HDIA: How Do You Get Everything Done?

Someone asked me the other day how I got everything done. Via text (and I quote): "...How do you do it?! I'm convinced you're a robot"

Well, first of all- thank you. I am very flattered.

Gif of me doing Bathtub Wine Critic

But seriously, as previously mentioned, I have a lot on my plate. First, I work full-time- and some days, longer than full-time. I'm currently doing a lot at work so there's outside study involved too. It's a bit of a mess.

Second, I am doing Masters classes. I'm in a class right now, and in two weeks I've had to read about 1100 pages, write two papers, do a 15 min presentation, take a written final exam, and start a 10-page paper- all on different topics. All of this has occurred on weekends so no joy for me. 

Third- I volunteer. I'm a volunteer victim advocate, crisis text line counselor, and spend time doing other things to help people out. This has taken a dip with me being so busy, but there you go.

Fourth- I believe in joy. So I'm taking dance classes, am in book club (and joining another!), and want to spend time with friends and family.

Fifth- I have to meal-plan, exercise, take care of my dog, clean my house, and do other personal stuff- like sleep 8 hours.

Sixth- I also am trying to get my French back up so I'm studying that, joining a French book club, and meeting to practice with friends. I also just committed to learning a third language. Because I am stupid sometimes haha.

Finally, I am religious. I do Bible studies and go to church.

(These things are in no particular order). With all of these things combined, I am obviously very busy. So, how do I get everything done?

Answer: I do not.

(Yes, this is a smidge of an esoteric reference but did you REALLY think I'd make a post with robot references and NOT include HK-47? PLEASE)

But yeah. The first thing you have to realize is that compromise has to happen. You WILL NOT GET EVERYTHING DONE. Everything can't be a #1 priority. So figure out what is most important each day and each week.

Best way to do this is via a planner and/or productivity app. I'm currently using an Ink and Volt planner for this year, but I bought a Leaders in Heels planner for next year just to change it up. I make quarterly goals, monthly goals, weekly goals, and daily goals- with 3 must-do tasks each day. It helps me keep my priorities in check. Both of these planners have progress reviews so you have to constantly hold yourself accountable.

Plus, both are cute and have inspirational sections as well. Ink and Volt is more self-inspiring (writing prompts, 30 day goals, etc) whereas Leaders in Heels gives inspiration (focus on dreams/core values, cute quotes that are women-based, etc).

Second, I use the Fabulous app. This is a daily habit tracker that also has mini-self-improvement goals. Since starting the app a month ago, I have eaten breakfast every day and done push-ups every day. I used to sleep in forever and I also hate push-ups, so this is actually a big deal for me. But because there's a daily tracker and I'm a video game person/completionist, it's super helpful. I've also worked on being more productive, taking power naps, and limited media before bed due to this app. It has challenges you can do with friends- from taking a walk every day to decluttering.

You gotta pay for the app though. For me, it's worth it. The trial is 7 days though so you don't see a lot of benefit before you have to pay.

From Fabulous' Instagram. It has cute little checklists and motivational stuff.

Okay- outside of getting productive with a planner/app, what else can you do?

I set my baseline. I need to go to work, feed and walk my dog, feed myself, and get around 8 hours of sleep. I can't compromise on those things, so I schedule my day around that.

Why sleep? Guys, sleep is so essential. If you lose sleep, you lose productivity. Get sleep and everything will roll into place. Sometimes I do get less sleep due to time-management, but it's rare that I get less than 6 1/2 hours. I float between 7-8 hours every night because I need it for my health. Same goes for food. You need to eat and drink water! You don't operate as well without treating yourself right.

So, with 8 hours of sleep and getting to work on time, I need to be in bed/asleep by 2200. I use a sleep app to fall asleep quickly (I use Abide, which are Christian meditations, but I've also used Calm which is secular). Both are paid apps, but do have free options. I put my phone on do not disturb and feed my dog early enough that she doesn't have to go out. Harper is used to going to bed at this time which is great.

Backtracking from when I need to sleep and when I get home from work, I can block off sections of my time for each activity. And that's what I do with my Fabulous app. I have my daily habits (walk the dog, call my parents on my drive home, tidy something small, etc). Other than my daily habits, I have specific things I need to do each day in my planner and on the calendar on my fridge, whether it's dance practice, reading a certain number of pages for homework, or working out.

These are sections of my Fabulous app routines. Lots of these are obvious things (like breathe/shower/drink water, etc), but by having them on a checklist, I have to prioritize them and won't forget them.

I meal-plan on Saturdays, get groceries and cook/prep food on Sundays, and do minor cooking during the week so I don't have to worry about those timings during the week. I do one deep clean in a section of my house a day (cleaning the kitchen is on Mondays, for example), and then minor tidying as I make messes. This allows me to not spend a lot of time to keep my house clean. 

It may mean that you need to dedicate one or two days to rehaul your entire house to start the process, but once the process is started, it's significantly easier to maintain. I also treat myself to a maid service now and then so I don't have to scrub my showers as often.

If you can afford automation, do it. I hate deep cleaning, so I hire it out. I use paid apps to help me sleep or keep my life in order. I sometimes hire people to look after my dog during class times so I don't need to worry about going home to let her out- this gives me time to focus on school. 

Also- combine tasks! I listen to French podcasts while walking the dog. That hits two priorities at once. Sometimes I run with the dog, which is a workout, lets me study French, and walks her. I watch tv while cooking or washing dishes (subtitles are a wonderful help when it's loud), and that lets me relax while being productive as well. I combine hanging out with friends and studying (yay study dates!). Hanging out with friends can also be self-care, so yay two things!

Relax. This is a super important thing. If you're stressed out and not taking time for yourself, you're going to crash and binge-relax, which will make you feel awful and guilty afterwards. But you deserve to relax and make time for yourself. I can schedule time for myself and that's helpful. Or I can leave in an hour or so of flex time in my schedule- aka if I have a four hour block, I'll just have three hours scheduled with loose timings so I can take breaks whenever I need.

Be Realistic. Say No. And this leads into the most important part about scheduling. Be realistic with your time. You can't say "I'll read 1000 pages in two hours." If you can do that, omg good for you. But most people can't. If you can read 100 pages in two hours, schedule that task for 2 1/2 hours or even 3 hours. That leaves time for distractions, breaks, and flex time like being stuck in traffic.

You also have to say no to people sometimes. My friends are slowly getting used to the idea that I do one activity a weekend outside of church. I need my introvert time and I have a very tight schedule during the week, so I need time to destress from that. Also, scheduling friendship time is part of my priorities.

Be Nice to Yourself When You Fail. You're not going to be perfect or meet all your expectations. I took a day off from work last week (using a day of leave) to do homework because I procrastinated a lot. Some could view that as a failure, but I saw it as prioritizing... and self-care as well. I got my work done and got to relax from my crazy week. (Granted, I read a super depressing book about Syria but that is neither here nor there).


So yes. This is a super long post and it's pretty basic scheduling things. Hopefully the resources are helpful or explain how I do what I do. It's a bit intense, but I need to do this stuff to make sure I get everything done... or mostly done.

Let me know if you have any questions or want me to elaborate elsewhere.

<3 you all,

~Katie