When I went from teaching full-time to writing and speaking full-time, I needed to figure out a way to structure my days. The game changer for me was creating something called 'Today's To-Do List.' I create it the night before and write 3-5 things I NEED to accomplish the next day, along with 3-5 things I'd LIKE to do if I finish those. This may seem simple, but waking up with a to-do list already prioritized kept me focused and allowed me to sleep better because I wasn't up thinking about what I needed to do. I found that I developed great work habits. I stopped procrastinating and got straight to work each morning. Another bonus was finding less guilt when I got to the fun things on my list because I knew I had accomplished the important tasks.

    

I found during my season of caring for my dad who had Alzheimer's that time was even more valuable than it had been in any other season of my life. One of the most impactful things I did was create a personal manifesto to help guide me in my decisions. Writing down who God created me to be and the important roles He had for me helped me to stay true to His call. Here's my manifesto from 2018: (1) I am the daughter of a Loving King who desires to love, honor and glorify Him in all that she does; (2) I am a respectful and loving wife to my farmer/partner; (3) I am a daughter, sister, stepmonster, Graham, & friend who values relationships by making them a priority; and (4) I am a business owner who shares her life transparently so that others may be encouraged to walk confidently with God. I know there is hope when life stinks! I believe in grace, truth-telling, compassion, excellence, integrity, & consistency. I will find JOY. ALWAYS. 

    

We often believe when something happens in our sphere of influence, we are supposed to step in and fix it. But when we do that, we often become overwhelmed and drama ensues. I’ve learned a simple three-step process to keep myself from becoming over-extended and it has completely dialed down the drama in my life. When a situation arises that I’m tempted to rush in and fix, I must stop, seek God’s guidance, and stay out of it unless I get a clear indication from God to step into it. This keeps me from overcommitting every time.

    

If there is one thing that has revolutionized my productivity, it's not only hour blocking but goal pacing. If I have 50k words due for a book, I work backward and set realistic goals for each week. My weekly goal currently is 3k, so I break that down into 1k for 3 days per week. This allows me days to make up if I miss a writing day, and manages my time so I'm not staring at a blank screen and having a huge goal loom over my head every day of the week!