Great Ideas for your Small Business: Plan “In” Days and “Out” Days
As my business flourished and my life became busier and busier, I needed a better way to structure my time. I came up with this plan when I was working out of my home office in Sun Valley, California. Sun Valley is a rural community about twenty-five miles from downtown Los Angeles. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to get from Sun Valley to anywhere in Los Angeles.
Because traffic is such a nightmare no matter when you travel in L.A., setting up one appointment across town meant I would be gone for most of the day. I found that the best way to break up my week was to schedule “in” days and “out” days. On my “in” days, I never left the office, except maybe to drive someone to school or run to the supermarket. I spent the day writing, returning calls, working on project proposals, dealing with paperwork, and basically digging out.
On my “out” days, I scheduled back-to-back appointments in one area. I would book a breakfast appointment, an interview at lunch, a meeting, a trip to my acupuncturist, and anything else I could squeeze in. I’d be gone from very early in the morning until late into the evening, staying out as long as it took to complete my work. Halfway through the day, I would check in with my assistant and return calls.
I still use this system, although we live in New York now. This plan is really effective, especially if you travel a lot and need quiet time in your office between trips to accomplish the work.
If you have a similarly hectic lifestyle, it might help you, too, to organize your time and get more accomplished.