Managing your work as an event planner and life at home be challenging. Especially if you throw parenting, toddlers, and teenagers into the mix. However, I found that if you can engage the right resources, your life can be more productive. Here are some helpful ways to stay more productive.

Errands

Errands is an app that allows you to build your “to-do” list and then it reminds you of the things you have to do. I love this for a personal accountability partner. It helps me to get things out of my head and into the “world” so that I can follow-up and complete the tasks. This app can help you dream and accomplish them because it will gently remind you until you select that you complete the task.

Get Pocket

Have you ever stumbled on a blog post, article, or website that you don’t have the time to read? Well, Get Pocket helps you keep all of those links for you to read later. You can create tags to organize your links and reference them later. I like this app because I frequent social media sites, and stumble upon many relevant links and don ‘t have the time to read them right away.  This way, I can just read it later at a time where I can focus on reading thus being more productive in the information I consume.

Audible Books

If you are like me, you have kids. Kids are awesome, but if you are a big reader, it can take a while to get books completed. Sometimes listening to books on cd or audible books can help you regain some of your reading confidence and help you feel good about reading again. Try it! This helps too on non-fiction books. It’s nice to know that you are still educating yourself on some aspect of your career while managing your home life.

Delegate Often and Say NO!

Sometimes there are people that are stronger at doing certain tasks than you are. Why not let them do it? If you are at work and someone wants to do something for you, go ahead and have them do it. Also, incorporate your family and delegate chores and other items to your family if you can. At times you have to be comfortable with what people put out or produce for you, if a minor task.  Make small adjustments later, and roll with it. If you are like me, you can say ‘yes’ to everything and easily get overwhelmed. Evaluate what is being asked of you, if it will be taxing on you or will overwhelm you, say no. It is better to say ‘no’, then have to do task with a grudge.

Outlook to the Max

Many organizations use Microsoft Outlook for their email platform. However, there are many other applications within the Microsoft Office package that can help you be productive. For example, I love OneNote in combination with Outlook. You can tag many items with tasks, highlights, ideas, and follow-up’s. You can even assign tasks, and trigger due dates for many of these items.  I love using this with my work because it actually helps integrate many projects from my email, my notes, and documents – all deliverables at once. If you are looking for more resources Outlook, check out Organized Audrey for some great articles.

I’m hopeful that these 5 tips were useful for you. Checkout these BONUS 10 great tips to help you increase your productivity.

1. Create checklists
2. Do important things first
3. Keep a smaller portion of your day to do smaller, quick tasks
4. Don’t look at your email the first thing in the morning
5. Be present at home – you worked all day, bring the energy home to family
6. Take breaks at work!
7. Focus on one task at a time – unitask instead of multitask
8. Outsource or delegate annoying tasks or chores that eat up your time
9. Read 7 Habits of Highly Successful People
10. Remember what works for you! (There will be a time that life just gets crazy – remember what made you productive before, and do it again!)

Any other tips? Would love to hear them.
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