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.
EM says
I love the suggestion from Kristin the copywriter. My husband and I also do no work on Saturday. For us it’s a religious decision – we call it keeping Sabbath – but I’ve also heard of people refraining from work one day a week for other not-religious reasons. The cool thing is that once you can hold yourself accountable to something other than your own will-power (or sometimes lack thereof), it’s easy to ignore those work e-mails, or look at the grass growing too long and say, “I’m not going to mow the lawn today because I’m not allowed to,” and then you don’t feel guilty for it. I think that a lot of our compulsion to work comes from feeling like we have to answer for any time when we are relaxing or not getting enough work done, and when you can say “Hey, I’m not relaxing because I’m lazy, God made me do it” (or whatever your extrinsic motivator is), it helps you to guard that time off and to really enjoy it without feeling like work is hanging over your head.
Katie says
Like, um, everyone, I’m constantly working on this one too.
My husband and I both work flexible work hours, often from home and take turns caring for our almost 2 year old. One thing we’ve found is that it helps to know when we’re each at our best, work-wise.
I love to roll out of bed, head straight to my desk and work my butt off for a few hours so I feel ahead before I start my day. He can’t work well without a shower and breakfast. Guess who preps breakfast for the family?
At our peak work times we can each get way more done so we make an effort to use that to our advantage.
Like one of your friends, we’ve also set aside Saturdays. With rare exceptions, that is our family day and the main “to do” is to relax and refresh!
Heather (Laptops to Lullabies) says
I loved reading all of these tips! I work from home on a freelance basis while my two-year-old and 11-month-old nap, so I’m always looking for ways to work smarter.
Google Calendars are a lifesaver for me, because now I actually plot out how I’m going to spend my “naptimes” each day (i.e. write article A from 1-1:30, interview from 1:30-2). That way if a last-minute assignment comes in, I can see immediately if I actually have time for it, or if I’m booked.
This has helped me SO much more than when I used to just note the deadlines, because now I’m scheduling myself to actually get the work done.
Jodi F. says
This was a great post! I can totally resonate with all of it. I am a 23 year old single mom of an 18 month old, and a graduate student beginning my PhD in August, while working as a substitute teacher and waitress part time. I. Know. Busy. It’s so hard to maintain a feeling of accomplishment in the “Do more, go everywhere, you should be working” society we live in. For me, it’s helpful to focus on maintaining priorities. Right now, my son and school are my top priorities. Although I enjoy working a steady 9-5 or staying home with him, the season I’m in right now doesn’t give me that opportunity. So while I’m a stay-at-home mommy dreamer, I’ve accepted that household perfection isn’t going to happen. Although I’d rather be cooking or organizing the basement, studying wins. Enjoying my little boy helps keep it all in perspective for me!
Lorelei Reed says
my natural way is to run around all scattered and nuts, flitting from project to project and that is NOT good…I find when I force myself to slowly and carefully push through a project, even the boring parts (hmmmm….adult ADD anyone?) I finish in the same amount of time and sometimes sooner, with a much improved quality of work, and much calmer heart rate. The one time when my flitty-ness serves me is when tidying up…work in the kitchen until some item must be delivered to the bedroom, work there till putting something away leads you to the living room, on and on…after about 20 minutes of this movement every room is tidy at the same time…I call it “the plod” and it works for me….good luck and hugs to all!
Judy says
I think working hard is the smart part — you don’t get where you need to without hard work… just my 2 cents … As a private employer I’ve seen the work smarter not harder generation and I conclude — they will do the work … assigned to them but nothing more – They need constant prodding to be proactive in finding the next project. I realize that may not be where you were going with this post but I had to comment on the question – because I find it amusing! … and impossible!
Quite intrigued by all the fun responses: My husband’s Aeronautical Engineer Uncle … thinks multitasking makes you stupid! HA — He says it translates that you don’t get any one thing done WELL —
Heather says
There’s no such thing as successfully multi-tasking with active tasks, but multi-tasking doesn’t MEAN multiple active tasks–it’s just what people who can’t or choose not to focus use to excuse themselves even though they aren’t actually multiplying anything.
Multi-tasking is all about finding the tasks that have active and passive portions, and starting them in such a time that you can be doing other active tasks while the passive portion is working. It’s running the clothes washer while you vacuum, instead of sitting down and watching TV while you wait for the washer to buzz. It’s setting your pictures to upload and heading over to your word processing software to write while you wait. It’s doing leg exercises while you brush your teeth and responding to emails while you brew the office’s next pot of coffee and throwing some dishes on to soak while you toast your breakfast so that by the time you’re done eating the dishes can go in the dishwasher.
