How to Get Things Done (When You Work for Yourself)

There’s no “secret” to success, it’s really just about getting everything done. But of course, getting everything done is the hard part!

If I can pat myself on the back for something, I would say it’s my ability to be on top of my work. I have a few strategies that make it possible to be organized, on time, and prevent distractions. After ten years of working for myself, these are the three I think work the best.

Write everything down in one place

I have an old school paper planner where I write everything down. I prefer it over Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Office Calendar, and every other type of digital calendar. 

There’s something so rigid in digital calendars and they hide information that I’d like to see at a glance. Even in systems like Asana or Trello, things get spread out. When clients ask me to use these systems and digital calendars, I can do so, but I am also going to collect everything from all my clients in my single paper planner. 

So basically, I’m a bit biased here but I think you should have a physical copy of your planner where you can write down meetings, reminders, tasks, notes, and everything else all in one place. When you can write whatever you want all over the page, it makes it easy to see the info you need in one glance. And when you go through the process of writing things down, it’s less forgettable than something that lives somewhere on the web.

Plus, it is so satisfying to cross something out when you’re done. I try to cross out everything on my list every day. Of course it’s not always possible, so when I wake up the next day with unfinished tasks, I circle the things that have to be done that day and make them a priority.

My system is my system and yours doesn’t have to be just like mine. What’s really important is that you have a system you can consistently keep up with that will hold all the information you need in one place.

Work on everything a little bit every day

One way to make sure you are getting everything done is to always work on it. That may seem daunting at first, but there’s a simple way to make it easy.

Just spend a small amount of time on each of your projects, every day.

I try to spend at least 30 minutes every day on each of my clients. This way, I’m always moving the ball forward. It’s also hard to let things slip through the cracks if I’m consistently putting mental energy towards it. I find that I even get better results because I’m constantly putting new pitches out there.

This is huge for me. Even if 30 minutes doesn’t sound like a lot, it adds up and shows your commitment.

Think about each of your clients or projects, however you break up your work, and make it a priority to visit each one for a little bit every day.

Guard your precious time and calendar

We’re all going to face our own personal distractions no matter what. For example, sometimes I get sucked into Instagram. You know your most tempting distractions and how devious they are with your time.

The way I see it, those are going to exist no matter what. But outside distractions from other people don’t need to crowd into your calendar too.

I protect my calendar ferociously. If you know me, then you know I strongly dislike meetings. Sure, a few meetings are necessary or useful, but 90% are unproductive and a waste of time.

My rule is to limit my calendar to one meeting per day, even if they're virtual. I also am not afraid to offer the times I am available when people want to meet with me. They don’t necessarily see my calendar, so it’s my job to tell them. And honestly, it’s not bad to decline an unnecessary meeting as long as you are professional about it.

When you protect your calendar, you are making time for the work people are paying you for.  Managing the number of meetings you have to attend is a simple way to be more productive.