to share? Post your ideas on my Facebook page @coachmkay and Make it a GREAT Day!