HOW TO GET STUFF DONE WITH THE KIDS AT HOME

Our experiences of this crazy time during the pandemic seem to be wildly different and I can only speak for myself when I say that one of the biggest challenges I’m facing right now is still working from home but with no childcare whatsoever now. If you’re going a little crazy wondering how on earth you’re meant to get anything done over the next few weeks/months, I put together a few tips that help me keep my feet on the floor whilst still moving forward (albeit slowly!)

If you haven’t got time to watch this right now, I’ve summarised the main points below.

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You might not feel like doing anything right now and that’s ok. You might just want to deep breathe to steady yourself, and that’s fine too. But if you want/need to get some stuff done and the kids are suddenly at home, I’ve put together a few tips that I hope might help. An imperfect plan, but a plan nonetheless. How are you getting on right now? Have things changed much at home for you? 💛

A post shared by Suzie Jay Goldsmith (@suziejaygoldsmith) on Mar 18, 2020 at 11:52am PDT

For the skimmers

Routine

I find that trying to stick to the same times each day or week is really helpful. Encouraging a point in the day for “quiet time” or a nap for little ones means that you can start claiming, 10, 15, 30mins or an hour to get some things done. If this is something your kids aren’t used to, this may take a bit of practise & persistence but keep going. You’ll get there eventually and it’ll be so worth it. Evenings are also my preferred time for getting stuff done. Even just an hour or two a few times a week can be enough to keep things moving forward with my business.

THE 1,2,3

This is something I try to encourage my mentoring clients to consider. It’s great because it means that whenever I get a little pocket of time, I don’t have to waste precious minutes faffing and deciding what to do. I just pick something from one of my lists that reflects a) how much time have available in that moment and b) my current energy levels.

The key to this is first categorising your weekly tasks into three different lists:

1) Energising tasks - These are the tasks that fuel your inspiration. It might be listening to a podcast, reading, continuing with that course you bought last month. I find it really important to keep doing these “input” activities even (especially!) when I’m pushed for time so that I don’t burn out.

2) Firefighting tasks - Answering emails, social media management, shooting, editing etc. These are the need-to-do tasks but can be all-consuming if we’re not careful.

3) Big picture tasks - This might be product & service creation, web-building etc. These are usually the things that require a bit more time and thought. Addressing these tasks when you can will keep your work moving forward.

So when I get a larger chuck of time and my energy is good, I’ll dive straight into a number 3 (big picture) task. If I’ve got a bit of time but I’m feeling flat/tired I’ll pick a slightly longer task from my number 1 (energising) list. Or if I just have 10mins and falling behind I’ll pick something from number 2 (firefighting).

I try to make sure I cover a nice spread from all three lists over the week. It feels like the best way to strive for balance in this complicated time.

Of course, sometimes it’s ok to put your feet up too ;) x