I’ve received a bunch of comment requests for an update on how we’re doing when it comes to finding the ever-elusive work/life balance that we’ve publicly proclaimed that we want to get a handle on this year (we never aspired to work nights, weekends, and even on vacation – and we only have ourselves to blame).
So we thought it was a fun subject to tackle while we’re working away on the front porch (can’t wait to share an update for you guys tomorrow!). The scallops are a-tumbling down and the columns are getting boxed in.
But back to the whole work/life balance battle. The first step in the not-working-every-second-of-every-day thing for us was definitely acknowledging the problem (it has definitely been harder for us to shut things off now that both of our jobs revolve around a 24/7 internet, and our laptops are only a room or two away). Then we just started chatting about it to the world at large (nothing lights a fire under your butt like a public proclamation). So we mentioned it here, here, and even here in this BBC video:
And now that we’ve been working on it for the last four months or so, with some noticeable progress, I thought I’d share a few things that seem to be helping us get more done in less time (we still have a ways to go considering that we still work three weekends out of four, but we’re moving in the right direction).
- Writing out a specific list of things that need to be accomplished and circling the top five priorities, then working towards completing those first. Prioritizing is helpful to me because it I can resist the urge to check smaller things off the list since they’re easier, which isn’t efficient if the bigger tasks are more important or time sensitive (I’m just stalling if I’m putting small easy things in front of the big important things that have to be done anyway).
- Being satisfied when we each complete the five most important items of the day on our list. It usually takes us all day to get to that point thanks to switching off on caring for Clara, but once we finish them we have to resist the urge to add five more things to the list and work until 1am. Instead we’re trying to be satisfied and allow ourselves some non-work time in the evening when we can. It feels weird to cut ourselves off – but it’s so good for us to step. away. from. the. laptop.
- Cutting down on inbox clutter. John and I receive about 200 emails a day (it’s a pretty even split since we divide and conquer when it comes to managing ads, giveaways, and inquiries in general) but I noticed that around 30% of those emails are junk mail, so I took ten minutes one morning to unsubscribe to those daily offenders. Turns out it’s a lot nicer to wake up to emails in the double digits (even if there are 72 in my inbox by 8am) than triple digits (ex: 145 the first time I check my email) – so I’ll take it. We’ve also been using the canned message function in gmail to help us handle certain emails more efficiently (sure beats writing up the same info every time).
- Stepping down to seven posts a week instead of eight. This has actually really helped since we implemented it after mentioning it here. Even though it doesn’t sound like it should make much of a difference (it’s just one less post a week), it adds up to 52 fewer posts a year – which means that now one week night or even a whole Saturday may get to be spent doing something fun as a family instead of scrambling to maintain our old eight-posts-in-five-days pace.
- Being realistic. This year one of our resolutions is to remember that we’re only two people. Two highly dedicated folks who love what we do, but two people who can’t do the work of ten people, no matter how hard we try. So we just have to do our best and accept that projects could always be bigger and posts could always have more pictures but we can’t beat ourselves up about doing things as thoroughly as we can manage and then pressing “publish.” Especially when we’re churning out around 30 posts a month (which means that noodling one project or post too much can actually rob time from other things on the agenda).
And while John and I are very much a work in progress on this subject, my friends and relatives are all much smarter than we are (most of them work regular hours and spend every night, weekend, and vacation without being connected to a computer). Can you imagine?! It’s the most romantic notion, and we’re desperate to get in on that action someday. So I decided to text them all one simple question and see if they had any advice. The question? “How do you work smarter, and not harder?” Here’s what they all had to say:
Emily, a senior booking agent, mother of three (and John’s sister) says: Realistically I work smarter by asking for help and having a support network of friends. I literally spend hours in a car shuttling kids and can’t be in more than one place. So a very organized network of carpoolers is my lifeline. I realize and accept that there’s no possible way for me to do it alone. I also work smarter by having my older kids (ages 12 and 14) do their own laundry and put it away. They make their own lunches too. That old saying “don’t do for your kids what they can do for themselves” definitely contributes to our household running more smoothly.
Cat, a mother of two says: I put things away as I find them. Everything has its place. I designate a time each day to take a laundry basket and carry it floor to floor to put things away. I like to give myself a deadline like ten minutes to see how much I can get done. I read something once that said “Where does a fork go in your house? In the utensil holder in the utensil drawer in the kitchen. Make everything a fork. Everything needs a spot.” It really resonated with me. Oh and I don’t do auto pay on any bills because I like to look them over and make sure I’m not getting hosed, but I pay them immediately upon receipt. I’ve often found overages I would’ve missed if I signed up for auto-pay that way.
Roo, a mother of three and humor blogger says: I use canned responses in Gmail along with a lot of helpful labs in Gmail. And I like the send + archive button (here’s a post with more of her tips).
Noah, an artist, author, and brand new father says: I try to maintain inbox zero as a way to not let email be my to-do list. So I immediately respond to short emails, especially at the start and end of my workday. I think of it as hitting the tennis ball back across the net, “pok, your turn.” Sometimes I’ll quit my email program or cover the notification bar during the middle of my work day when I don’t want to be distracted. I also unsubscribe from mailing lists and have an auto response for messages that only need a stock response. I also separate personal and work email so I’m not distracted by the other when I’m at/away from work.