It is NOT reading your email until something reminds you of a blog entry you wanted to write and then abandoning your email until the blog entry gets boring or you finish it and remember that you were checking your email.
Some people do better with letting passive tasks work while they are relaxing, others find that makes them feel as if they are never relaxing. I think either way, everyone can agree that standing and watching the washer spin your clothes is a waste of time.
Ann says
I dont work from home, so i cant really relate to that aspect of the post. However, being in social work, i have very strict “on” and “off” hours, so i couldnt imagine balancing that when you never really get to leave your office. I read somewhere that bloggers needed to accept nights and weekends as part of the very flexible schedule that goes along with the job–so im just wondering, is this goal sparked by a feeling of being overworked/burned out, or just because you feelin like you should, or something else entirely? Sorry if its too personal and feel free to skip that question :)
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! I think it has just been one of our passive goals for a few years (we moved to VA to work less, but over our 7 years here we have slowly evolved into working much more than we did back in NYC) so instead of it being a passive goal that we mention every year, we wanted to make it an active goal and take actual concrete steps towards being more efficient so we can enjoy family time instead of just switching off with Clara and feeling all chaotic and rushed. I think ultimately we know it’ll be great for ourselves & our family, but I think we also hope it’ll be good for blogging too (we feel more creative when our brains are sharp and fresh).
xo
s
Heather says
I think nights and weekends is only necessarily part of the blogging job because sometimes the creative spark hits you at times you didn’t set aside to work. You know exactly what you want to say and if you don’t get it down now, those clever turns of phrase will be lost to the ether forever. Blogging may seem technical and parts of it are, but even the technical parts are a kind of art.
Koliti says
I love the “how do you work smarter, not harder?” topic!
I’ve had co-workers who have told me, “this is how we’ve always done it” – YIKES, how scary is that! Talk about stagnant and stale! I’m all for spice it up, find out what works for you, and pay attention to how you use your stuff and move about your space.
I work in a healthcare clinic – here’s what I do to work smarter, save time, and save money…and maybe my sanity!
—Put all items for a task that you perform often in one spot. For example, for blood draws I have all the phlebotomy supplies and all paperwork next to the blood draw station (no need to go to a supply cabinet AND a file drawer).
—For repetitive actions, find a reusable solution. For example, I used to reach for a post-it note and write “FAX” on it, fax the paper, then toss the post-it. Then I did the same thing the next time – what a waste! Now I have my “customized reusable post-its” – in my text program
I created 3″x3″ squares and inside each square I typed the actions I most often needed a post-it for (FAX, COPY, DR to REVIEW, CONTACT PATIENT, etc), printed them out on light yellow paper, cut them out and with a large paper clip – tada! Reusable post-its. It’s been over a year since I’ve ordered post-its for the office – that’s a big savings.
—Multi-tasking is OVER-RATED! Everyone should be able to perform multiple tasks – just not at the same time. You are comprised of many different facets – the light will not shine on all of them all of the time.
—Maybe you need different lists or visuals depending on your needs and tasks. I keep a vendor list (with websites logins & passwords) to order supplies, a monthly inventory sheet of current supply expiration dates (so I don’t have to open every cabinet and look at every item), a monthly calendar in the medication room (so I know at a glance what days to discard medication if they’re not used).
—Always re-evaluate & tweak as needed. Recently I asked the doctors if we could try a new way to “flag” the medication boxes on the shelves so I would know which medications were dispensed and check to see if I needed to order more. I’m HAPPY to report that resulted in a more streamlined approach that is easier for the doctors & me!
—Nourish your soul. After I complete a “must-do” task, I like to do a “LIKE-IT/LOVE-IT” task/activity (this probably occurs more often at home) – I enjoy the little things that make you smile :)
YoungHouseLove says
Love all the tips guys! It has been so much fun to crack open your brains on the subject :)
xo
s
Larissa says
This post just rocked my world! My company just completed a re-org and I am now doing two jobs one of which I have very little experience in. It’s been stressful and I feel like my 8 month old and 5 year old have gotten the short end of the stick. This post really resonates with me especially because balance keeps me happy. I will be using all these tips to re-connect with my life.
jessica Paulsen says
I loved the fork comment, but I take it one step farther– put a label on it! Seriously– I have 3 people in this house that unload my dishwasher, and to save my sanity and time spent searching for my zester, everything is labeled with small labels printed on the home printer. I have 3 kids that are years apart in age, so having labels tells my readers where things need to go home to. I teach 1st grade and I also let my students take care of many things in the classroom, simply because they are labeled.
