By Marissa Sainz, October 15, 2021
As a full-time business woman, full-time mom, and working with post-COVID-lockdown limitations, time management is everything. There are only so many hours in the day and BOY do they fly by, especially when you have a little one running around.
I rely on my wonderful husband and the community at Escuela Viva, but even with my support system, my day-to-day life can feel chaotic. For my fellow working women — with kids or without — here are my top tips for staying organized, productive, and level-headed.
Maintain a Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Schedule
Do you know what method of planning works best for you? Do you prefer having your day laid out digitally, in your Google Calendar or Calendly? Or do you prefer a physical daily planner?
The convenience of a digital planner is paramount, but I suggest using a daily planner for your day-to-day tasks. The University of Tokyo recently conducted a study confirming that the act of writing on physical paper is linked to improved memory compared to typing. Scratching your to-dos in a planner and prepping your month on a physical calendar will help you prepare for the days ahead.
However, I suggest keeping appointments, zoom meetings, and major due dates in your digital calendar to ensure you receive reminders to your phone day-of.
Here are a few sources of personalized planners, designed by women small-business owners!
Transparency with Your Support System
The monthly calendar we discussed above — share it with the household! Hang a whiteboard calendar up in your office or communal space where you, your partner, and/or any other important members of your household can scribe their schedules. Add your daily working hours, BIG assignments, and events to the calendar to share with your loved ones.
My fellow moms will understand the “mom-guilt” that comes with a busy work schedule. This transparency will allow you and your support system to work around each other’s schedules. On this note, make sure you schedule yourself with reasonable working hours. As a businesswoman who works primarily from home and makes her own hours, I understand the struggle of not having a clock-in-clock-out schedule. Don’t forget to prioritize your health and wellbeing!
Embrace saying NO.
This tip may seem the simplest, but this is one of the hardest to truly embrace.
We all know how much we can handle on our plates, but we hesitate to say no in fear of disappointing someone or missing out on an opportunity. However, prioritizing your health and the trajectory of your goals are far more important!
First, identify your core values and goals. When you’re presented with an opportunity, ask yourself:
- Does this opportunity align with my long-term goals? Could this be a stepping stone in my career?
- Does this opportunity align with my values?
- Will saying yes to this opportunity take valuable time and focus away from another important project or client?
- Will saying yes to this opportunity take precious time away from family and loved ones?
When I was pregnant with Camila I knew my time would be precious in the early months. Before pregnancy I was on two local board of directors, one state board of directors and a number of committees. I loved being heavily involved with the groups close to my heart and business, but I realized that I would not be able to continue to serve with the attention necessary. I wound down my involvement slowly and I was grateful I did. Almost one year after Camila was born I was ready to get more involved again. At that time my company, Living Room Realty, asked if I would like to join our Broker Advisory Committee and it was at just the right time. I have been serving for almost a year now and I really enjoy the interaction and commitment.
Rewind and Review Your Week
Ironically, one of the best time management hacks is setting aside time to simply reflect. Open your planner (digitally or physically), take the calendar off the wall, and look back on the past week:
- Look for any “loose ends” — are there any projects, meetings with clients, or tasks that need to be addressed further?
- Did you run into anything unexpected this week? If so, can you avoid a repeat occurrence by planning ahead of time?
- Review your long term goals (for the month and year). Did you move towards your goals this week? Make plans to actively work towards those goals in the coming week.
- Was any day significantly stressful? Did you run into any stressful situations? Reflect on why that day or situation was stressful. Can you manage your time or plan ahead to avoid a repeat situation?
As a full-time business woman, with or without children, establishing a clear routine and self awareness of your productivity is so important! I can’t stress enough that your mental health and time with loved ones reigns over everything else. Planning your month, week, and day-to-day schedule is the best way to ensure you are able to prioritize you and your family.
Be sure to follow me on Instagram if you aren’t already for more of a look into my life as a real estate agent and mom to Camila, I’m always looking to connect with like-minded women in business.
Let me know if this was helpful and drop a suggestion in the comments for a topic you’d like me to cover on the next blog!
Marissa Sainz
Broker | Earth Advantage | OR
She/Her
Whether you want to live in a hip Pearl District condo or a unique east side bungalow I am here to help you find the perfect home.
The Pearl District and the close in surrounding neighborhoods are exciting and evolving areas and where I focus my business.
It is important in our changing real estate world, where location is so vital to home buyers, to work with a neighborhood expert. We all want to live near our local grocery store and within walking distance of our favorite coffee spot, restaurants and parks.
I am here to guide buyers and sellers through the process every step of the way, if you are a first time home buyer searching for the perfect starter home or looking to move as your family and lifestyle change.
Marissa earned a degree in finance with a concentration in real estate from The University of Texas at Austin. Before coming to residential real estate in Portland Marissa worked for both a national and local commercial real estate firm. Around town Marissa is involved with the Women in Insurance and Financial Services Portland chapter as well as the Women's Council of REALTORS®.
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- T: 512-736-6111
- marissa@livingroomre.com