Katie, a blogger and mother of two says: For blogging, I think batch editing, grouping like projects together (spray painting ten things instead of just one), and writing out a post to-do list helps. I also like to upload all of the photos for five different posts in one day and then write the narration for one of them each evening that follows. I also have set times for comment-reading and post-writing that coincide with sleep times or independent play time for my children. I also like to plan out a morning craft or activity the night before so if I stay up late working I don’t rob the kids of something fun in the morning. Oh and I use a crock pot a lot, and always have shredded chicken on hand for quick meals.
Kristin, a freelance copywriter says: My calendar is my boss. I plan ahead, and live/die by it. I put workouts on there so time is scheduled in, along with lunch dates, deadlines, and whatever I’m going to work on each day. That way, I see my day, know what needs to be done, and feel good checking things off. You can easily work harder if you just fill your calendar with stuff until you’re not sleeping, but I don’t do that. I need a break. I also never ever EVER work on Saturday. Saturday is my day. No exceptions. Also, I like a glass of wine after a long day. It unwinds me ;)
Megan, a senior marketing director says: Efficiency and technology. Develop strategic systems and plans the first time you do something so that the next time you attempt it the path is already laid out for you. Evaluate the process a few times a year to allow for evolution and refinement. And if a computer can process something faster than you can, let it or learn how to let it.
Dan, a chemist (and my push-up loving brother) says: Multitask so there’s not a minute wasted. Like brush your teeth while you shower or watch a TV show and do pushups during the commercials.
Dusty, a full time quality improvement manager, mother, and blogger says: If you’re doing something you love, it won’t matter how hard you have to work to get there. The smartest people know this, and choose their tasks accordingly. And if its a job you hate to do, but it still has to get done (like cleaning the bathroom, prepping taxes, proofreading) it’s not a crime to outsource those to save precious time that could be better spent doing something else.
Heather, an advertising art supervisor and mother says: All of the following things seem to help me make my day go smoother and cut out inefficiencies: being prepared, doing research, hiring the right people with the correct skill set, making a plan, making a list, asking questions, thinking ahead, and preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.
Nicole, a blogger and mother of two says: I had to work more efficiently when I became a mom because I had less time (and desire) to work. I use canned email responses for pitches that aren’t a good fit. I try to get a little more done at night if I want to have a mid-week day off, and I started saving drafts in my WordPress admin with ideas for future posts. They could just be a title or a few links but they’re great for keeping me on track when I’m stuck and I don’t forget topics that I want to cover. I also have a secret Pinterest board (“Things To Blog About”) to visually bookmark ideas.
Lisa, operations director and mother of two says: It’s got to be technology. Keeping to-do lists, reminders, and calendars on my iPhone helps me get things done and get my family where they need to be. Menu planning also saves me a lot of time.
Diana, a trial attorney of thirty years (and my mom) says: The key to efficiency for me is identifying what I want to do, mapping out specific and realistic tasks that will lead to accomplishing it, and completing those tasks without distraction. I find that multitasking is usually too chaotic for me, so focusing on one task at a time leads to a better personal result.
Isn’t it interesting how something that works for someone (my brother loves multitasking) doesn’t work for another (my mom loves focusing on one task at a time – which is usually the best approach for me – so I guess I’m my mother’s daughter). And now, since I’m convinced you guys have secrets of your own, let’s pretend I just texted you the “how do you work smarter, not harder?” question. Any tips or tricks out there that work for you?
Update – Some of the most frequent requests that we get are for info about professionally blogging (how we made our site, how we grew our following, how we make money, etc) so we shared all of the details about how we started a blog, grew our traffic, and turned it into a full time job.
tamara says
Have you considered putting Clara into her daycare/school for longer periods of time or a few more mornings a week? not even full time if you prefer not to —- just 4 to 8 more hours a week would probably make a huge difference in your work productivity (e.g.,”what we would do on saturday we did instead on wednesday so now we can play aaaalllll weekend!!” ==== Mission Accomplished) . . . of course, this isn’t *free*, but i think we probably all agree that something that is even “costlier” is not having time on nights & weekends for family, friends, romantic dates, etc etc. Anyhoo! :) just a thought. best of luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips everyone! For now we’re happy to have Clara at home with us other than two mornings of preschool each week (these days with her are fleeting). Sometimes she plays with Grammy and we get to dive into a project :)
xo,
s
Carrie M says
I read this and was inspired to declutter my inbox and unsubscribe from so many emails that I end up just deleting everyday. So Thank You!!
The thing that keeps me sane is a to-do list that I carry with me wherever I go so that I can add to it, or cross off items whether I’m at home, at work, or on the go. I also get my workouts in, in the morning (No kids yet for us so this is doable for me), but I also try to tidy up what I can, empty/fill the dishwasher or soemthing else small like that before I head to the office so that I can relax a little easier when I get home and enjoy time with my husband.
Also – off topic but – Sherry I kept thinking you looked very familiar when I started reading this blog in the fall and then realized that it is because I think you look a lot like Emilia Clarke from Game of Thrones! Has anyone ever told you that?
YoungHouseLove says
Yes I totally think she’s my sister from another mister. Kinda awkward that she’s nekkid a lot though. Haha!
xo,
s
Erica says
I love all of this great advice! My biggest time consumer is my email inbox! I first look for easy to file/delete items that require no response and deal with those first. Then, if there is a thread of “conversation” emails, I sort by subject and try to delete all of the old threads and only keep the most current.
