9 Hacks For Success As A Solopreneur
As a female solopreneur, I have created a consistent list of habits and tips that have helped me increase my productivity, get more organized in my business, and significantly uplevel my business. Here’s my top 9:
1. Plan out your week
This hack is #1 for a reason. I start my Sunday evenings off by sitting down with my week dry-erase week calendar and iCal. Planning out your week ahead of time is important when it comes to time management, goal setting, and setting yourself up for success in the upcoming week. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with a new week ahead and so much to do, but planning out my week to a T helps relieve stress. Not only do I plan out my work schedule, I also plan out my meals and workouts to help make my life easier during the busy week.
2. Set goals
As they say, “A goal without a plan is just a dream.” I like to set personal and professional goals for myself. Along for regularly updating the vision board on my office wall, I am constantly planning ahead to help create a path to reach these goals and live a life I love. his I recommend sitting down and mapping out these aspirations along with a plan for working towards it. For example, my ideal work day looks like 30 hours towards my business per week so I have been planning a way to best support my clients within with work frame of what I consider to be the perfect work-life balance for me.
3. Find your peak productivity time
Are you a morning person or a night owl? Whatever it may be, pick a time that you know you will be motivated to work, work, work! And above all things, don’t force yourself to become a morning person if you’re just not. I wake up to start my morning routine at 6:30am and am usually done working by 5pm, but this may look differently for you. I know my productivity time dips after 4pm, so I avoid all-nighters at all cost. Once you discover your peak time, plan your daily workload around this time to ensure you’re getting the most work done at this peak time.
4. Meal prep
Not only does meal-prepping save you money, it also saves you time and helps you eat healthier. There are plenty of amazing recipes you can make ahead of time. I spend my Sundays prepping breakfast, fresh juice, snacks, and one other meal for the rest of the week. There’s nothing that makes me more productive on a busy day than having no excuse but to grab the healthy lunch prepped and ready to go in my fridge. My go-to breakfast as of now is this overnight oats recipe. I prep 5 of these in a mason jar, pull it out of the fridge in the morning, grab a spoon, and I’m ready to start my day.
5. Get ready for the day
Set a morning routine and follow it daily. It could be as simple as brewing a cup of coffee and reading a chapter for the day, or a full-on self-care ritual that lasts an hour or so, but find what helps start your day on the right foot. Creating a daily system will help you stay motivated and on track, even if you work from home. The most important part is sticking to it! For me this means putting on real clothes each day and setting up my day so I have breaks in different parts of my apartment. Not eating breakfast at my desk in my pajamas has been a game changer for increasing productivity (and helping me feel like a real person).
6. DON'T multi-task
This hack proves that more is not always better. I often fall victim to trying to do everything at my to-do list at once, but multi-tasking often results in nothing getting done. Who else has been there? That feeling has led to stressful evenings and an never ending to-do list. My tips for avoiding the multi-tasking whirlwind? I suggest chunking your days for different tasks and projects. For example, my Mondays consist of emails then checking social media notifications before I hop into the project of the day.
7. Self-care
Giving yourself a few minutes, or an hour, a day is essential to your overall well-being. As a boss babe, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of running a business that you often forget that you are your business. Taking a moment to detox, relax, and unplug is vital to success. Trust me, overworking does not result in a better product. Take care of yourself, and your business will thank you later.
8. Airplane mode
Make it a goal to turn your phone on airplane mode towards the end of the day. This will help you wind down and take the self-care time you need. I like to shut down my tabs and turn off my phone when I’m unwinding in the evening to avoid the “but one last email dilemma”. A bit of time to unplug allows you to work even better in the morning.
9. Prepack your work bag
Pack all your goodies the night before you go to work. This will save you time and avoid forgetting something on your way out the door to your go-to work spot for the day. If I have something important planned the next day, I often set out my outfit and any necessities the night before so my mornings are less hectic. When you wake up ready to go, your day starts on a stress-free note and sets you up for success.
For an inside look for how I use these #girlboss hacks in my daily routine, check out my Instagram for a behind-the-scenes look into my life as a female entrepreneur.
