Combatting Overwhelm for Wedding Pros in 2021
Do you know that feeling of having 847 tasks on your “to-do” list and not knowing how you’re going to tackle #allthethings or where to even start? Of course you do (that’s why you’re here, right?) and I promise you, I do too! In fact, I’ve been there too often and I’m now on a mission to find and share helpful ways to streamline your workdays, use your time more wisely, and get more done in a week without having to overextend yourself.. I have had so many conversations with other wedding pros who feel like they are drowning in the day-to-day of their business and don’t have time to plan and dream of what comes next when it comes to growth or even find time to just rest and refill.
But how good would it feel to even knock ONE major thing off your to-do list, or feel satisfied at the end of the work day by how much you got done, and not feel super stressed out with the work that DIDN’T get done? It’s not impossible! It just requires the strength to buckle down and get to work!
How? Let me share some tips designed to give you a roadmap for how to maximize your time and minimize your overwhelm. You ready? Let’s go!
Checklist:
1: Make a massive brain dump of all the things on your “to-do” list.
You can write this out in a notebook if you’re a paper person or if you prefer digital, you can use one of many app options (like Evernote), the tasks bar within your Gmail account or even just the notes section on your phone.
Tip: Don’t overcomplicate this and hold yourself up here. Do what feels best for you and adjust as you go along. Writing out your brain dump is step one and blocking certain things into certain time slots comes next!
Now that you’ve made your list, let’s discuss the why of not just working off that list as you check things off? Because working off of a massive running to-do list is like searching through a giant junk drawer looking for that one thing that you need but getting distracted by the shiny object you found while searching. It slows you down and it is definitely going to lead to you choosing the easy things and avoiding the more complex things that are on your list. Instead, I recommend having your running to-do list but assessing (either each week or each day) what things get blocked when which leads me to Tip 2!
Bonus: You may want to consider theming out certain days for certain things. For example, here’s how my days are themed:
Monday: Admin/Weekly Team Meeting/Catch-Up Day
Tuesday-Thursday: Client Facing Appointments (with time blocked at the beginning and end of day for emails and admin)
Friday (Mixed Use): Wedding Prep/Growth Planning (if no weddings that weekend)/Personal Appts
Tip: Use an online scheduling app.
If you're not currently using something like Acuity or Calendly, it's time. It can be scary to give up control of your calendar (this was my fear!) but it's actually not giving up control, it's gaining control. Do it, you won't regret it.
2: Determine your Big 3 for tomorrow. What are 3 things you WILL get done within the day (no excuses)?
Now, for my big 3, I like to categorize them so that my workday feels well-rounded and I’m growing different parts of my business. Here are the categories for my Big 3:
1) Something that is going to help grow your business (ex: tour a new venue, update your packages on your website)
2) Something that has a sense of urgency that you need to complete (timeline that needs to go out, information promised to a client)
3) Something You’ve been avoiding/putting off (searching for a new bookkeeper, going through your inbox and unsubscribing from all the junk).
If you want to simplify this even further and ease into different categories for your Big 3 as you start out, that’s ok too! In that case, just pick 3 things you absolutely will tackle tomorrow.
3: Build out your day in short blocks of time (I recommend 20-45 minute blocks).
This is a modified method of the Pomodoro method that has you working in 25 minute blocks with 5 minute brain breaks. If you suffer from a short attention span like I do, you’ll find this method super efficient and rewarding.. Now that I have my big 3, I assign a time I will devote to them based on what other appointments I have that day. Before closing out the day I schedule the next day and block into the day that I am 100% getting done.
So here are sample Big 3s!
1- Add new planning package details to a digital brochure
2- Reach out to set up a tour with new venue
3- Update next weekend’s timeline and send to client for review/approval
4: Make sure to build in buffers and brain breaks and some “adulting”/self care time for things like getting ready, working out and whatever else you need. This limits distractions and your desire to procrastinate during the day.
Here’s a sample of my day on a day where I have appointments + my Big 3:
8:00 am- Workout
8:30 am- Shower/Get Ready
9:00-9:30 am- Check emails and respond to DMs
9:30 am- #1 on Big 3 (add new planning package to brochure)
10:00 am- Client Appointment
11:00 am- Brain break
11:15 am- Call with Venue
12:00 pm- #2 on Big 3 (reach out to set up a tour with new venue)
12:30 pm- Buffer for overflow if needed
12:45 pm- Email check in
1:00 pm- Client Appointment
2:00 pm- #3 on Big 3 (Update next weekend’s timeline and send to client for review/approval)
2:30 pm- Buffer Overflow
2:45 pm- Brain Break
3:00 pm - Emails/Other To-Dos
3:45 pm - Break
3:55 pm- Wrap up and Establish big 3 for tomorrow
4:30pm- Done
Before closing out the day I schedule the next day and block into the day that I am 100% getting done.
5: Outsource if it’s taking you away from money making activities in your business
If you feel bogged down by the admin tasks and like you can’t find time to focus on the growth of your business, it may be time to outsource and delegate some tasks. Things like scheduling social media posts, uploading blog images, building out workflows in your CRM, or checking vendor availability for client dates are all possible tasks that can be outsourced to someone on your team and these things don’t HAVE to be done by you. This frees you up for time to GROW your business and plan for the future.
6: Create boundaries around technology (if you need them)
If you’re easily distracted by the ding of a new email or some other app notification, you’ll likely need to set some healthy boundaries around technology to keep yourself on track (I have to do this or I definitely find myself sidetracked due to boredom or procrastination).
You can do this by changing your phone to airplane mode when you’re in a time block of work or simply closing out your email on your laptop.
There are other limits you can put in place such as turning on the “Do Not Disturb” on your phone while working or taking off your smartwatch (if you have one) so the notifications don’t distract you.
7: Plan for Resting, Refueling and Reflecting
There's absolutely some serious hustle that comes with being an entrepreneur, but there is also an important time to rest and reflect. Some days, you'll knock it out of the park with productivity. Other days, you won't. It doesn't mean you give up and fall back into old (bad) habits. You have to listen to that inner voice and to your body and know when you have to hit the pause button and try again tomorrow. Nothing on your list is life or death. So closing that computer, taking some time to refill your internal battery, and hopping back on the productivity train at the next stop is totally OK.
BONUS: Plan a weekly huddle
What’s a weekly huddle? It's a sit down/check-in with my partner to make sure we are on the same page for the week ahead. I recommend this for anyone in a relationship (personal or business). We discuss all these things in a 30 minute chat over a shared app calendar (we use Cozi): Kid Drop-offs/Pickups, Important Meetings We Each Have, Groceries, Dinners, Nights We Are Working vs. Nights We Will Rest, Any Big Personal Things Coming Up that we both need to know about! This meeting is so helpful for keeping us on the same team and is a ritual I cannot live without now!
Want more tips on timeblocking and productivity? Check out Episode 119 of Weddings For Real where I chat with industry pro, Brandee Gaar about how she structures her days. My conversation with Brandee led me to start blocking certain days for certain types of activities. In the episode she shares some other great tips as well! If you’re looking to truly level up your business, consider joining The Planner’s Vault, a wedding planner membership community and wealth of resources for wedding planners. Learn more here!