Also, with Outlook, you can set rules. For instance, any email I receive that has the word “invoice” in the subject line automatically goes to my “Invoice” folder. You could do this with just about any subject that would help you categorize or compartmentalize your emails.
Katie Rose says
I LOVE LISTS! Lists for the day, lists for the week, lists for the month. I usually have more than one going at a time so it is sort of like a short term/long term goal thing. There is nothing more satisfying that crossing something off your list so I even put the little things on it (like “set shows to record”) since the more I accomplish, the more motivated I am to keep getting stuff done!
Charity G. says
Congrats on sharing how you are managing online life and everyday life. I am personally a planner person. My day planner is my guidebook and I do not know what I would do with out it. I make lists for blog posts in it as well as pencil in time for friends and family. If I didn’t have this I think my life would end up on a million post its everyday.
Michelle B says
Great post, thank you! It’s nice to get a perspective from others. Thank you!
Karly says
Great post! I’m a daily reader of your blog (for the past year or so) and just wanted to say that while the amount of posts you guys do in a week may be less, as a reader I am REALLY enjoying the content and the quality of projects in the posts you are writing. I’d happily wait a week with no posts to read/see about a big project you guys have undertaken. Keep up the good work!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much Karly :)
xo,
s
Karen says
My older sister gave me some great advice when I was writing my master’s thesis…she said “If you know what time you are least productive, stop trying to be productive!” It may sound like silly advice, but I learned that before lunchtime I am at my least productive, writing one page could easily take me 2 or 3 times as long as it would at, say, 3pm. So, instead I focus on doing little things in the mornings (like checking e-mails, proofing articles, etc) and keep tasks that are more complex or take more brain power for later in the day because spending 2 hours during my most productive time of day is better than doing those same tasks but it taking 4 hours if I try to force myself to do them at a less-productive time.
jodie says
Thank you so much for writing this post, Sherry! And thank you to all of your friends and family for sharing so openly what works for them! I struggle with time-management, work-home balance, etc. so this post was perfect for me! We’re about to have our third baby (we’ll have 3 under 3), I work part-time from home (mostly during naptime), and my hubby works 12+ hour days. I’m VERY blessed, but I feel like a chaotic mess most of the time trying to keep it all together! AND I suck at decorating–no matter how hard I try and follow advice! Ha! At least y’all know how to make your house look pretty!
Anyway, thanks again, and I just love spending 10 min of “me” time with you everyday! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw you’re welcome Jodie, so glad you enjoyed the post. You guys shared so many awesome tips!
xo
s
Juliet says
This issue tops my “Dude. get on that already” list. And BBC news…very nicely done!
Hilary says
Does anyone actually just work 9-5? I get paid to work 8 hours, but I’m actually putting in about 12 hours a day. I’m jealous about those 9-5 workers, too!
Hayley M. says
“Work smart not harder” is actually one of my favorite mantras. I put it to good use as a retail store manager (and at home, to a certain extent) by never ever going anywhere empty handed. There is always something that can be put away. I also try and prioritize according to what will most affect my customer. They are paying my bills (though in a roundabout way), so I want to keep them top of mind with everything I do.
Begoña says
I plan, I simplify, I ask for help and I priorize.
I plan the meals for the next week on saturday morning and do all the shopping. Then on sunday I try to cook as much as I can so during the week It’s just microwave something or cook pasta cause the sauce it’s already made. It saves time, money and we eat better and healthier. At the office, I plan the next week on thursdays and make a daily list of the things that have to get done the next day so i get to the office knowing exactly what i have to do. Saves time and anxiety.
I simplify things a lot. I’ve unsubscribed to a lot of emails list, I’ve removed the facebook and twitter app from my smartphone cause they distract me, I try to focus on just one thing at a time, I reduced the list of blogs I read, etc.
I ask for help. We work really long hours and I didn’t want to come home and instead of enjoying some family time together spend the evening doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms, etc. So we have help. Nothing crazy, just a girl that comes once a week and cleans the whole house. Now we just have to keep it organized, which is enough! And I say yes to all the tuppers my mother and my mother in law want to give us.
I priorize. I do the important things and the things I dont wanna do first cause I noticed i used to waste a lot of time thinking about it but trying not to actually get my hands on them and then it was the end of the day and that part of my list was untouched.
Great post!!!
Alyssa says
You can text me for real sometime!! Just kidding…sort of! Anyway, I’m also a list person, that helps me to define what I’m doing instead of just going about my day without some sort of plan. I also try to have all of my supplies ready before starting a project. For example, if I want to make a wreath, I gather everything I have on hand, make a list of what I need, buy what I don’t already have, then start the crafting. That way I didn’t walk around the store buying a bunch of stuff I think I’ll need and then never use it and have to make another trip to the store to return the unused items. Or if my hubby and I are hanging pictures, I’ll grab every tool needed and all the frames. I also clean up immediately after I’m finished and I also believe in the “everything has a place” motto!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, ok, I’ll send you a text Alyssa ;)
xo
s
Michele says
I sometimes hesitate to comment because I’ve often thought that monitoring all the comments YHL generates must be darn-near overwhelming for a two-person blog. You guys are total pros at coming up with interesting topics, and everyone wants to get in on the discussion. I’m just brainstorming (and I’m not a blogger, so I have no idea how critical the comments are to readers) but it seems like this magnitude of comments would be well-suited for a discussion forum format. Of course, I have no idea how one would go about integrating a forum into a blog in lieu of comments, but some positives are that forums give readers the chance to interact with each other, are usually moderated by readers themselves, and allow the hosts to set aside a certain amount of time to join in. Anyway, YHL, all the best!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes we’d love to add forums (we mentioned those in our resolutions this year)! In fact that has been our side project for the last few weeks. We’re researching how to get those up (hopefully without crashing or too much spamming). Fingers crossed!
