How to Start Your Day as an Entrepreneur
As you may know, last July I took the leap and have been working for myself as an interior designer full-time. Like many, I used to dream of what it would be like to manage my own schedule and have agency over my own time outside of my 9-5. However, I have quickly come to realize how important it is to not only have a routine to stay productive but also to have scheduled time for rest, reflection, and thoughtfulness, most of all, about how I start my day. I am very much a morning person, and I find the first actions I take at this time decide how productive (or unproductive) that day will be. When you’re your own boss, this also impacts your ability to push through any melancholy or doubt, ensuring your business keeps moving forward (no pressure). Today, I want to share what I’ve been doing to make the most of my precious early hours to help you put your best foot forward in owning your own time. Let’s dive in!
Coffee Always
If you know me at all, you’ll know that I’m not doing anything before coffee, let alone business, so that is always step number one. Whether it’s coffee, tea, water or something else, I always take a bit of time to sip in the quiet and try to get a few uninterrupted minutes with my husband before the day gets moving.
Morning Pages with Breathing / Meditation
I’ve spoken about this a bit more in a previous post about my morning routine in Nicole's Favourite Ways To Keep A Calm Mind, however, even after years of doing this, I still find it essential. I find my anxious brain is incredibly loud first thing, so taking some space to get it all on paper so it’s not fogging up my conscious mind is a non-negotiable. Once down, I can use my headspace app (still going strong!) and do some breathwork, and maybe even watch their daily video ‘The Wakeup’ to have a more friendly and calm start.
Pull Out the Overview Page
This part is a new practice for me, but one I have become quickly obsessed with. As someone who thrives in a world of lists, I find it grounding to have a document where I can put everything in one place for the day. I made this overview page based on a number of templates I had seen in person and online, but there are a lot of templates you can buy for just this purpose. Whether it be my intention, what movement I’m hoping to do or the food I’m going to eat (don’t worry, that list is elsewhere in a templated meal plan), this document means that I don’t have to go looking for information on what I need to get done. It acts as a vivid reminder in front of me to take breaks, remember to do some kind of self-care that day and generally know how I’m going to spend my time.
Balance the Books 1: Start with the Personal
Now, the thing about having a master overview is you can’t just manifest what you should be doing that day out of your head (at least I can’t, and if you can, you may be a wizard) so I keep my to-dos in 3 different places. Though this can sound counter-intuitive to my organized friends, I try to keep my chores and personal tasks away from my work ones so that I don’t get pulled in too quickly to the business side, especially on days off. So the first step to filling in my tasks is to pull out my paper agenda (you read that right) and write down on the overview anything I had written down as a must-do for that day, whether it be laundry, tidying the kitchen or watering the plants. Once down, I’ll have a sense of what I can do between tasks or maybe while I’m making lunch, so it doesn’t feel like too much “extra” stuff on top of the work itself. As an aside, I also do a weekly draft in this agenda, which includes inputting a list of repeated tasks that I have captured in the back of the book. I know it sounds like a lot, but this is how I find a balance between work and home!
Take a Moment to Reflect
This step is incredibly important for me. I don’t know about you but I find the second I open my computer and launch my Asana, I can get sucked into the tasks in there quickly, wanting to complete something immediately or start drafting email responses. Knowing this is a habit, I’ve tried to be thoughtful about taking a moment before I crack the laptop to reflect. I was gifted a set of mantra cards this year that have unexpectedly become an essential element in my routine. Each card has a quote, a musing or an affirmation, all within the lane of self-care and working towards your goals. This is a great way for me to get in the mindset of self-compassion so I don’t get as overwhelmed once the computer is open.
Balance the Books 2: Time for Asana and the Calendar
This is the moment when we start to dive in. Depending on how you track your work, whether it be in a sophisticated project management tool like Asana or something a little more classic like a spreadsheet, this is the part of the routine where you get yourself organized and start to pull out all the different tasks that you want to get done TODAY. Now, I emphasize that because I am an overachiever and can often be unrealistic about how much I can get done in a day! Take the time to ask how long things will take, and this will guide you as you fill in that timeline part of the overview sheet. I find time blocking works best for me, and to help align any meetings that would be in my virtual calendar, I review that as well to ensure nothing is missed for the day.
Go with the Flow
Congratulations! You’ve figured out exactly what you’re doing today, your main priorities, the general focus (ie what’s the big project you’re working towards) and have a timeline of how you’re hoping the day will go. Now remember, just because you wrote it down doesn’t mean it will happen this way. I have to repeat that to myself multiple times a day because it’s so easy to be reliant on things going as planned. Things will inevitably go off-track, but remember that this routine is meant to gently guide you so you can stay on task. And if it doesn’t get all done? No sweat; you can come back to it tomorrow!
Want more self-care tips and ideas? Check out our Self-care section and our Instagram to stay in the know.
