This post is sponsored by Quickbooks.
It’s usually very obvious what goes on in my life as a blogger, especially via social media, but it’s not always evident how much work goes in behind the scenes. Often I receive e-mails with questions from people ranging from those who want to start a blog to those who have been blogging for years, and most of their questions have to do with what goes on in the parts that you don’t see. What type of work is done behind-the-scenes of a full-time blog? Today I’ve partnered with Quickbooks to share a little of my daily behind the scenes with you and what a typical workday may look like in my schedule.
6AM Wake Up
Wake up, slide out of bed onto the floor, usually fighting myself the entire time. Coffee (don’t forget the coffee!) Get kids dressed, fed, and ready for school. My husband usually takes our older son to school, and after I get myself dressed and ready, I take our younger one.
8AM
School drop off for our younger son. At least this is always the goal time. He’s a toddler so it doesn’t always work out this way, but I try.
9AM Work Block
This block of time is usually reserved for heavier work, but that could look like quite a few different scenarios, so here they are:
Content Planning – I use an editorial calendar for Hej Doll, and like to plan my content 1-2 months ahead. Often I will have an idea at a random time of day, so I write it down and add it to the calendar later on.
Errands – I spend a lot of time on foot, running errands to gather supplies for different blog posts I’m working on.
Numbers – I analyze my stats monthly, and keep on top of my blog finances weekly. Before I was a full-time blogger, and before I was a photographer, my time was spent managing others businesses. I was in charge of everything from Payroll to Accounting for various businesses all using the Quickbooks software. Over time I’ve become very familiar with all of their features, and currently use Quickbooks self-employed to track my blog income and expenses. I send out and follow up with invoices in this process as well.
Social Media and Discussion – Double checking scheduled posts, respond to comments and engage via all platforms (blog, instagram, twitter, facebook).
Writing Content – I feel as though I’m more inclined to write in the morning, so I try to do that as often as I can.
E-mails – I don’t like to respond to many e-mails in the morning, but I scan quickly to see if there are any that need my immediate attention and try to respond to them. This includes ones with actionable items due that day.
Local Community – As a self-employed business owner, I work alone 95% of the time. It gets really lonely, and I love to meet up with other local bloggers or creatives for coffee on occasion. Having a supportive and helpful network of like-minded individuals around you is so helpful when it comes to being self-employed. Next week Quickbooks is hosting an event to help foster the community between small businesses, entrepreneurs, accountants, and developers. For a 50% discount off a 2-day pass, use the code QBCBLOG upon registration.
12PM Lunch
Lunch. Sometimes I head out, but more often than not I make something easy at home.
1PM Work Block (Creative)
Another work block. My afternoon work usually looks a little different, as this is when I feel I’m more creative visually. It could look like any of these:
Styling – Styling a party set-up, creating graphics for the blog, or planning and styling a photo shoot.
Photography – The light is best in my home in the afternoon, so I like to spend this time shooting if I need to.
3PM School Pickup
I pick my older son up from school every day at this time, and it usually eats up quite a bit of time. I also have a snack here too with him before getting him on track with his homework.
4PM Work Block (Communication)
This block of work can be used for anything, but more often than not I go through my e-mails and attempt to respond to most of them. It makes it easy to also help my son with his homework, because I don’t start any large projects during this time. Sometimes I have an event to attend in San Francisco, so I leave the house at this time and return around 8-10PM.
5PM School Pickup
At this time I pick up my younger son, and we head home to tidy up, and start dinner.
6PM Dinner
This usually happens earlier or later, depending on the mood of the kids and whether or not we’re dining out or staying in. Unless one of us isn’t home, we always eat it together as a family.
7PM Family Time
After dinner we usually spend some time together as a family without any other distractions. We talk about our day, play games, or work on a home project together.
8PM Inspirational Work Block
I know, it’s late. What are you going to do? The later the day becomes, the less likely I am to attempt non-preferred tasks or work that requires a lot of thought. I love to spend this time working on my Pinterest account, catching up on other blogs, or planning my next adventure. It’s important to regularly search for inspiration, and remember why you do what you do in the first place. At the Quickbooks Connect event next week, speakers Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, Alli Webb (Dry Bar), Malcolm Gladwell, and Eva Longoria are lined up to inspire everyone who attends. (For 50% off a 2-day pass, use the code QBCBLOG upon registration).
10PM Me Time
Before I head to bed, I like to get some time to myself. It doesn’t always have to be by myself, but I do prefer that it’s not work related. This has become increasingly importantly lately to help me manage stress and maintain a more well-balanced lifestyle.
12AM Bed
I know, it’s late. I always hope to be in bed by this time, but life doesn’t always allow for it. Ideally I’d love to move this to 11PM and get a little more shut-eye.
Are you self-employed? What does your day-to-day schedule look like?
This post was sponsored by Quickbooks, a company that I have used for years upon years (since 2004!). All photos, text, and opinions are my own. Thank you for being supportive of the sponsors that help make life here a little sweeter.
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