xo
s
Erin says
I just wanted to say how excited I am for tomorrow’s post! I have been waiting for you to box your columns out front, because we have columns
I want to box too!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Erin! Woot!
xo
s
Heather says
I live with chronic illnesses, and they’re all pretty cyclical. What this means for me is that I can go to bed feeling great, making big plans for the next day, then wake up feeling absolutely lousy and unable to walk without assistance. Similarly, like yesterday, I can wake up feeling absolutely FABULOUS! But by the time I was done with breakfast, I had used up all my Spoons* for the day. I also have OCD, which seems to be triggers by a feeling of wastefulness and especially wasting time.
So for me, multitasking is important but prioritizing is key. When I feel great, I need to get as much done as I can before it goes away. When I feel OK, I need to be careful to pace myself and get as much done as I can without wearing myself out prematurely. And when I feel lousy, I need to be able to communicate what needs to be done to other people, let things go if they’re not important, and focus on the things I CAN do from bed. Through all of this, my partner is dealing with ADD which makes focusing on one task difficult enough, but multitasking can be a bear.
In our house it means getting the clothes washing machine loaded and running, then the dishwasher loaded, and then get to work on other things like vacuuming. NONE of these are things I can do even on most of my best days, but it means finding tasks that have both active and passive timeframes and doing them in an order that makes sense. I use my crock pot a lot so that my partner can make dinner for his parents even if he will be at work during dinner time. And setting to-do lists, updating schedules, prioritizing tasks are all things I can do from a chair or even in bed. So that also touches on the need to get everyone doing the things they’re good at, just like hiring the right person for each job.
* Google “spoon theory,” the first result will get you what you want. I’ve noticed a lot of comments with links are getting eaten by spam filters lately.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Heather! I hope you’re feeling great, and your tips and story are very inspiring. Off to google spon theory :)
xo
s
Kirsten says
I LOVE the part about living by your calendar. All my to-dos are listed, my workouts, kid play time, meals, AND FREE TIME. I was reading about how in a work day, this high level exec. started to put an empty hour-90 minutes in his calendar EVERY DAY. It is so liberating. If a project runs over, it’s no biggie. If I have to spend 20 minutes cleaning puke, it’s ok… I have a cushion built in. And then, I can sit down, and potentially have the me time I need to organize my thoughts and not be constantly going. Thanks!
Mahareen says
One of the ways I get things done involves you guys! Since checking in on blogs I read is a fun thing I enjoy, I try to give myself a goal to achieve before I can check in on some blogs. Like – finish reviewing X number of reports before I can have a little blog break :) Its so nice to have something quick and fun to break the work day – thanks!!
Tania says
Fantastic post! So this tip probably won’t work for you guys given your line of work but has helped me some — I’ve doing a bit of a “screen cleanse”… meaning I’ve stopped spending so much time online. I cut down the number of times I check email a day (I figure if it’s more urgent people will call or text), dropped off an online forum of a moms group I am in and instead only participate in their live events, check Facebook only once a day on my phone while on the bus to work, and also cut down the number of blogs I follow from 10 to 2 (obviously YHL is one!). I guess this is my long-winded way of saying that it helped me to identify what in my life had gone from a relaxing diversion to a time-suck.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Tania! We love reading everyone’s tips!
xo
s
MK says
I don’t think anyone that hasn’t been following along could ever say that you guys don’t work hard and have incredible motivation to get so many things accomplished. However, this post seems like it’s out of touch with reality. Sorry, but a lot of people work more than 8 hour days away from the house, come home to take care of a family, put dinner on the table, study for a degree, work second jobs, and still make time for family and friends. I get that this is supposed to be a “hey we’re not perfect, but this is what works for us” kind of advice “article” but sooo many people would LOVE to be able to stay at home with their kids while still having a successful career. I know I’ll get the, “we know and we can’t believe how incredibly grateful we are” canned response but to post something basically complaining about how busy you are when others are way less fortunate makes you come off in a very unflattering light. Yeah, it might not be “my jam” and others seem to love this post… but seriously… if this is both of your full time jobs, then you would need to put in 16 hours worth of work (jointly) — which I’m sure you do! Yet, watching over Clara is full time as well! So if you don’t have someone else watching your kid, then you would work a full 8 hour day after you Clara duties are done. Obviously, you would need to work nights and weekends then if you expect to do everything yourself. People who run little family shops don’t get to work “normal” hours either – isn’t that then entire problem with being self-employed. I really do love you guys… but this post…
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we LOVE many aspects of our job – but that doesn’t mean the busywork that all jobs have (sizing photos & responding to emails in our case) can’t be done more efficiently (thanks to trying some new things like bulk actions & canned messages). And thanks to those new solutions, which are working, we think it’s premature to dive into hiring help. So this post is us saying “we’re moving in the right direction!” (that’s a direct quote) and sharing what we’re learning and where we are – after lots of requests for it! – along with tips from others on the subject. Hope that helps :)
xo
s
Rachel C says
Good gracious, I didn’t hear any complaining at all in this post. This was about finding time where time is being wasted–something many people aspire to, especially “people who run little family shops who don’t get to work “normal” hours.” I can’t even imagine doing what John and Sherry do–I’m very happy to go to my predictable job with a predictable schedule and a predictable paycheck, where that would definitely make someone else insane. Life is all about trade-offs and finding what works for YOU! I appreciate that John and Sherry do what works for THEM, and I’m grateful that they share their insights with the interwebs–if the advice doesn’t apply, then forget about it!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Rachel, that was certainly the intention of this post :)
xo
s
Sammy C. says
I almost had an anxiety attack this morning feeling the stresses of being a working mom and handling all the responsibilities at home and work so your post was very interesting! I have to ask you guys – what do you do about meals??? I wish I could hire a family chef and even tried DreamDinners type of service but to no avail…how can I make breakfast, pack lunches and make dinner more efficiently? I know this is not a home-making blog but just wondering…you guys are so frugal – what do your meals look like???
