In case you missed it, the AH-MAZING Laicie of 1000 Threads featured us on their “small business diaries” blog feature yesterday. I was insanely humbled by what she wrote and so thrilled to be featured on such an amazing blog. Please go check it out if you haven’t seen it yet, and I know you won’t find it hard to stay awhile on 1000 threads and find some amazing ideas, inspiration, recipes, and more anyway. The reason I brought it up, is because one of her questions to me fit perfectly in today’s personal post. “2 // When and how did you decide to go into business for yourself? Was there a turning point?” – I laughed when I read this because as most of you know, I don’t just run Capitol Romance, I do have a full-time job too. And whenever I tell people that, I always get the same response “how do you do it!?”.
Let’s Get Personal: The Price of Doing It All
Yes, that is a copy of my day-planner. Putting aside the fact that I realize how “old-school” it is to still write down all my meetings and “to-do’s” by hand, that’s typically what my weeks look like these days as I manage my day job, wedding coordination gigs, blogging, Fuel DC, and now my DIY workshops. That is how I “do it all”. I plan my days to their utmost potential, oftentimes weeks in advance.
Now while the planning nature enables me to get A LOT done (like juggling 3 jobs) it certainly comes at a price. Planning your life this way leads little room for flexibility and almost no room for spontaneous adventures. And that’s tough.
I get invites to awesome openings, or “let’s grab coffee” requests, or even have personal, family things that come up, that I just can’t always make it to. I have to beg my friends to notify me of their weddings MONTHS in advance (to ensure I don’t book one that weekend) and even have to coerce my not always “plan in advance” family, to book things month ahead of time, because I don’t want to miss it. This isn’t always easy, and it’s certainly not always butterflies. I know I need to realize that just because I am a planner, and plan my days/weekends this way, not everyone is and it’s not fair to be upset or frustrated when others don’t plan like I do.
Now this post isn’t to be a downer or anything, it’s just to simply share the insight into how I, personally, “do it all”. This (so far) is what has worked best for me, though it’s by no means perfect. I view it as a way to make the best use of my time, and maximize the time I have, spent doing the things I not only NEED to do, but WANT to do too! Because let’s face it, unless your Hermoine and you have a time turner, no one can truly do it all.
Your turn – how do you get everything you need to do, done? Do you plan like me, or just take it as it comes?
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6 comments
I hear ya – lists & calendars rock my world.
BTW – you forgot to mention that in between all of that you trained and rocked a half marathon – not an easy task and definitely a time suck!
LISTS!!!! <3 Thank you Amy! though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't secretly happy training is over for now :)
A combination of the two. I LIVEEEEEEE and BREATHEEEEE my day planner and will be investing a huge chunk of my bank account into my 2015 one, just because it means that much to me (and I love thick stock and doodling). I, too, work a full-time job along with being a loving wife and mother. It’s HARD. But I have goals – and I am determined to meet each SMALL goal, one day at a time. I plan – and I plan hard, but I also allow off-days (if I don’t give them – who else will?) for spontaneous meetings, adventures that just pop up. It works. Eventually – I want to be filled to the brim so that even that simple plan won’t work. I will, eventually, have to hire an assistant of some sort – but to me, that will be a great problem to have. Love your personal posts, Bree! :)
thanks Lacoya! And yes – days off are a MUST. Unless I am working a weekend or have meetings, weekends are my OFF time. That means little to no emails, and spending MAXIMUM times with family, friends, and my awesome husband :)
Love my planner! I redesigned ours this year to make it easier for me to use – I use it for everything!
yeah i def think i will be checking out your AWESOME planners for 2015 ;)