So this was my first week following the new work schedule. It didn't going as well as I hoped (wish I got more done), but it's so much better than what I expected (feeling good about what was accomplished).

Why I Needed a New Work Schedule

Last year was eventful to say the least.  I found myself finishing up too many days stressed and unhappy.

I've been working from home for a few years and had become used to having a little one at home. With our second kid, we figured there would be a transition time, but things would smooth out.

Not so much.

Going from one to two around the house threw my routine out the window. On top of that huge change we had so much going on, including putting our current place for sale.

If you've never had to show your house, let me summarize it – your place has to look magazine ready on short notice.

It left all of us exhausted and I was felt like I wasn't enjoying the time I had with the kids or my work so we decided to make some changes.

How I Designed My Work Schedule

The first change was accepting my limitations. Instead of trying to pack in everything, I started creating a schedule on only a few things.

Where my daily to-do list would include over a dozen things, I know have two, maybe three objectives.

Simplifying my work schedule means that I focus on the essentials instead of optimizing everything.

The trick is figuring out what qualifies as ‘essential'.

I began by reviewing last year – I came up with a list of projects that I both enjoyed and brought income (gotta pay the bills!).

The next step was figuring out a balance of content creation (research, writing , interviews, editing, recording (for podcast), and publishing), promotion (social media, networking, guest posts, and interviews) and administrative (invoices, ads, communication, and more).

It's really easy to spend time on busy work, but not be really productive.

Learn to Say No By Placing Limits

One of the hardest part of about this new schedule is learning to say no. I like trying out new projects and ideas, but it can spiral out of control.

To help me out, I have placed a few restrictions:

• 25 Workweek: Once the work day is done, it's done. This has helped clarify in my mind what needs to get done each day.
• Fewer Projects: With the exception of Simplify and Enjoy, no new big projects. I'm only focusing my energies on what I've created.
• Templates: Email is a huge time consumer so I now batch it. I've also created a few templates (and more on the way).

As I make adjustments, I'll update this post, but right now it's off to a promising start.

Thoughts on Essentials and Schedules

I've shared my thought process for work. I'd love to hear from you – how many of you are looking to simplifying your schedules? What has worked for you? What hasn't?