Routines, habits, focus, time management—all of these things are such a key to running a successful business. And I've got plenty of habits that I've developed over nine years in business that contribute to my business doing well. Over the past 9 years, I’ve gone from someone who worked with Friends in the background on TV in the first months of my business to someone who now really dials in what I'm working on.
I batch tasks well and I get what I used to get done in a week, done in two days. So in this episode, I just want to explore with you six different kinds of routines, habits, and just ways of running my business that help me manage my business really well that you can carry on into your own life and apply it to your business as well. So let's dive into it.
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If you're listening to this episode live, I just want to let you know that my Black Friday sale is happening right now. I’m not actually focusing on the sale in this episode because I imagined that you might be in travel mode, family mode, or hosting mode as you celebrate Thanksgiving. So, I thought you might enjoy a simpler, more lifestyle-focused episode this week. But if you're interested in details about the sale, you can find all the information here. The sale is fantastic and runs through December 3rd, make sure to check it out!
Now, let's dive into the content of this episode, which I think will be a fun one. To give you a bit of context as we start, I want to share where I am in my current season of life. My hope is that by knowing where I am, you can take what resonates and apply it to your own life, recognizing that your situation, experiences, and priorities are probably quite different from mine.
As I navigate life as a parent while running my business, I’ve noticed that my goals and routines are constantly changing. It used to feel like things changed on a yearly basis, but now it feels like they’re shifting every few months. Maybe you can relate to that feeling. For example, at the time of this recording, I typically have two full workdays each week, plus another workday that’s spread across two half-days. Beyond that, I’m primarily with my kids, which is a huge priority for me in this season. I have two young boys—an eight-month-old (I still can’t believe he’s already eight months!) and a three-year-old.
Just for a bit of background, I’ve been running my business for a long time, since before I became a mom, about nine years ago. A lot of what helped me succeed back then, when I had fewer responsibilities, still works well for me now. When I reviewed this list, I realized that many strategies I started when life was simpler continue to help me run my business effectively, even as a busy mom.
So in this episode, I'm sharing some of the practices that are working for me right now, in this season, as well as in past seasons of life.
1. I Know What I’m Going to Work on That Day Before I Sit Down to Work!
Since I only have two days with childcare each week to focus on my business, I have to be extremely strategic with my time. This approach is something I’ve developed over the years, and I genuinely think I’ve become more productive since becoming a mom. It’s not always easy to manage, but I’ve had to learn how to make the most of my time because I’m fitting what used to be five days of work into just two. How well I plan each day depends on what’s going on, so I kind of play it by ear in terms of detail. I’ll explain three different ways I do this, and feel free to take any ideas that work for you.
How detailed my planning gets depends on if I’m in a busy season or not and what’s happening that particular day. For a while, I planned out every hour of my week on a digital calendar, Monday through Friday, sometimes even weekends. Longtime listeners might remember me talking about this, especially in episode 46, which was super popular. That method worked well back then, but it doesn’t fit as well with young kids and limited childcare. I’m in a different season of life now. However, I sometimes still do it on a day-by-day basis.
For instance, today, I actually used this method to plan my entire workday, hour by hour. I left a few spots blank to leave the buffer room. Our nanny is here from 10:00 to 4:30, and my older son is at preschool, so I planned out Sunday afternoon during the kids’ overlapping nap. Right now, Ethan naps twice a day, and Colin naps once, and their second nap overlaps for about an hour. I used that time to plan out today, Wednesday, and a few specific things for Tuesday and Thursday. So far, I’ve mostly stuck to my schedule today, which is great!
Last week, though, I planned out Monday on Sunday but quickly had to adjust. My husband, Adam, came down with food poisoning and was home sick. I had to take my preschooler, Colin, to school with my baby, and we ended up getting there late. Our nanny was late too, and I spent much of the day taking care of Adam while also making sure he stayed away from the nanny so she wouldn’t get sick.