2. I always wear an apron with pockets. I know, it sounds dumb, but I can keep my clothes cleaner, and pick up small items dribbled around the house by having pockets to quickly stash stuff in until I get back to the right room to put it away.
Camille says
Being okay with cutting some losses….I think that’s great advice.
Over the years of being self employed and now a parent to two small children, I’ve realized that my work frustrations are increasingly more emotional/personal than practical. I am way too hard on myself and spend too much time comparing my work and ‘success’ to my peers. A terrible waste of time but also a mindset that affects my mood and therefore my whole family!
I also continually try to be less controlling of everything (from how a project turns out, to how clean my house is) and while this will be a lifelong battle, I know it is in the best interests of myself and my kids. And I’m more comfortable with putting off things if life can’t handle it at the moment: like maybe I’m feeling terribly overwhelmed with work and family life during the summer, so I don’t even remotely contemplate deep cleaning or a big garden project until winter. Even if that means the garden looks hideous for 5 months. Even if it means I look at dirty handprints on the windows for 5 months. I remove it completely from my literal and mental list, and I feel a burden has lifted. 5 years ago I wouldn’t have been able to do this, but now that ‘release’ is part of my sanity. For me, that’s working smarter :)
Jacqueline says
That was an interesting post.
I’m currently wondering how I am going to get it all done as I’m a SAHM who is returning to work soon. It was great to hear everyone’s insights.
PS: whenever I write lists in my daily planner I usually include tasks I’ve already done that day, eg. if I’ve already put the washing away, I’ll write “Put washing away” and then tick it off straight away… am I odd? LOL
YoungHouseLove says
Nope! I love writing down easy tasks too so that I can cross them off (sometimes ones I’ve already done).
-John
RachD says
may I just say, Sherry you are gorgeous in that video!
Bella says
This may sound stupid but I have co-worker who is a dog first of all because I LOVE the guy ( cutest dog ever) and he forces me to go.outside.2.hours.every.day because I do not have a yard :) Gets me to work out and that is important because I get more work done in less time when I am outside a lot because I feel like my brain can breathe better! :)
Christine @ Little House On The Corner says
Okay, in-box sorted and emptied, ridiculously long to-do list started – now off to do some DIY (because that’s what the list is telling me!)
Gina @ LifetotheFdegree says
I love all of these tips; some I plan on implementing right away! One way I work smarter is to realize when I’m most productive, and don’t fight it. I like to wake up absurdly early, but get the most done then. I literally will be folding laundry, writing lesson plans, and doing dishes at 4 a.m., then head to the gym at 5. I like my down time to be in the evening. When I fight this, and plan to do things after work…they don’t get done. I think it’s important to realize when you’re most efficient and productive and plan tasks to be completed at those times!
Blanca says
I don’t have tips hehe, but I do have a question. Don’t know if you’ll get back to me though
I receive a lot less emails than you guys, but still loads for me (around 30 – 40 a day or more). I blog about blogging and it seems like everybody needs/wants my help.
Sometimes I don’t even know the answer (it would take me time to look it up) and there’s others too when it bothers me that they clearly even took the time to Google it.
However, and even though I say in my contact form that I literally cannot respond to every email, and that if any doubts/errors they can ask in google forums, etc. feel awful and always do…
What you guys do? Just delete them and never come back? I’ve done it with a few this very same week and feel terrible. But I don’t have another choice!
Any advice? Cuz with so many emails is impossible to get more work done!
xo,
B.
YoungHouseLove says
Great question! We have an auto response that directs people to a few ways to answer their questions (you can see what it basically looks like here) so the nice part about that is that once it pops back into their inbox with all that info, many people say “nevermind I found what I needed! Thanks!” – so that saves us time. We also have “canned messages” in gmail, so since many people ask common questions we can just auto-fill them into an email and click send. Definitely saves time! Hope it helps.
xo
s
Charlotta says
I’ve been struggling with this myself, since I work full-time and commute for about 1,5 hours each day. My first step was to declare the commuting time “me-time” and I spend it reading, crafting (small knitting or embroidery projects are perfect with an audio book on the train), sleeping or reading blogs. The point of this is to have time when I’m not allowed to do anything I don’t want to.
At work I try to cut out the distractions as much as possible (which is hard since the office is just one big open floor) by focusing on one task at a time and blocking out noise by listening to music (preferrably Mozart, Bach etc). Small breaks enhances my productivity as well.
