 the SPARK 146 ~ Keeping my sanity
I started this week off with an incredibly productive day.
Only to follow it with a day where I didn’t want to do anything 🤪. Everything I thought of doing felt like “meh.”
The day wasn’t a complete waste, though. I had a couple of calls scheduled; one was rescheduled, and the other was great.
As summer winds down, I’m already starting to feel a bit of a squeeze when I think about the last four months of the year.
To keep my sanity, I’m setting myself up to stay present, get the right work done, and stay the course.
Here’s what I’ve done.
First, I reviewed my calendar (Google) and ensured I blocked off all days off/time away.
Then, I took screenshots of each month and put them on ONE document that I could reference while writing things out (if you’re curious, all the green blocks are no-call days 😉).
Truth: After going to the trouble to put all four months in one image, it wasn’t that helpful after all. 😂
The next thing I’ve done (and will complete for each month) is write out the month on a two-page spread (by hand… you know how I like my colored pens) with the following:
- Days off/out of the office
- Tasks that happen weekly (newsletter, podcast, social)
- My three priorities for the month (more than three, and all of a sudden, nothing feels like a priority)
- Each week is broken into:
- Calls (I really try to limit calls)
- Then, list each of the three priorities and a specific task for each priority (I pick *ONE* task for each priority)
Red: my time off/out of the office, my standard ‘no-call’ days, and my weekly tasks.
Blue: lists my priorities
Green: dates of each week and that week’s calls
Orange: priorities & tasks (Purple at the end is a couple of personal notes).
Why am I sharing this with you?
Because I am on a mission to keep things simple and stay focused.
I use Asana with contractors, but I don’t want to use a project management tool for my work.
Writing things down by hand helps me remember them, and it gets me off the computer for a few minutes.
Now that I’ve done this, I’ll use the same journal to review how the month went, which means I’ll probably add notes to each week as I go.
Once I got all of this down on paper, where I could actually “see” it – I realized it was all manageable.
<INSERT A HUGE sigh of relief>
Provided I stick as closely to this plan as possible (at least by controlling the things I have control over).
Because this summer was super busy with family stuff (I’m grateful I was here for all of it), I want to stay put until I go to Costa Rica in October.
I may help my sister with something for work, but that would be one overnight trip – two days max.
To give my three priorities my focus and attention, I need to make sure I’ve built in enough downtime and white space.
So my weekends are mine.
Remember: Whatever processes, systems, or structures you have in your business, they have to work for YOU. You don’t need complicated software if that’s not your jam.
And yes, my October “spread” will be Halloween-themed. 
Spark Spotlight 
Natalie Graham is the brain behind “Go From Broke.” Her story is inspiring; she’s killing it with email and is an incredible resource to help you take control of your finances.
Check out Go From Broke here.
Featured Articles 
Proof that you can keep a low profile and still build an incredible income doing work you enjoy online. Read ”This Solopreneur Is Quietly Raking in $1,000s/Month Through Her Content Business.”
Great tips on staying up with social and not berating yourself. I love “sprinting vs. strolling.” Read ”5 Strategies (plus a bonus tip) To Improve Your Socials And Turn Social Visits Into Recurring Audience.’
I use Nuelink for my social scheduling and had no idea I could do this with my podcasts. Read ”Podcast Automation: How to Automatically Promote Your Podcasts on Social Media.”
This issue is brought to you by LearnDash
Tool Time 
- Video: AI video tools are getting more & more impressive. Check out ContentGroove for editing & repurposing.
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- Gmail: Want to know when your emails are opened? Mail Track is a free extension that does just that. Download it here.
This week on the Podcast 
It’s time to help highlight more women online. 
Listen to “Amplifying Women in a Male-Dominated Space KDS: 114” here.
We’ve all been here… 
We still have a few spots left! 👇
Ignite Women’s Mastermind Costa Rica
This unique event, set in beautiful Potrero, Costa Rica, combines mindset, lifestyle, and business, helping you define and achieve income goals, create an additional recurring revenue stream, and increase your quality of life.
On that note…
I hope you enjoy the last day of August, and if you’re in the States, enjoy the long weekend saying goodbye to summer.
