In just the last month, I’ve had a couple of people ask me how I do it all. It makes me giggle because in all reality, I don’t feel like I have the secret to the art of getting things done. Sure, I blog, create video content, send out almost daily emails, reply to most comments, and then live life.
Maybe from the outside, it can look like I’m juggling a dozen plates at once without dropping any. But let me share the truth…
Quote of the day: “Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four-hour days.” Zig Ziglar
But here’s the brutal truth: my answer to how I do everything is… I don’t.
First, let me share why I say that, and then I’ll share a couple of actions I prioritize that help my situation.
It Takes a Village
The art of getting things done starts with knowing when to lean on others. Thus, the title It takes a village, and my village is my husband, Rob. He helps in so many ways that make a huge difference. From taking photos and editing them for the blog to handling some behind-the-scenes chores, he’s a huge part of the team.
This applies to household life too. When I first married Rob, he was not a pro in the kitchen. But he has come a long way. From starting as the sous chef and dishwasher, he has graduated to being the main cook for many of our meals,…breakfast in particular.
Taking this step allows me to catch up on some emails and add my outfit to my Daily Looks post each and every day.
We also do everything together.
Grocery shopping-Check
Errands-Check
Work out-Check
Meet friends-Check
Any appointments-Check.
I am a firm believer that 2 sets of ears and 2 brains are better than 1.
Insider tip: If you can’t have another person go with you to medical appointments, may I suggest at least recording the session? You wouldn’t believe what we miss otherwise.
Perfectly Imperfect
My life is perfectly imperfect. I’ve written about this topic in relation to our bodies, but I’d say it applies to my entire life.
Our house is not immaculate. Far from it. If you came over today, you’d see that we run a robot vacuum daily, but it’s not perfect, and there’s still dust on things. I clean up occasionally, but I consider other things more important.
Like people. People are more important to me than a clean house. I prioritize meeting friends over dusting the house.
And yes, as I write this, there’s laundry that’s been sitting on top of the washer/dryer for a week. And is it folded perfectly? No way.
In fact, would you be shocked if I told you that I came to the conclusion that it’s more efficient for me to toss my undies in the drawer without folding them?
Do I keep up on all the blogging things that would make me more successful? Nope. I haven’t updated an older blog post in ages or recreated pins for Pinterest.
Part of me wants to make money from this venture, but the other part of me likes the relaxed pace of being retired. I’ve worked my butt off in the past, and I’m not sure I want to do it again.
My Actions for the Art of Getting Things Done
I do think there are some personal habits that I apply to the art of getting things done. Maybe these are what make it look like I do it all?
None of these habits is rocket science, and I’d bet many of you already do them too.
- Sleep comes first.
I know, it feels tempting to stay up late, but honestly, I’ve always been a morning person. Prioritizing sleep means I wake up with energy to actually tackle things instead of dragging myself through the day.
Even when I was working, our friends knew we would be leaving the party by 9 pm. - Clean eating makes a difference.
When my body feels good, my brain works better. I believe that I get more done when I’ve eaten nourishing foods instead of relying on sugar or caffeine. - Keep content real life.
Most of my video content is created with outfits I’m already wearing that day. It’s the same with blog photos, which are from actual days out and about. That way, I’m not doubling my workload by changing into “pretend” outfits just for content. It’s authentic and efficient.
That’s not to say I don’t ever put on outfits (like in this case) for a blog subject, but it’s not the norm.
One of my tricks: We take daily photos of my outfits every morning, and they are saved in a file. They aren’t always used, but occasionally I will search for a particular prompt and use them. For instance, what color shoes to wear with a red dress?.
Acai bowl with Live It Up greens drink
There’s More
- Cooking.
When we cook meals, I prefer to make extra. Leftovers are the unsung hero of the art of getting things done. For example, with my chia pudding bowls, I double the recipe, and it usually lasts us a week.
Can you believe some people don’t like leftovers? Inconceivable!!
But beyond that, we don’t “plan” meals ahead of time. We take out meat from the freezer and put together meals with what we already have. Sure, we have routine meals like salads, stir-fries, and meat plus sauteed veggies, but it works for us. - Read fast and skim.
Yes, I’ve been told that I’m a fast reader. And in all reality, that may mean my comprehension is not as high as others. I also tend to skim long articles instead of reading them word for word. - Minimal TV.
This might be the biggest difference compared to some of my friends. We rarely watch television. If we do sit down to watch a movie, we usually watch it in two sittings, about an hour each. And during that time? I knit. Maybe I have ADD, but knitting is relaxing and productive to me.
Balance Looks Different for Everyone
I believe that the real heart of the art of getting things done is not about cramming every second of your day with tasks. It’s about knowing what matters to each and every one of us.
For some people, that’s a spotless house. For others, it’s hours with the grandkids or time in the garden. Then there’s me, who is about creating content, connecting with my community (both online and in person), and finding joy in playing in my closet.
Playing in my closet is the answer to how I come up with so many creative ideas for what we already own.
The laundry can wait.
It also helps that I have a big closet with lots of clothes to choose from, LOL.
If you’ve been here for some time, then you know that I show my house as it really is. No cleaning up or making it look ready for a magazine spread. I’ve shown:
–My closet–this was in our previous place
–Home tour-we had just moved in, so the outdoor decor wasn’t even in place yet (and the inside is more cluttered now)
–Medicine cabinet
It’s no different than how I showcase the outfits that aren’t my favorite. My perfect is definitely imperfect.
This is true for my hair (which is oftentimes a mess and not worth the time to finagle with), my nails (which are not polished because with all of the typing I do, it doesn’t last), and even my makeup (which has become more minimalistic over the years).
Your Turn
So now that I’ve shared my life, I’d love to hear yours. How do you approach the art of getting things done? Do you have little hacks that could help others (and me) in the hamster wheel of life?
In my head, it’s not about doing everything. It’s about choosing what feels important to me. Somehow, compulsive cleaning didn’t hit that list.
I hope I thank you enough because your support allows me to continue this journey, which I LOVE!!!
Supporting a blog can be easy and free. Just visiting my pages, clicking my links (especially for small businesses and sponsored posts), and sharing the things you like on your social media make a huge difference. Spreading the word is how I can reach more wonderful people like you!
Or feel free to “buy me a coffee” which is a monetary way to tell me that you enjoy reading my blog.
Welcome to Jodie’s Touch of Style. I’m here to prove that it’s never too late to look great. Life is wonderful, and let’s embrace every part of it.