My workday started an hour later and had more interruptions than usual, ending earlier than planned. That day was very different from my original schedule, and some tasks had to be pushed to another day. When I do this more intense planning, I leave blank slots of 15–30 minutes to account for these kinds of interruptions, breaks, or if a task takes longer than expected. I plan for the schedule not to work out perfectly, which helps me realistically see how much I can fit in a day. This lets me really maximize my two full workdays.
So that’s the way I prefer to do it, map things out on a digital calendar, but it doesn’t always work for me depending on the season. Here are the three ways (one I just talked about and two more that I use often) toI plan each workday:
- Digital Calendar: This method is exactly what I’ve talked about so far—scheduling tasks on a digital calendar and it is my preferred option when I can.
- Physical Planner: I use the Full Focus Planner, where I list my tasks and sometimes add calendar notes.
- Todoist App: For a simpler approach, I use Todoist, a free app available across devices, which I’ve used for years. My husband uses it for his entire project management system.
These options might sound like a lot, but I change my planning approach depending on the day or season. When my youngest was four months old, and I was working around his frequent breaks, a strict schedule would have felt silly and unnecessary. Instead, I just made a simple list using Todoist, adding tasks to work on when I had a bit of time.
The key is to adapt your planning to your season and day-to-day needs. It doesn’t have to be rigid; instead, it can be flexible to fit your situation. The main takeaway here is that knowing what I’ll work on each day before I start has been a huge help for making the most of my limited work time.
2. I Work On What Sounds Exciting to Me (When Possible)
The second routine that really helps me manage my business well is working on tasks that feel exciting whenever possible. So often, business is framed as a constant hustle and grind, where you're supposed to just toughen up and push through tasks whether you like them or not. It can seem like that’s the only way to succeed. But for me, I want to truly enjoy my business—and I do! Of course, there are plenty of things I have to do that I don’t necessarily love, but there are also many things I genuinely enjoy, like recording this podcast or speaking at conferences. I just spoke at a Showit conference last month, and I loved that speaking engagement. I also enjoy creating social media content, though a lot of that depends on when I’m in the mood for it.
A big part of what I do with this is looking at what needs to be done and, when possible, following my creative intuition on when to do each task. I know this sounds like it might contradict my first point about structured planning, but I actually find they work together. This approach is really about planning around my energy for the week and each day.
For example, if I know I need to record two podcast episodes and also spend time strategizing for my Black Friday plans, I try to tackle each task when it feels right. If I'm in the mood to record a podcast episode, I’ll go ahead with it. But if I’m feeling tired or low-energy, and I know I won't be able to bring my best to an episode, I’ll try to move it to another day.
Of course, this isn’t always possible when there are deadlines beyond my control, like client projects or presentations with fixed due dates. For instance, my presentation for the Spark conference had a set deadline, so I had to work on it regardless of my mood. But whenever I can, I try to reorder my tasks to work on things I feel up for at the moment, or I hold my plans loosely.
Even today, as I record this episode, it’s 1:30 on a Monday afternoon. I had planned for this time slot with a “record podcast?” note on my calendar because I wasn’t sure if I’d feel ready. But as the time approached, I felt good about it. I have a meeting at 2:30 and nothing super pressing at the moment, so I decided to go for it. I’d also left an option to record on Wednesday, just in case.
I think this approach could be helpful for you, too, as you consider managing your own business. Working on tasks when you feel inspired or excited about them can help you show up better and produce higher-quality work.
3. I Know When I’m Testing if Something Is a “Good Use of My Time” and When I Decide It’s Not, I Stop Doing It.
The third thing that’s really important for growing my business is knowing when a task or project I’m testing is a good use of my time—and stopping it if it’s not. As I mentioned, I work with very limited time, given my current season of life. There are countless things I could be doing in my business that might help it grow—like experimenting with new marketing strategies or creating additional products. But it’s all about knowing my priorities. Right now, I choose to prioritize time at home with my kids while they’re little. That doesn’t mean this choice is right for everyone, but it is right for me, right now.