YoungHouseLove says
We just mainly do very simple meals. A burrito and a salad from Trader Joes, spaghetti (with shrimp or meatballs if we’re feeling fancy, but plain with sauce sometimes too), sometimes it’s burgers on the grill or chicken with rice. Nothing too gourmet, but we like it just fine :)
xo
s
Brigitte says
I used to be a personal chef for a couple families, I worked 5 days a week, 6 hour shifts. I would do one family’s grocery shopping but not the other. One family did their own breakfasts (the one I didn’t shop for, and they pretty much lived off cereal and bagels), the other was 5 days of breakfasts; then I did lunches and dinners for 7 days a week for both of them. I served dinner on plates for 2 days a week at each house. The rest of their weeks were crockpot meals that I could go in earlier in the day to make, and casseroles that I could make ahead so they could throw it in the oven when they got home. Lunches were sandwich fixings that they could assemble themselves, yogurt cups (they bought them in cups already, for myself I buy big tubs and divide them), veggies and dip, pita and dip, pasta salad–stuff I could make for a few days at a time and they could pack their own lunches, or that I could pack into 5 bags ahead of time that they could take to work and school. Breakfasts I could set oatmeal in the crockpot the night before so I didn’t have to be there early the next morning, make-ahead muffins (mini-quiches really), homemade waffles they’d toast up, even pre-made omelets or bagels, but I was almost never actually there to cook them breakfast unless they hired me specially for a weekend brunch when they were entertaining.
The things I found worked best and that I’ve adopted in my own life: Make some things ahead, but it’s nice to have stuff that was cooked just for you to eat right now. Batches of things that can be cooked ahead and eaten or even frozen are great! Figure out when you have time and when you don’t, then do as much prep work as you can when you do have time–this also saves dishes! We usually chop a couple onions any time we have to chop one just so that next time we don’t have to dirty a cutting board and knife and do the same thing again. I’ll make a couple casseroles every time I make one, and throw one in the freezer–so if I have casserole twice a week, I only have to make a fresh casserole once, and take another one out of the freezer. It’s always good to have snacks around, because you’re going to eat if you’re hungry, but if the veggies are cut up and the dip is already made, you will be more likely to eat that over the potato chips than if you had to cut the veggies when you’re ready to snack.
(Whenever I took vacations, I would take the month before and make extra casseroles and bags of crockpot meals ahead any time I was making those things to begin with, and voila, a week’s worth of meals for only a couple extra hours of time all spaced out–and since the food was there for them, my pay was only marginally decreased for not having plated-service dinners and fresh veggies for half the lunches, which meant I basically had paid vacation time.)
Nicole says
This is a great post. I have learned so much from both your post and all the comments underneath. I love this little blog community! I feel like we are always helping each other improve a little more each day:) That was cheesebally. So onto this….
Your brother is a total dime-piece. WOW.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Nicole! So glad so many of you guys are having fun with the post and loving the comments too. They’re the best part to me :)
xo
s
Krystle @ Color Transformed Family says
I am so glad to hear that you are making in progress in the whole work less category. I can’t imagine how much time you spend on projects and blogging each week. It’s hard enough for me to find time to write two posts a week for my little blog.
Just think in a few years Clara will be able to approve comments and answer e-mails for you! Surely Burger can do his fair share of helping too. Haha!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, why isn’t Burger writing these responses right now?!
xo
s
Jennie says
That Burger is a total freeloader! He would get along with my cats just fine. We always ask them why the house isn’t clean when we get home, but they just give us that “cat look.” Sigh. Didn’t you say Burger is part cat? That explains it.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, I think he’s 50% cat and 50% kangaroo.
xo
s
Ashley says
This has been an interesting discussion, as I enjoy learning how other people balancing work and family life.
That said, I really question the purpose of this post. I don’t doubt that you’re busy and work hard. And I sympathize with your frustrations about figuring out where to draw the line between your work life and your family life. But I have to say, from an outsider’s perspective, your work-life balance looks pretty darn enviable. You both work at home, doing a job you love, all while getting to spend loads of time with your daughter. I don’t know ANY dual-income families who have it that good. Most office jobs aren’t done just between the hours of 8 and 5. Most jobs come with the expectation that you’ll work longer hours, weekends included, when necessary. But you’re self-employed. You have a CHOICE to work differently and choose what matters to YOU, and yet you’re shooting down every idea that might make life a little easier. That’s the definition of insanity. Cut back on your blog chores, or don’t, but please don’t complain about your job to the readers who support you and have a fraction of the flexibility that you enjoy.