At home I’m on a quest to keep everything organized and I have let go of many time-consuming tasks (like ironing things that are not tablecloths or curtains).
I have also freed up some time by thinking about what things I think are necessary to do – and why, both when it comes to household work and play. I decided, for example, to stop down-hill skiing and just focus on cross-country skiing instead. Ok, it’s just one or two weeks every year, but it’s vacation, and vacation should be spent doing stuff you really enjoy doing!
Ian Anderson says
Hey guys,
You could drop down to 5 posts a week and that’d still be loads for us to read!
Then you’d have time to write a post about some of the things you did that helped younghouselove take off the way it did. Huge market for that online, although I guess it wanders off the DIY track a little!
Also, writing a post is like planting a seed, these things grow over time. So relax, spend a little less time at work (if finances allow,) YHL is going places, whether you write 3, 5 or 7 times a week!
Stay well
Ian
Kim says
Thanks so much for posting these tips – you two are my work-from-home role models :)
My tip for housework is save the big stuff for the weekend and do a “cleaning power hour” early in the day that starts with laundry and includes wiping counters, vacuuming, etc. while blasting Katy Perry or Rihanna on Pandora throughout the house. It makes it like a cleaning party instead of a chore, and putting a 1-hr limit on it makes me go faster.
For staying on top of work, a paper to-do list does the trick for me b/c the paper is only so big, unlike an endless memo in my smartphone that I could keep adding unimportant ‘tasks’ to.
Sue says
WOW! This post is exactly what I needed to see and read. Thank you for sharing Sherrie. This answers quite a few questions I had emailed you about.
Now to try a few tips and stick to them if they work for me :)
Sue
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Sue! So glad.
xo
s
Jamie says
I am a list maker and planner for sure but one area I constantly fell behind on is meal planning. My husband and I work different shifts so having good meals and leftovers around is wonderful but really hard to actually make happen. All too often we give into convenience and eat a frozen meal or grab fast food instead of taking the time to cook a meal. Or when one of us did have time to cook we had no idea what to make or didn’t have all the ingredients on hand. Frustrating!
I am now using Ziplist to make a weekly meal plan and it automatically creates my grocery list. On the days my husband is off I schedule recipes I know he will like to cook or plan a crockpot meal on days we are both crazy busy. The first week we followed a meal plan and enjoyed good meals, leftovers to take to work, and a lower grocery bill I realized it was a “work smarter, not harder” change for us. I’m still a work in progress with it but definitely plan to continue!
Emma says
Great post! I loved how you got input from a whole heap of friends and family.
My tips:
1. I pick my clothes at night so I don’t have to make a decision in the morning (I’m NOT a morning person).
2. I make notes for myself at the end of the day as a reminder of what to do tomorrow. That way I can switch off, and also make sure I get straight back into it in the morning.
3. I (aim to) spend a bit of time doing chores and housework as soon as I have finished work. Again, easier to relax once I know I’ve done what I need to.
Ashley says
I really think one of the best things you can do to feel more balanced is to let go of the need to manually approve every comment and to respond to so many comments with a simple “haha”. That takes up such a huge chunk of time every.single.day. and does nothing towards getting actual work done.
You guys don’t realize how great you really have it. You get to work at home, spend all day with your daughter, and spend time with family on the weekends. What’s not balanced about that?
YoungHouseLove says
We absolutely LOVE many aspects of our job, but it doesn’t mean we don’t aspire to be more efficient when it comes to responding to emails or sizing photos (I think every job has busywork and everyone hopes to do it faster and in a less frenzied way). As for answering comments, if you read back through the comments on this post, you’ll see why that’s so important to us. Chatting with readers keeps us motivated, helps them, and encourages them to keep coming here every day, which is what makes this job that we love possible :)
xo
s
Angel says
Not to answer for J&S but I am very glad they respond to comments. Its one of the reasons I like this blog more than others. Like they said, it feels like a conversation.
And I waaay have to diagree with you that working from home automatically means your life is balanced. I think its actually much harder, because there is no set time that you clock out and switch from work mode to personal mode. On one hand, with your family and couch right there, it can be really hard to focus on work. On the other hand, with your computer and office right here in your home, it can be hard not to stay up until 3am getting work done. That is just my experience anyway.