When I consider a new task or strategy, I ask myself, Is this a good use of my time for my business in this season? This question is really powerful because it removes the pressure of thinking, "I should be doing this" or "This works for others, so I should do it too." What works well for one person or business doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for my business in this season of life.
For example, let’s say you’ve been thinking about creating a course. Maybe you feel like you could do well with it, and you see others launching courses successfully. But just because it’s a good idea doesn’t mean it’s the right idea for you right now. That’s a big part of my approach—just because something is good doesn’t mean it’s right for me, my business, or my audience right now.
Since my business runs lean, whenever I try something new, I track its return on investment (ROI) closely, rather than assuming it’ll be worth it just because it’s supposed to be. Just because it’s valuable to someone else doesn’t mean it’s valuable for my audience, offers, or life stage. When I see that something isn’t worth it, I cut it. This helps me focus on what truly makes sense for my family, my life, my business, that particular day or week, and then let go of the rest.
For example, some businesses intentionally choose not to be on Instagram. They’re not saying that Instagram is bad; they’re simply choosing not to prioritize it. Similarly, if Instagram makes sense for your business, then prioritize it. It’s all about what’s best for your unique business.
Another way to put this is understanding my business’s unique needs and my life’s unique circumstances, rather than following a cookie-cutter approach. Instead of doing something just because it’s a "good thing," I always ask, Does this make sense for my life? For my time? Is it worth it to me? Do I enjoy this?
As we head toward the new year, it’s a perfect time to evaluate what you’re doing in your business. What are you spending your time on? Are there things you want to add or remove? Asking these questions can help you build a successful and sustainable business tailored to your life and priorities.
Read more: Celebrating my Business Anniversary: The Biggest Lessons & Highlights from My 7 Years in Business
4. I Pray About My Business
The fourth routine that really helps me manage my business is praying about it—and, honestly, just praying about life in general. Since we're focusing on business here, I’ll emphasize that I spend a lot of time talking to God specifically about my business. This isn't always a formal prayer time where I sit down with my Bible; rather, it's more of an ongoing conversation with God, where I talk to Him about my business, ask for His guidance, and pray for wisdom in my decisions.
This practice has been especially meaningful for me in 2024, a year when I’ve made several behind-the-scenes pivots in my business after having another child. Some of these changes won’t even be visible until 2025. But staying faith-focused and asking God for guidance is something I truly believe has been pivotal to my business's success.
If you’re thinking about incorporating prayer into your business, remember that it doesn’t have to be a perfectly quiet morning routine at 5:00 AM, with your coffee and a lit candle. While that sounds wonderful, it's just not realistic for me right now. Both of my kids wake up early—especially with the recent daylight savings change—and I’m still getting up at night with my eight-month-old. My kids are my alarm clock; I don’t even remember the last time I set an actual alarm.
While I’d love to wake up at 5:00 AM to have an hour of peace before the day begins, it’s just not my current reality. I know I could set my alarm earlier, but right now, I’d rather prioritize sleep. I’m okay with this season of life, and I think it’s important to have realistic expectations about your spiritual routine.
For now, my morning routine looks different, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have an active prayer life. I appreciate what the team at Risen Motherhood often says: “The little years don’t have to be the lost years” when it comes to your faith. This is a message I think resonates with many young moms. Just because your life is busier and more chaotic doesn’t mean that spiritual growth can’t happen. Head here to listen to an episode where they talk about that.
So, for me, it’s about fitting in prayer for my business and life where it makes sense, even in this season. Praying about my business and being okay with however my morning routine looks right now has been key to managing everything.
Read more: 4 Encouraging Bible Verses For When Business Feels Overwhelming and Uncertain
5. I Leave My Laptop in My Office
The fifth habit that helps me manage my business is leaving my laptop in my office instead of bringing it around the house with me and working wherever, whenever. I have a home office on our third floor, which I’m really grateful for. This setup might not always be possible, but for now, I have a dedicated office, and I really do “leave my work” up there. I don’t usually bring my laptop downstairs unless I’m heading out to work somewhere else or, on days when I’m home with the kids, to work a bit during nap time or after bedtime.