(Before anyone goes off on me for not understanding the pressures of self-employment, I was raised in a family with two self-employed parents and am well aware of the pros and cons.)
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we LOVE many aspects of our job – but that doesn’t mean the busywork that all jobs have (sizing photos & responding to emails in our case) can’t be done more efficiently (thanks to trying some new things like bulk actions & canned messages). And those new solutions are working! So this post is us saying “we’re moving in the right direction!” (that’s a direct quote) and sharing what we’re learning – after lots of requests for it! – along with tips from others on the subject. Hope that helps :)
xo
s
HeatherM says
I know you guys stepped down your # of posts/week. Other than that, have you set any other MEASURABLE mini-goals related to this broad general goal of improving work-life balance? What do you think of setting a goal of working up to 1 completely work-free day per week? You could plan a family activity on that day, start a tradition (my hubby and I go to brunch every Saturday as our tradition), do Sunday night dinners w/ family, etc.. Perhaps then it might feel like you are working TOWARDS a goal rather than trying to break a bad habit. Also, don’t forget to reward yourselves when you achieve mini-milestones on the way to your bigger goal.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, one new measure along with the ones we mentioned in the BBC video is that we’re trying to schedule in fun activities as a family and block off certain times (ex: Sunday afternoon = the park or a family walk). By writing them in it helps to make them happen :)
xo
s
Lindsey says
I love this post! I own a business and work from home. I now have a few small dry erase boards hanging in my office. (They’re 9×12, meant to be for classroom use.) One lists projects in progress. One lists projects on hold/waiting for something. And one lists what needs to be done TODAY. I also stop working when I’m done with the TODAY list but I have a bad habit of working again after dinner. I need to stop that! Thanks for the reminder!
Mary | lemongroveblog says
What a great post – I’m a huge fan of the check list. Really, does anything feel better than crossing stuff off that to-do list? I like the idea of circling the 5 most essential to-do’s, great way to stay focused and motivated.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Mary!
xo
s
Reva says
“I find that multitasking is usually too chaotic for me, so focusing on one task at a time leads to a better personal result.”
Your mom rules. That tip was like a breath of fresh air!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, she’s a smartie.
xo
s
sarahc says
Great post and so many great tips!
One more to add – I use unroll.me to keep email subscriptions and newsletter under control (the ones I want to keep reading!). It pulls them out of my inbox and gives them to me in a daily digest. So much less email clutter now.
Jessica says
One thing that helps me is to organize my email:
-I respond right away to any emails that I know the answer.
-Emails I need to keep are sorted into folders that help me quickly identify what the topic is later.
-Emails that require a more-detailed response get a red flag in Outlook. I try to respond to these by the end of the day.
-If I’ve responded to an email, I place a checkmark on it, letting myself know that I’ve already completed the necessary to-do’s contained within.
-Any emails that I’ve started working on, but am waiting on a response from someone to complete, are color-coded in yellow.
So, red = nothing has been done yet; yellow = I’ve started but am waiting on a response; checkmark = done (my slight OCD wars with me on this, wanting it to be green, but my desire to check something off wins)
danielle says
i’m curious as to what made you settle on the 7 posts per week as opposed to just one per day on M-F like a lot of other bloggers? it seems like if shaving one post per week saves you so much time… i dunno, i’m just curious why you shoot for the 7?
(NOT a complaint, i’ll happily read whatever you post…)
YoungHouseLove says
Well, here was our thought process
1. we love that number (we got married on 7/7/07)
2. we didn’t want to do anything drastic (this job pays the bills for our family, so we can’t risk not being able to make ends meet by changing too much)
3. we usually get to do 2 quick posts a week (a giveaway and a Reader Redesign) so that leaves 5 more juicy posts to write, which so far has been manageable :)
xo
s
Natalie says
I can really get lost in projects and my biggest angst is figuring out what’s for dinner every night! In order to help maintain the balance of providing meals for my 4 kiddos and hubby and painting/sewing/crafting, I grocery shop with a 7 meal plan. I make sure I have all the ingredients for these 7 meals and then when I wait until 5 to figure out what I am doing at least I know I have stuff on hand. I look the the list and figure out which meal works with my schedule that day. I typically plan about 3 more labor intensive meals and 4 quick and easy meals. I also keep a running list of the meals my family likes to eat so when I sit down to plan I don’t have to be creative I can just pick the 7 that sounds good! This takes something I don’t especially care to do and makes it much easier!
I know this is not related to the time you spend on blogging, but I am sure you guys have to eat too…unless that is one of those things you have hired out!
katrina says
why don’t you just post less often?
YoungHouseLove says
We love blogging, so we used to do this just for fun – and we still do! Haha. We also feel a lot of responsibility to ourselves and Clara to maintain our income since this isn’t just for fun and is our full time job, it literally puts food on the table for us. If we cut back on posts, who’s to say we would sustain the same amount of traffic and sponsor interest (which is what pays the bills). Hope that makes sense!
xo
s
Deidre says
A twist on the to-do-list: make a list of the 5 most important areas of your life. Make sure you have things you need to do in each of those areas. Pick the most important from each and make sure those are your priorities. Instant balance!
