How are you getting on? In Part 3, we look at how you’re going to introduce your new plan, plus a sneaky behind-the-scenes glimpse.

5. Here’s my plan, so now what?

Firstly, well done! Hardest part complete.

Now you have to work out how you’re going to implement it all.  One product is unlikely to be able to do everything, so be prepared to delegate tasks to different methods.

To illustrate this, let me invite you into the Awenek inner sanctum to discover some secrets…

• Automate all repetitive tasks. Seriously, it saves huge amounts of time and my app of choice is Zapier. One example is creating a social post across my chosen networks when I write a new blog.
• The Pro version of Canva has an excellent content scheduler built-in, plus it’s content resizing tools really save time when creating graphics for social media.
• ClickUp is going to keep the wheels on; the set up is taking time but that’s only because I’m re-writing all my processes, such as onboarding clients, renewing domains etc. Watch this space for news about our upcoming offers regarding ClickUp as this is going to be a huge part of Awenek’s future.
• I have a Dingbats notebook for personal (Pro B5) and work (A4). That way, I’m not trying to shoehorn the work stuff into my personal layout – it gets VERY confusing!

• Use a nice pen in your notebooks; it makes the process of writing more enjoyable. Fountain pens are a dream and there are some amazing ink colours if you fancy being a bit saucy!!
• Keep a reporter’s pad and pencil on your desk at all times and when finished, KEEP THEM. You have no idea the amount of times I’ve gone back over notebooks from 5-6 years ago for some random phone number/hex code.

6. Planning should be part of your day.

If you haven’t done so already, make sure you allocate time to organising your working week/day.  Make it enjoyable too: use your favourite pen, have a special coffee/tea/smoothie. That way, you’ll look forward to spending time addressing problems, rather than fearing acknowledging them.

I like to start Monday with a large vat of coffee, Spotify playing, AirPods on noise cancelling and spend an hour or two (never feel guilty if a planning session overruns) while I check Slack, ClickUp, iCal and my get my notebooks updated for the week ahead. That way, I only have to update as and when I need to do and I am mentally prepared for the week ahead.

If I feel the week getting away from me, I make a sandwich and plan through my lunch break.  Sometimes stepping back from the computer can give you the clarity to recognise what’s not working.

In this series:

• Part 1: Let’s Get Productive
• Part 2: The Right Tools
• Part 3: Introducing Your New Plan
• Part 4: Make It Easy
• Part 5: And Finally…

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