SHOP THE POST:

Dress: Nordstrom | Shoes: Steve Madden | Tote: Madewell (c/o) | Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters | Glasses: Warby Parker

Whether it’s working, blogging, taking care of your family or all of the above balance is always key! Over the past few years I have gotten better about prioritizing my life and really getting work done when I need to.

I honestly can’t remember what I used to do with all the free time I must have had before I started this blog. I hear the same thing from my friends with kids all the time – not that they are equal or the same just that no one can recall what all that free time must have felt like ha. I think ‘going with the flow’ is half the battle and much of the struggle for Type A people like myself.

I thought I would share a few of the ways that have been keeping me on track and see what works for you. A few of mine are weather dependent so I am already looking for ways to make it work this winter (which I hear is going to be long…UGH)

Get out of the house: Every Wednesday (my usual day off from being a dentist) I shoot and work with Blair & it’s so crucial for me to get out of the house. We have dubbed our dates ‘lady days‘ and will usually pick a new neighborhood and get our work done, check out new places & grab a yummy lunch. Whenever our schedules don’t meet up or one of us is out of town I realize how much less I get accomplished. Not just shoot wise (obviously!) but it is so easy for me to get distracted when I ‘work from home’

Utilize time blocking: We are usually fairly quick with out photography so can gauge how much time we need. We try to get that out of the way first and then block out sections of time for writing, editing and of course given chit chat. It works so well to have time set out so we know when  to stop talking and get back on track.

Prioritize your list: I am sometimes very scatterbrained and would get home on Wednesday nights and have to open my computer back up to finish work I never got done. I now prioritize what I really need finished during our work date and start from the top. If some editing or posts for future weeks don’t get done that’s no sweat but I can now go home at the end of the day and relax.

Don’t check your email: Most of my distractions come from email and ‘multi tasking’ which I admit I am not great at. I try not to check my email at all during the day and will reserve an hour at the end of the workday to file through them, star things for later & respond to anything urgent. As much as email makes you feel like you immediately need to respond, you don’t.

How have you guys been staying focused? Let me know if you snag this tote – it’s been a total lifesaver and comes in so many pretty shades for fall.