Love this post and all of the suggestions!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Deidre! We love all the suggestions everyone’s sharing. You guys are smart. Haha!
xo
s
rachel says
1) Outsource things that drain you, and the things that take away from your relax time when you actually have it (cleaning, laundry, ironing, grocery shop online, etc.). Not outsourcing things that require personal touch, but letting go of the idea that you have to do everything domestic when it isn’t what your current vision is. DIY King and Queen or no, one does not have to do their own laundry. It ain’t a sin!
2) Have a few posts a week whose projects aren’t on the to-do list so you can spend a few hours one day writing a few posts all at once and on those days all you have to do is schedule/publish.
3) Nightly sweep/organize. Think about the next day, get out supplies, bowls, cereals, bags, etc so the next day as you are going about your business it will feel like it flows easily and prep time is largely complete.
4) Make firm “I will not check comments on my phone” or “I will not check emails today” rules and – if it kills you and causes you to eat to much to avoid it – then stick with it.
These are my go-to anxiety inducers .You guys do a lot, awesome for you!
Whitney says
For organization, my ipad and to-do lists are my best friends! I use the Notes app on my ipad to make lists of things i need to get done and create repeating events for all of the bills that need to be paid every month in my ipad’s calendar. I work on my blog similar to Katie’s way – with a running list of posts to write and uploading photos for 2 or 3 posts at once, then writing the posts for them about one per night.
Stacy says
Recognize your best work times. I am worthless in the first hour or so of the morning, so I do as much as possible the night before to make the mornings go smoothly (or else I waste time trying to decide the simplest of things, like what to wear to work). When I worked from home, I knew that I would accomplish the most (and the best quality) writing by scheduling it for the late evening.
head in the sun says
I am chronically lazy and unable to stick to a schedule.
I have found lowered expectations are key!
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahahahah!
xo
s
heather says
Best comment. Bwahahaha.
I’m a chronically unscheduled blogger, so I decided to throw in ridiculous small posts with photos of my dogs – which I’m pretty sure is all people want anyway. So after writing an intensive renovation recap, I post photos of the dogs playing ball “with” the readers or do a farm update with photos of the cows. My post today was about three sentences long and both the dogs and I got some seriously fun outside time (of which I took photos for maybe 5 minutes of an hour outside).
YoungHouseLove says
LOVE THAT!
xo
s
Dawn Pfeiffer says
I know this may be a bit on the contemplative side, but an old pastor of mine once said when you tell someone “I don’t have time” what you are really saying is, “I’m not making it a priority,” because we all have the same 24 hours in a day. That always hits home with me when I’m figuring out my to-do list for the day (daily to-do lists are a must). I ask myself what or where is my priority? Cleaning my house or working out? Some days call for different answers, but it usually goes along with the goals I have set (like losing baby weight makes working out the priority). Figuring out what is important to you helps make decisions to get those tasks done.
YoungHouseLove says
Such a great quote!
xo
s
Noelle says
I purge my life like I purge my clutter. I get as thrill from getting rid of stuff I don’t use, and while it’s not always that easy when it comes to my schedule, I’m learning to do the same thing with my time. It’s no longer about saying no to stuff I don’t want to do; it’s about saying no to stuff I don’t want to do as much as X. I think, “Does this weigh me down? Does this make me miss something I will be sad to miss?” Sometimes I don’t have a choice, like going to work, but often these kind of questions give me the freedom to let some things go.
Michelle says
Hi guys! I love this post, and I’ll definitely be coming back to it again and again! I teach high school science, and I only have about 45 kiddo-free minutes during the school day accomplish everything I need to…. so I do quite a bit of work before and after school and on the weekends and have been trying to cut back/work smarter, too!
The tip I heard a while back that literally CHANGED MY LIFE was to break every task you need to accomplish (including errands, cleaning, other little stuff too) into chunks (I use 30 minute chunks outside of school and it’s perfect). You can use more than one chunk if you need to for big things (like 2 chunks = 1 hour), but you commit to that ONE single big task for the whole time you allotted – no breaks in the middle, no “I’ll just check my email really quickly”, nothing else. But, if you get your task done early, then you let yourself relax for however much time you have left, or move on to your next chunk. The key thing is that you lump all of your smaller tasks (maybe cleaning, errands, emails, or phone calls) into a few 30-minute chunks throughout the day instead of allowing them to interrupt what could otherwise be prime focus time. When I get home, I give myself 30 minutes to check the mail, take the dog out, tidy up the kitchen or the bathroom, throw in a load of laundry, and figure out what’s for dinner. Then I finish up lesson plans for 30 minutes, then eat dinner, then grade papers for 60 minutes, then have another 30-minute chunk of little tasks (emails, homework text alerts, laying out tomorrow’s clothes, packing tomorrow’s lunch).
Sorry for the novel! Hopefully this might resonate with someone who has struggled with time management like I have!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we love all the novels. You guys are so sweet to take the time to share all of your tips. I’m sitting on the sofa reading all these suggestions. I love it!
xo
s
Jackie says
One thing you might consider (if you haven’t already) is allowing comments from people with a previously approved comment to go through automatically. You could still be notified of those comments in your email, and respond to them, but even just reducing that little bit of extra time it takes to approve each one would really add up with the number of comments you guys get.