Meredith says
We don’t have kids yet, so I don’t have that additional responsibility to juggle, but “scheduling” a time for specific responsibilities helps me. For example, I usually plan our dinner menu for the following week and the grocery list every Thursday during my lunch hour. I will either do the grocery shopping Thursday or Friday on my way home from work so that it’s done and I don’t have to go on the weekend (the grocery store is usually less busy on a Friday evening than a Sunday or Saturday afternoon which = less frustration!). Fridays during my lunch hour I review our weekly finances/spending on mint.com. If you have never tried mint I recommend it, it has saved me time in reviewing our weekly spending. Then usually during the first week of each month my husband and I sit down and review the monthly finances and set our “fun money” budget for the new month. I don’t clean the entire house every week, but I will clean something each week (dust, clean kitchen, clean bathroom) usually Saturday morning before or after the gym. I only cook twice a week, making enough at a time to have 2-3 nights of meals – the crock pot is helpful with this. Other nights it’s fend for yourself which for me usually means cereal. Mail and paperwork is also another task that required a system. I can’t stand seeing stray paperwork all over the house (the bar, the cocktail ottoman, the dresser – my husband is usually the offender) he’s not the best at filing things after they come in to our home. So we have a basket, wall hanging mail sorter by the door to the garage, we each have an “inbox”. He usually goes through his mail when he gets it, then either recycles the paper or hands it over to me (puts in my “inbox) to deal with putting it away. I go through my mail “inbox” once a week and file or sort accordingly. So for me, setting aside specific times each week for required tasks/chores helps me a lot. If I was doing what you all do, I would probably segregate my day out as well, devoting certain times to certain tasks.
YoungHouseLove says
It was so much fun to read all of your tips last night (and into this morning!). Haha. You guys are awesome to share what works for you. Thanks so much for chiming in and sharing suggestions so freely!
xo
s
Sarah @ The Ugly Duckling House says
School, work, family, dog, blog, DIY, and down time – there is never ever enough time to get to all of it in the same day, but your post reminded me that I make it harder on myself way too often. Strange to think that until you mentioned it, I hadn’t even THOUGHT of unsubscribing to all of these random email lists that I’m on. I just spent this morning doing just that, and already feel like I’m carrying a lighter load. So, thank your for the Get-on-that-already reminder and a kick in the pants!
YoungHouseLove says
Wahooo! So glad.
xo
s
Debbie says
I doubt you need the advice, but our house rule is to turn off technology while we eat dinner, and to eat at the table. We don’t have kids yet but it gives my husband and me time to talk to each other and reflect on the day, and it is dedicated time to connect. If you schedule away your day and then spend dinner in front of the TV or on your phone, you never really get to “unplug” and connect. Just an idea! It doesn’t have to be dinner time per say, but that is what works for us. :-)
Debbie says
Also—I set timers for specific tasks. Like taking a shower—I set the timer on my phone for 10 minutes so I know I’m taking too long when it goes off. I also set timers for things like checking emails at work—30 minutes and then I’m off to something else. It’s good motivation to get as much done in that time as possible, and then you can walk away and get something else done. :-)
Tammy says
I have a blended family of 7 kids and also work outside the home in a professional capacity. Organization is key!!! Here are a few thoughts in no particular order that help me keep things running smoothly….
DELEGATE!!! My kids range in age from 9-17, but they ALL do their own laundry, put away their own clothes and help with chores around the house. I get no prizes for doing everything myself and my kids will grow up and leave this house knowing how to cook, clean, do laundry and make simple repairs. My “responsibility” stops at the threshold to their bedroom!! hahaha It also teaches them to budget their time as they found out really quickly that missing out on a movie with friends because a room needs cleaning is not fun.
Trade services…have a friend who likes to bake and you make a fantastic homemade pasta sauce? Make a double batch and share. offer to watch a friends kids who are similar in age to your own. Then they return the favor. You get a date night, or a block of time to do something that takes a little more concentration.
Precook meals…as a professional I dont get home until almost 6pm most nights. My hubby travels for work and is sometimes gone all week. Quick meals are a must, yet we love to cook and nutritious stuff is important! We will often spend a weekend cooking chili, soup, lasagne, applesauce, etc etc etc. Takes a few minutes to re-heat and add a salad.
Share a calendar…either of us can enter the info and both of us can view it. HUGE help. But Ive still gotten texts/ phone calls reminding me to come get someone!
and RELAX….really, will the world end tomorrow if my toilet isnt pristine? Probably not.
Kelly says
First, love you guys. I want to be just like you when I grow up (yah, I know I am older, but still…).
If this is too personal, you can just say…thanks but no thanks to answering.
