Step away from the calendar!
...and don’t keep doing what you’ve been doing!
Remind yourself that you are in control of your time, not everyone else around you. Here are some tips to make your diary work for you and not have you rushing from one thing to the next (physically or mentally). Promise me you won't just read this, nod your head, read to the end and go back to your wicked diary management ways!
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Put things in your diary every single time
The only way you (and your VA) can manage your diary effectively is if everyone is using it and putting everything in it, from quick calls to long meetings, training and school runs.
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Extend meeting times in your calendar
Whether that’s to allow for travel or to digest what you’ve discussed and make notes about what you’ve just talked about, stop ping-ponging from one meeting to the next, you can’t possibly have your head in all the games in one day.
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Get Calendly
If you haven't got it, get it, it’s so easy to set up (and free), it will save you so much time on the back and forth of checking where you have time in the diary and swapping dates and times with people to book in. Tip: use the same slots each week so you know what to expect.
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Put downtime in your diary
Add the gym, dog walk, lunch into your diary - there’s nothing wrong with that YOLO!
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Email autosignature and out of office responders
Use them. If you work 8am-3pm or Monday to Thursday or 10am-7pm Tuesday to Saturday, put that at the bottom of your emails or set up a responder to reply to the recipient to let them know. They can plan accordingly, they will know for next time or not be left wondering why they haven’t had a reply yet.
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Zoom-free Fridays
Book in admin days or days when you will not be taking calls so you can get your head down and plough through some of the tasks that just don't lend themselves to interruptions. Remember when you worked in an office and the sales team would be in the office on a Monday or Friday for admin days (and bring treats/make the tea round)?
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Block book your time and tasks
Recording a podcast? Do a bunch of them in one day, write your show notes etc and schedule the release, get in your zone.
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Review how you’ve been using your time
How’s that event you’ve been going to each month working out for you? The weekly catch-up over Zoom which starts with pleasantries, a bunch of personal updates and rounds off with talking about Netflix useful? I mean really useful? Does it need to be weekly?
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You can say no
You can say ‘no’ or ‘I can do that in February’, stick to your important plans and commitments, not everything needs to be done right now.
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Identify time hoovers
Try checking your emails a couple of times a day, and put an allocated time slot in your diary (30 mins first thing/30 mins after lunch). You can set yourself a time limit and avoid getting distracted by something new that pops into your emails when you’re in the middle of something else. What else is sapping your time that isn’t in your calendar? Reels? Calls that don’t end on time?
You don't have to do it all - delegate to a Virtual Assistant
As always my question is; what can you delegate to a Virtual Assistant? What doesn’t need to go in your calendar? Time is so precious we need to make sure it counts and allow for time to recharge and refuel so we can be our best, get clarity and keep things moving. Prioritise, check in with yourself and get everything in that diary so you aren’t looking at your calendar on Monday morning and feeling like you’re about to run the London Marathon. As business owners we know that calendar management is crucial for a make-or-break week, make time for your business as well as your clients as we both know they don't grow on trees.
📔 P.S. If you’re a paper diary person, I’m with you!!
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About Virtual Executive Services MK
Virtual Executive Services MK is a Virtual Assistant service based in Milton Keynes, supporting clients across the UK. Specialising in admin, marketing and social media support for small businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs. Find out more.