Client work vs. personal tasks: if you struggle to find the flow

Est. reading time: 6 min

This week I just couldn’t get it together when it came to writing. I’d sit down to get started… nothing. Crickets. Brain fog.

I’ll try again another time.

The other time came, and nothing changed.

I have those days every once in a while. More often than I’d like to admit. I can’t seem to find my flow.

Funny thing is, when I had to do client work this week, I was ON! They gave me something to do, I plopped it on my calendar or my daily list (a key point), and I got it done.

So I looked back on my week and wondered why I was so great at getting some things done but not others. The others happened to be what I wanted to do for myself and my business… shocker.

Last week I introduced you to Stella and the concept of planning a Masterpiece Day. One of the biggest tips I gave was making sure you spent the first 60 minutes of your day on your one thing.

That’s what I was missing this week.

I was going to bed later (and therefor waking up later) which of course threw off my entire morning.

I still felt great throughout the day, and I was still being productive, but the biggest thing that was missing… attention on MY one thing.

I couldn’t get in the flow because I wasn’t scheduling what was important.

I also realized that when I sat down to write, my energy wasn’t in the right space.

I thought about how I could fix this moving forward. What do I have in my mental “toolkit” to consistently optimize my workday and ensure that I stay focused and productive?

Scheduled flow.

Scheduled flow is all about creating a structured plan for your day and allocating specific time slots for different tasks and activities, while also honoring your energy levels.

Of course, the main time slot should go to your one thing, when you first get started with your work day. There’s no getting around that.

But beyond that first hour, how should you structure your day?

1. Identify your priorities: Start by identifying the key tasks and activities that require your attention. These can be both work-related and personal tasks. Make a list of these priorities to have a clear understanding of what needs to be accomplished.

2. Allocate time slots: Once you have identified your priorities, allocate specific time slots for each task or activity. Consider your energy levels and natural rhythms when scheduling tasks. My energy levels dip dramatically around 2pm, so I know attending meetings or doing anything important won’t fly during this time. You’ll find me making personal appointments (like dental) where I don’t have to do too much thinking.

3. Eliminate distractions: During your scheduled flow time slots, eliminate any distractions. Put your phone on silent mode, close unnecessary tabs on your computer, and create a focused work environment. I created a productivity playlist on Spotify — it’s about 2 hours of instrumental songs — I pop it on when I want to get in the zone. The playlist is included in my Productivity Power Pack, hit reply if you’re interested and you don’t have access.

4. Stick to the schedule: The key to successful scheduled flow is sticking to the schedule! Make the time on your calendar non-negotiable appointments with yourself. Avoid the temptation to procrastinate or deviate from the plan. If it turns out it wasn’t a good plan, make note and adjust next time. I find this is the biggest hurdle to get over. Be in integrity with yourself. If you say you’ll do something… do it. You’ll find that being in integrity with yourself is one of the most powerful things you can do.

Now that I’ve realized this crucial mistake I’ve been doing all week, it will be easier for me to get back on track.

Time to make a cup of coffee and get back to my scheduled flow.

☕️ Simmer on this tip

Do you pay someone for accountability in business? Why? I mean I’ll happily work with you if you need help determining the next step to do in your business and cheer you along the way, but if you need to be held accountable for something, it probably means you don’t want to do it in the first place. Think about it. When do you think you need to be held accountable? For me, it’s when I want to eat healthy and exercise. Cause I don’t want to do it! So when you are asking someone to help you be accountable for your business goals, reframe those thoughts. You don’t need accountability to do something you want to do. You only need a promise of action.

This goes back to being in integrity with yourself. Practice doing things you say you’re going to do. Take it small at first if you have to. Promise to do it today, then tomorrow, and so on. If putting it in writing or saying it out loud (like on social media) helps, then fine. But make sure you aren’t using other people as an excuse to keep you “accountable”.

❤️‍🔥 Hot finds this week

1. Black Friday webinar with Plann. Can you believe Black Friday is right around the corner? If you haven’t started planning yet (join the club), the team at Plann is hosting a webinar next Thursday the 26th, 4:00 PM Pacific, for business owners that want to setup for their best Black Friday ever. It's the ultimate Black Friday playbook for small business owners. Show me the strategy!

2. 11 Practices to Strengthen Business Intuition (Part One). Jenny Blake posted this new episode (and if you aren’t subscribed I highly recommend it) sharing eleven strategies that have helped her build (and trust) her intuition at increasingly subtle levels.

3. The 3 Crucial Performance Hacks That ALL Entrepreneurs Need featuring Brad Bizjack. I’m a big fan of James Wedmore and on this episode of his podcast he and Brad discuss how to produce more of what you want with less of what you don't want and deprogramming the bad habits and cultural wiring we all carry. Oooh juicy!

🎓 Can you relate?

Last weekend I took my 16 year old on her first campus tour! It was a local state school about 30 minutes away, and it was a great first experience for her being on a college campus. It wasn’t too big and just the right amount of walkability. Her favorite part? The dorms and the student food court 😂 (”they have a Moe’s and a Chick-fil-A!”). My favorite part? Seeing the look on her face as she walked a campus green for the first time. It’s still anyone’s guess what her plans are post high school, but to all my mama-bears out there: Keep going. Each stage of life is a beautiful one.

🎙️ Weekend listening on the pod

If you are looking for more ways to stay focused while you work, listen to this episode I did about the Forest and Flora apps: 021: Stay Focused and Plant a Tree with Forest and Flora. Both apps let you grow a tree garden while you complete focus blocks, and they include the ability to plant real trees around the world as well!

Until next time,

💌 Brought to you by

I recommend different task managers - mostly because everyone works differently and one will not work for all (I’m looking at you Asana and ClickUp!). If you’re in the market for a more simple approach to your to do list (but still want an app), check out Todoist.