Have you guys thought about what if blogging as a career is a “fad” thing. Like the in thing for this moment in time. Whether it lasts for 5 years or 20 years? Do you ever think about what you would do if it were to fade out? Would you fall back on your previous careers, or has this experience changed your outlook on what you want to do?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we don’t think this’ll last forever. Nothing does, right?! One thing we did to manage the anxiety was to wait to be full time with this until we had a back-up fund in our savings account for whenever it might end. We needed that nest egg to make the leap, and we’re sure blogs won’t be a thing forever, but it’s comforting that it has led to other side jobs like our book (we have another one on the agenda) and our lighting collection – plus we left the door open in our previous jobs (advertising) so we might end up back there someday. Who knows!
xo
s
Richelle says
Sometimes it’s not so much about working smarter, but rather about making tough choices.
I recently had to do just that – working smarter simply wasn’t enough anymore, and it was time to start cutting out some things that I was doing just because I’d done them in the past (an entrepreneur’s group, a line of my business that is not doing as well as a few years ago). It’s freed up a considerable amount of time that I can now spend doing things I truly want to do… and I’m far less cranky, to boot.
So it’s worth asking the question sometimes: Why am I doing this? And is it something I really need to do? Re-examining the big picture can lead to some surprising answers.
Lindsey says
I’m surprised by the few people complaining about this article. Even if they claim to understand self-employment, they don’t seem to really get it. Sure, it LOOKS like you have an awesome schedule – after all, you set it yourself, right? But it’s not that simple. I am self-employed and yes, I set my own schedule. To an extent. But if a client needs or wants something on a Sunday, guess who answers the phone? Or if I’m on vacation or taking a day off or it’s 9 o’clock at night? Why? Because you never know where the next paycheck will come from – or if it will. And the bills still have to be paid. The bank won’t wait on my mortgage because work slowed down. Sure, the prudent self-employed have an emergency fund to carry them through slow times, but it’s ALWAYS in the back of your head. And my job doesn’t involve improving my home, which I’m surrounded by all day, every day. It must be especially hard to turn your brains off! (Like the shelf over the TV thing…)
I wouldn’t give up my flexibility or autonomy for a “real” job, but I completely understood the point of this post because I live it too. I am writing this comment because it irks me when people knock on someone who is only trying to improve their own circumstances and share their experiences with others. That’s what you were doing – trying to make a good thing even better and sharing what you learned with your readers. So… rock on.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Lindsay, it was definitely our intention to share what was working for us (and for our friends and family members), both to encourage ourselves to stick with it and hopefully to help others while we were at it. I’m so glad that 400+ folks are adding their tips and suggestions to the pot – it’s so much fun to read through all the ideas :)
xo
s
Carolyn says
A friend’s mom once told me, “let your fingers do the walking.” This was back before Google surpassed Yahoo and Excite, and she meant use the phonebook instead of visiting 6 stores. But it’s stuck with me ever since, and I use my fingers (and keyboard and cellphone) to do the research as much as possible before setting out. I find this also maximizes my efficiency when I need to drive to several places in one afternoon. We also wait to get our CSA on Saturdays and then make meal plans for the rest of the week. This means we only have to go to the grocery store once (if even). If I have a plan, an order of operations, I feel like I’ve maximized my time.
Lidia says
I read this tip on Pinterest. Do one load of laundry from start to finish a day, and use one of those divided laundry hampers in a centralized area instead of a single one in everyone’s room. Every night my kids are responsible for putting their clothes in the hamper, or else their clothes don’t get washed. It’s helping to keep their rooms clean, teaching them responsibility, and keeping me from getting overwhelmed with laundry.
Jennifer says
Last night, my tech savvy hubby showed me this app he is crazy about and I immediately thought of you guys and this post. It’s only for gmail and the iPhone right now but they will most likely expand to include other platforms. The best part is you can delay responding to an email by categorizing it WHEN you want to respond, later that day, next day, next week, etc. Here’s the website. http://www.mailboxapp.com
Definitely for people who have to manage A LOT of email…like you! ;-) Kudos on your quest for balance. It’s a good quest.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, that’s so smart! We’re on the wait list and can’t wait to check it out!
xo
s
Anna S says
I read “7 Effective Habits of Highly Efficient People” and one part really resonated with me. Identify the “hats” you wear (parent, cook, accountant, worker/blogger, daughter/son, etc) and then set goals and to do lists for those each week/day. That ensures that all of your responsibilities and relationships are addressed. Too often we put our time and effort too much in one bucket (i.e. work) and neglect other areas of our life that still need attention. It may mean some things have to be given up in one are to accommodate another but you’ll be better off in the long run. I also agree that planning and not over committing (even if it’s ourselves setting the expectations) are key to success. I can now manage to whittle down my 8hr work day in to 4-6 hours so I have more time to spend with family, volunteering, etc. (but I still don’t do as much as I’d like!)
