Ever feel like you are working working working your life away, but never actually getting anything done? I feel like that pretty much all the time. Well, at least I used to. Running from appointment to appointment, spending precious time doing hair and makeup for an 8 am meeting that is over in 20 minutes and then not feeling like I can go to yoga cause I'm all done up? Writing songs five days a week for years and hardly every going into the weekend with a song I passionately love?

Yup. Been there. But a few weeks ago, I was listening to a podcast on efficiency. And it hit me hard that I was wasting so much time, and SO much energy on basically just not being a good planner. I've always been a go with the flow kinda gal, but I realized this wasn't serving me in any way. I'd just fill up my calendar with whatever people asked me to. Coffee here, studio there, writer's session there, meeting with the label here... And in between, running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to fit in playing shows, shooting content and writing blogs on SOME sort of a reccuring way.

I wondered if I would get more done if I implemented a daily schedule. The podcast suggesting giving each day a name/job and trying really hard to stick to it. So here's what my week looks like now:

Monday: Blogging Day. I write three blogs every Monday and post date two of them for later in the week. I post the other one immediately. This also helps me to schedule out my Instagram feed for the week based on what is coming up on the blog. This is probably my favorite way to start out the week cause I can stay in my pjs all day long and just write and be creative. It's a great way to ease into Mondays. (PS I'm really enjoying this whole blogging thing SO much! Why did I wait so long???!!!)

Tuesday: Meeting Day. The great thing about putting all my meetings on one day is is means I only have to get all dolled up for meetings on Tuesdays. I used to be doing full hair and makeup almost every day of the week. This allows me to hang out in my yoga pants fresh faced much more frequently, which is a huge win in my book. BUT, this one has been the most challenging for me because it involves the power of saying NO. Something I'm not very good at. But the podcast insisted on how important it was to put worth on your time. If you don't value yourself, why would anyone else? But here's where it gets hard: If the CEO of my record label asks me to schedule a meeting on a Thursday, I'm supposed to say no. Because TUESDAY is my meeting day. And if he can't meet with me this Tuesday, he can meet with me next Tuesday. I actually said this to my real life CEO (hastily followed up with a lame ass "but don't worry of course if you need to meet on a Thursday I'll make it work.") He very politely looked me square in the eye and told me not to make any exceptions to this rule, especially not with him. He told me this would "serve me so well for the rest of my life." And this is a guy who has a million things being thrown at him everyday. I guess he'd probably know a thing or two about efficiency huh?

Wednesday: Content Day. Every Wednesday I shoot a couple cover videos or original song videos and then go out and shoot pics for the blog and Instagram. I also plan my photo shoots or video shoots for Tuesdays. This day can be a bit challenging if I don't have a photographer or a friend to snap some pics cause it means I have to lug around a tripod and a bluetooth remote and figure it out by myself on my iphone. Which can be kinda awkward if you're out shooting in public. But hey! I'm getting more and more used to the funny looks. Anything for the gram right?? Also by consistently shooting every Wednesday I have lots of content to blog about the next Monday.

Thursday: Songwriting/Studio Day. Basically a working on new music day. I love this because now that I'm not forcing myself to be creative five days a week I have SO many more ideas and I feel so much inspired when I sit down to write. This does mean I get booked pretty far out but I'm finding more and more that I'm writing songs that I LOVE and not just another tune that gets sent straight to song heaven. My caviat to this day is if I find myself inspired at midnight on a Tuesday, or at any point, I let myself write. Cause when the spirit moves you, you gotta move people!

Fridays: Rehearsal Day. This is the day I work on any new songs I'm learning, fancy guitar parts I'm trying to master or things I'm working out for shows.

Any free time that I find on a Tuesday or a Friday when I don't have a meeting or something pressing to rehearse, I work on house projects or shop for my thrift store.

And that's my week! I'm currently on week 3 and not only do I feel SO much more productive, I'm also going to bed earlier and enjoying spare time on my weekends WAY more. I'm absolutely loving this new life and I plan on keeping it up up up! Are you a go with the flow or schedule it out kinda person? Let me know in the comments!

All my 💖,

Ruthie

How I'm getting SH*T Done