YoungHouseLove says
I wish our comment interface did that! In order to have nested comments with our replies under them and highlighted in green (which seem to help) we can’t get any other option to moderate all or moderate none (and we miss so many questions and insanely skeeeeeeevy spam if we don’t moderate :)
xo
s
Marianne H says
This post makes me so happy. Even though I now have a 9-5 job, I have done the work at all hours from anywhere, and my husband still does so. I can’t imagine doing that with a child! And not to worry, I think seven posts per week is plenty :) You guys are such an inspiration, especially for first time homeowners with a “vintage” home to bring into this century!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Marianne!
xo
s
Kezia says
One of the problems with prioritising tasks in the way you suggested is that then sometimes you find yourself only getting the short term or immediate tasks done. A good friend of mine and Principal at the school I work at gave me a great tip for helping to deal with this: choose a couple of short term tasks to deal with that day but also write down steps you need to take to work towards a long term goal. Then plan in one or two steps towards these goals in your day.
Thanks for the advice Sherry and John!
YoungHouseLove says
So smart!
xo
s
Chrystal @ Snowdrop Dreams of Books says
Thanks for sharing this – loved many of the ideas.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, so glad :)
xo
s
JanetS. says
What a great post. Really this all relates to anyone with their own business, not just the bloggers of the world.
I have owned a business and worked from home for many years. One thing that was hard for me to handle was the lack of respect others had for my time. I can’t even count the number of times the doorbell or phone would ring in the early morning and a neighbor or school acquaintance would beg me to take care of their “too sick for school” child so they could get to the office. Since my car was in the driveway and I clearly “wasn’t doing anything anyway”, I was expected to be available for last minute favors and for neighbors wanting to hang around and visit when they weren’t working.
Have you had to set limits with friends and neighbors or have people finally understood the concept of working from home?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a great question! We definitely have to remind people “it’s a workday for us” but thankfully, just using that sentence usually works while helping to remind people gently that we’re not inside eating bonbons. Haha! A lot of times we’ll try to help someone but then we’ll look at our schedule and say “oh we have a meeting at 2” and people will be like “a meeting?! for what?!” – so we have to explain that it could be for any number of things (upgrading our server, talking to a pro about adding forums to our site, book chats with the publisher, lighting decisions with Shades of Light, etc). We actually have meetings and phone calls (even skype and google hangout calls) a lot these days!
xo
s
heather says
You guys know I regularly read, and I honestly didn’t even know you cut down. I couldn’t tell you what day you aren’t posting twice (or at all?).
My tip is this: take time for yourself. I have to. If I don’t take time for myself I WILL experience the beginnings of burn-out and I refuse. I also like to think of stress as a bucket, and if it’s filled with tiny things something big could make it overflow (i.e. breakdown). I try and keep the “small things” done and not procrastinate (I’m working hard on this). This means putting the laundry away so I don’t feel frustrated when I see the same basket there for three nights in a row. It means doing the dishes at night so I wake up to a clean kitchen, and then don’t start my day frustrated by seeing a dirty kitchen. Do I always get it right? NO WAY. Do I try? You bet. I’m at the point in my life where I want to identify my bad habits so I can become the woman I want my children to look up to, and to not pass those habits down to them.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Heather, you’re so sweet. We love all the tips guys. This has been such a fun post!
xo
s
Stassja says
I work full time, as does my husband and we have a 17 month old. I’d second the following suggestions:
1) Outsource. I’ve had a maid since I graduated college. Judge if you’d like, but I’ve been paying the bills, and I genuinely hate housework. More on what your time is worth: http://www.wisebread.com/what-is-your-time-worth
2) Focus on the task at hand. If you’re working on a project. Do it. Don’t try to do something else. This works especially well for things like dishes – take the 15 minutes to fully do it. Or at work, I definitely do this. With only 30 minutes between meetings, I have to have a very pointed to-do list so I can use that time effectively instead of trying to think of what I need to do. I turn off email notifications and check it only when I need a break, which brings me to my next point.
3) Wunderlist. It’s an app. My husband and I were losing track of all the “life maintenance” things that we need to do, so now we have a shared to-do list that we add / check off on. If I need a 10 minute break from work, I know I can call the insurance person, and still feel productive. It’s helped even more for my husband to actually do the things I used to have to nag him about. :)
4) Share the wealth. With my spouse, I find that sometimes we just are both sitting around half watching the baby because we don’t want to leave the other person on baby duty, and so we just need to say – hey, can you take care of him for 30 min or an hour while I go fold laundry, or paint a bathroom, or run an errand. Otherwise we never get anything done.
5) Exercise. Not everyone will agree with this, but I would challenge you that you will have more energy on the day you sweat for 30 minutes than the day you don’t. Plus, ever hear that saying “if you want something done, give it to a busy person” – I guarantee you can find 30 minutes 4-5 times a week to something that raises your heartrate. And I have never regretted spending those 30 minutes working out.
Speaking of – I’m going to put down the computer & follow my own advice. :)
Angie @ Angie's Roost says
My on-task mo…the planner, a massive to-do list (so I never forget something), and priorities. Everything goes onto the master to do list, one for work-life and one for home-life, and each day I give myself five priorities, one of which is always fun (like taking the dog to the park or catching up on New Girl). If I tackle three of the priorities for the day, I consider myself successful! And seriously…I can’t believe how you guys do all that you do! You’re like blogger super heroes!