Katie says
I love this post! :) My husband and I just had our first baby three months ago, and we have had to do some tweaking to our at-home routine (we both work outside the home) to keep mama happy (’cause you know what they say about when mama’s happy…). First, we sat down and talked about what needed to happen on a daily/weekly/monthly and as-needed basis around the house and to take care of the kiddo. Just talking through it helped him see all that needed to be done! Then we made a plan together on how to split up the to-do’s.
I also started making a simple weekly plan and send it to both of our email accounts. It tells what activities we have going on each day of the upcoming week as well as the “chores” we should try to do that day and what we’re having for dinner. We tried to sync our calendars several months ago, but this just seems simpler and more to-the point.
YoungHouseLove says
Such a smart method! I love that!
xo
s
Kasey M. says
In college I learned (the hard way) that I can’t accomplish much if I’m falling apart. So the best way for me to work smarter, not harder, it to prioritize taking care of myself.
I spent two years running a residence hall that I also lived in. At 2:00 in the morning (if I had class or not) someone might knock on my door because they were locked out and needed a their spare key. By senior year I knew to make my schedule based on what I needed, not the “urgency” of the task. I still struggle to do this at times, but I *know* it’s the right method for me.
Patty says
Ah! Amen to your Mother! Finally someone who agrees that multitasking is too chaotic! I am not built for it ;)
Thanks for this post…it was VERY helpful.
Kate in New Zealand says
Regular cardio exercise.
Even if it is just 15 minutes a day.
There is a feedback loop between anxiety and depression, so feeling constantly vaguely anxious can slowly spiral into mild depression.
Regular cardio exercise cleans your lymph system, increases your stamina for the rest of your day and improves your mental health by metabolising the stress hormone cortisol and releasing feel good endorphins.
It also provides for some downtime where you just can’t be doing anything else (like answering emails etc).
Has made a huge difference for me :)
Lauren S says
OH I know what you mean on the spam emails! I delete them from my email and unsubscribe at least once a year. Some how they always start to accumulate again! Congratulations to you and your much simpler and happier life.
Ls {sixteensunbuckles}
Debbie Z says
Your office area looks so great and tidy. Where do you have all of your files?How do you handle keeping control of papers? Do you scan most things?
Thanks,
DebZ
YoungHouseLove says
We try to stay as digital as we can, but for the necessary paperwork we have a filing cabinet in a corner that you don’t see. Here’s more on that :)
xo
s
Ali says
Emily and I ran into each other at Target a few weeks ago while we were both trying to squeeze some shopping during a few free minutes. Haha.
I’m a SAHM with a husband who works outside the home, and I suddenly found myself working up to 30 hours a week with no clue how to get it all done. I’m still figuring it out. So thanks for this advice! I agree with the person who said to take a mid-week break. Helps me feel like I have more control over my schedule and that I can dive back in when I want to.
Also, I have used a babysitter to delegate out some tasks, like bringing my son to speech therapy. It’s not like I get to spend time with him while he’s there, so I’m not missing out on bonding time, and then I can get stuff done and/or spend time with my youngest so that I have more time to devote to my other boys later.
It’s a work in progress. :)
YoungHouseLove says
So funny that you bumped into Emily!
xo
s
Ali says
We met at the Glotzl’s house last summer. She’s a cool cat!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, she’s the best.
xo
s
Kelli says
I am crazy about my lists! One of the ones that has helped me the most to work smarter not harder is my printed grocery list. I religiously shop at one place, so I took some time to map out the store in detail. I know a lot of people have lists that are broken down by the headers of the aisles, but my list is of the groceries I actually buy. Instead of “Dairy”, I have milk: skim / whole, yogurt: baby / me, ricotta, etc. That way I can just circle what I need and save a few seconds by not having to write things. There are also always things that might not be obviously located in a row if you only know the header, like black olives or tomato sauce. Because I buy those things frequently, I have them individually listed. I still have generic headers for things like baking ingredients since those aren’t purchased very often. If I notice that I am constantly adding a specific item to my list, the next time I print them off, I will make changes. I have the lists small enough that I can print 3 on one piece of paper. On the back, I have the days of the week so that I can plan a menu and add the ingredients to my list. It might take a little bit of time to walk up and down every single aisle noting the items that you buy most frequently, but it will save you from having to backtrack 3 aisles because you forgot something.
