When TJ asked me to write a piece for her blog Support4women, re goals and targets, I’d just posted on Facebook about an amazingly productive day I had just had:
‘colourwheel creative woo hoo!!! Just call me Anneka Rice ( without the dodgy jumpsuit and helicopter!) I have completed all the work scheduled in for today with 45 mins to spare before the school run!! STOP THE CLOCK!!! – 2 web ads, 1 newsletter ad, 1 flyer amend, 1 logo amend and a flyer design from scratch! come on!!!!’
I’m Michelle and I run colourwheel creative – a graphic design business from home. I have a daughter who is almost 5 and so working from home seemed a good option – I can be a mummy AND I can be me – a graphic designer – a status to which I had studied many years to get to and with 15 years experience in the design industry… didn’t really want to give up!
My days are like most working mums I suppose; running around like a crazy woman in the morning trying to get food down my child, make her look respectable and delliver to school on time! I then have until 3.15 until the school run. So in between 9.15 and 3.15 I need to get as much done as possible…. And to be honest, most days I achieve it… but how?
Her are my tips on hitting your daily business goals and targets:
Imagine your allotted time as a wall planner (like a study plan). Ascertain how long each job will take and when you can realistically start and finish it – and pencil it in. Always allow a little more time than you think it will take in case of enquiries coming in, the phone ringing etc…
The key word here is ‘realistic’… there are only so many hours in the day – you do not have the ability like Superman to turn back or slow down time, so BE REALISTIC. If you commit to too many projects or appointments, you will only put yourself under more pressure and sometimes let your client down – the last thing you want to do.
If your planner is looking busy – cut yourself a bit of slack… something along the lines of “I aim to get your project to you by end of play Weds – if not, Thursday morning”. This way if you get the job there on Thursday morning, you have still hit your deadline – if it’s Weds afternoon you have hit your deadline AND you look good in the eyes of your client.
And be honest with your client… don’t promise the moon on a stick if you can’t deliver it! If you can’t fit a job in that day or that week then explain when you can start it and when you plan to deliver it.
When your projects are in the planner the most important thing now is to STAY FOCUSSED…. there are so many distractions out there.. (and I’m as much as a culprit to this one as everybody else!). If you have a urgent project to complete … turn off your social networking pages, allot yourself a lunch hour – and stick to it… watching Loose Women won’t pay your bills or make your clients happy.
Realise what is urgent and what isn’t. If you need to count out flyers to send out to a exhibition company for an event which is a few months away, then don’t do it during the day when you have lots of work in.. these types of jobs can be done in the evening when the children are asleep, you’re watching the TV with the other half and having a glass of wine.
Finally, note when you are most productive. I seem to get the most done in the morning, I’m more focussed and more alert. With this in mind I look at the jobs ahead of me for that day and get lots of the smaller ones out of the way first. This gives me a sense of achievement that I am getting through my jobs, my ‘to-do’ list is shorter and it then leaves me time in the afternoon focus on a larger project.
The above seems to work for my graphic design business and me, and I hope some of my tips can help you have a more productive and manageable week! Good luck!
Michelle Wright
Colourwheel creative – graphic design for your business and family
www.colourwheelcreative.co.uk
fb: www.facebook.com/colourwheel