Sometimes, I’ll also bring it downstairs for a little online shopping—I am very much a millennial who prefers to shop on my laptop.
I think this approach helps with that elusive concept of work-life balance or work-life harmony. I’m not just sitting at the kitchen table working randomly while the kids play nearby; I’m focused on keeping work time for work time. And I know there are different seasons in business, so I want to say that my season might be different from yours.
There are times in our business when we’re in a season of hustle, and I’ve been there—working a lot after the kids go to bed or getting up before they wake up. If that’s where you are right now, keep going! I still have days where I need to do that too to get things done.
Right now, as I’m recording this, I know that leading up to Black Friday, I’ll have some nights where I’m working after bedtime to get everything ready. I’ve already told my husband that this is a priority right now, and I think it’s helpful to let both yourself and your family know when that’s going to be the case. But the key here is to be intentional about it. So, if you’re going to work after bedtime, that’s great—just be intentional. Know what you’re working on and why. Don’t work just because you’re bored or avoiding sleep. It can turn into “doom working,” like how we sometimes doom scroll.
For me, leaving my laptop on the third floor helps with this. Sometimes, I don’t even feel like walking up three flights of stairs to grab it, which helps me only get it when I really need to work on something. So, when I do go up and grab it, I know I’m working on something specific with intention.
6. I Don’t Sit At My Desk All Day
I really believe that successful people make it a point to move their bodies, get up, and exercise. You won’t have a productive day if you’re just sitting behind your desk for hours without getting up or looking away from your computer. Productivity drops when you do that; you need to change your scenery and get moving.
For some, that could mean taking a break to play some pickleball, going on a long walk with your kids, lifting weights, doing a spin class, or even just taking a solo walk. I like to mix things up personally, but one habit that keeps me sane on long workdays when I do have childcare is getting outside for a 10-minute walk (weather permitting). If it’s too cold, rainy, or otherwise unpleasant, I’ll at least get up from my desk and move around the house in some way.
Sometimes, that’s a 10-minute break to tidy up my bedroom or hang up the clothes that have collected on the floor of the closet. Small breaks like that help me manage my business better because when I return to my desk, I feel refreshed and ready to tackle the next task.
I don’t have a rigid system of, say, getting up every two hours, but I know when I’m hitting a point where my brain feels sluggish or I’m not as productive. That’s when I get up, go downstairs, walk around the block for 10 minutes, and come back ready to work.
Often, I’ll pop in my AirPods but leave them silent. I’m not looking for podcast or audiobook time, and I’m not aiming to catch up on a FaceTime call. I’m just looking for a moment of quiet to refresh and reset. So whether it’s doing laundry or taking a walk, these small breaks improve my productivity and keep me grounded.
Daily Business Routines & Habits That Help Me Manage My Business Well as a Busy Mom
I hope as you read this, you’re thinking about these ideas and considering, “These are the things that work well for Elizabeth—what could I try for myself?” Maybe there are things here that you’re already doing, but with a new twist, you could make them work even better for you. Reflect on what might fit your life and business routines.
To recap, here are the habits that work well for me:
- Knowing what I’m going to work on each day before I sit down, using one of three different planning methods based on my needs that day.
- Working on what excites me whenever possible, to keep inspiration fresh and improve the quality of what I create.
- Evaluating whether something is a good use of my time, especially when testing new ideas, and being willing to stop if it isn’t adding value.
- Praying over my business and making prayer a core part of my life, focusing on spiritual growth, even in a busy season with little kids.
- Leaving my laptop in my office rather than carrying it around the house, to help separate work from the rest of life.
- Not sitting at my desk all day, but getting up to take breaks, change the scenery, and recharge.
That’s it! I’d love to hear from you—reach out on Instagram or shoot me an email. Let me know which of these ideas you’ll be trying out or what you’re already doing yourself. And, if you’re listening live, take a break and check out my Black Friday deals this year. It’s an incredible sale, and I’m so excited to share it with you!
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