Heather says
Yes!! When I was a kid, we did this (ahem, I did this and made everyone follow along) because I was sick of my dad taking us on a wild goose chase through the store. I always had to go because I was better at making sure we stuck to the list, and at 6 years old I would take junk food out of the cart and hand it to employees to take back to their homes whenever my dad wasn’t looking. My brother preferred to just drop the junk food in other people’s carts!
The list was written in order we went through the store with all the things we bought most often or liked to keep on hand, which meant that we were more cognizant of how often we wrote “potato chips” or something on the list, because it was obviously a treat, a special item, not something that you write down to buy just because you ate the last of it. I always made sure we took a different colored pen than the one on the fridge to the store so that if Dad or I added something to the list so we could get it then we knew how much we had deviated from the list we’d come in with. It’s one thing to see the milk and go Oh crap I forgot to add milk to the list. It’s something else to see the chocolate chip cookies and say hey, those are on the list, right?
My rule as an adult: Fresh produce is the only thing I “add to the list” at the store. Junk food waits until next time. Anything that has a great deal that will expire before we get back is a judgement call.
Ginny @ Goofy Monkeys says
#1 – Sherry needs to go shopping :) She’s wearing the same blazer in 3 of these photos! LOL j/k I wear my fave stuff often too
#2 – backing off of a post each week was a brilliant change. It focuses you guys on making the other 7 as good as they can get. Not that the 8th was bad, but I can see how the pressure to get one more in might have a blogger choosing something that wasn’t quite ready.
#3 – emails – I have done the same thing. Every time I make a purchase I end up on a slew of mailing lists. Unsubscribing definitely helps clear the clutter in the inbox.
You guys have done a good job creating a balance. Thanks for sharing your tips plus those of others!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, heck yeah momma needs to go shopping! Bring it on ;)
xo
s
liz says
bike-seat?! would you buy again? Sherry, is it too heavy to steer well? I scrolled through the comments and didn’t see that anyone asked! in the market ;)
YoungHouseLove says
We love the iBert, but I don’t ride with it – that’s all John. He loves it though and has no issues steering and pedaling (his knees don’t hit it or anything and he’s very tall).
xo
s
Kelly Jo says
Loved this post! I have a three month old and I work from home blogging for our family’s business. Now that we have more of a routine, I’ve been trying to figure out how to balance the whole work-from-home/SAHM things. I SO related to what you said in the video about making a list and being satisfied with it. I always think that if I move on to stuff that is due later I’ll be less stressed, but there is ALWAYS more stuff that will be due later when that is done so it is a never-ending cycle. I’m going to start using your list method! We’ll be in this together! ;o)
Sarah says
Thanks for this post! I don’t work from home, but I am a full-time online student finishing my bachelor’s from home. I also am a stay at home mom, and so I find that whenever I have “me time” it’s always spent doing school work. It’s helpful to see that so many people have strategies about how to balance work & life, makes me think I should spend a bit more time figuring that out too. I’ve always wondered, what does Clara do during the day while you’re working, or what did she do before she was in pre-school? I find it’s hard to be on the computer without my daughter always wanting to sit in my lap and bang on my keyboard! Keep up the great work!
Sarah H. says
I read some suggestions of combining your blogs, and my two cents, goes along with your view. Having the two separate blogs is important. Sometimes I’ll start following someone’ blog that say, had an awesome mudroom, and then most of the post are about their kids. They might be adorable, but I’m gone. It’s not what I’m there for. I really enjoy seeing Clara and Burger on here, and like how you are open about balancing parent duties with work duties, but I’m really here (and I’d guess many others are) for home design, DIY ideas, etc. I liked a lot of the suggestions people gave, and wanted to share from my perspective, I would not care if there were less posts here. I mean I know you already went from 8 to 7, but it wouldn’t personally bother me to have 6 a week occasionally, or regularly, rather than 7. It’s about quality, and you guys bring it. With your book project, the awesome shades of light line you created, and other side projects that you have or haven’t yet shared,(Benjamin Moore colors) there is plenty to keep you going. I sure love your blog.
Miranda says
Loved the video! You are the best.
I work a 9-5, but I’m still stuck in the battle of always being a click away from my job, with a huge list of things I want to tackle.
Thanks for your thoughts and tips! I will definitely put some of them to use. I love my job, so it feeds into that feeling of needing to check in or just conquer one more project before the end of the week! Sometimes the hardest lesson to learn is to say no sometimes. No one will say it for you!
Christiana says
Great advice! I am hoping to learn this myself as I am working full-time, planning a wedding, writing a blog, and working on my performance career. It’s non-stop!