I really enjoy reading about people's daily routines. I like to know how they schedule their time each day, when they do their most important and challenging work, and when they do their mundane tasks. As a freelancer, I am constantly adjusting my daily routine and trying to figure out the best ways to get more done. I became even more interested in how other people organize their time, and specifically their days, when I was researching and writing a series of articles on Daily Routines.
- Get More Done with a Daily Routine
- How to Create a Daily Routine
- How to Stick to a Daily Routine
- Daily Checklist
- 10 Tips for a Better Daily Routine
The interviews below are insightful, inspiring, and provide a view into how some busy professionals use their schedules to get as much done as possible each day.
My Daily Routine from Amy Shojai
Photo / About.com
Amy Shojai is a writer Amy Shojai, CABC is the author of 23 pet care books. She is About.com's expert on Puppies. A few tips from Amy:
- Amy begins her work day about 90 minutes after she wakes up
- Each week, Amy schedules time to enjoy hobbies
- She creates a weekly To Do list that includes appointments, work assignments, and presentations she needs to complete
- Amy tackles task work, such as reading emails, in the morning, and saves more creative work for late-morning until she finishes up her day sometimes as late as 8:30p.m.
My Daily Routine from Elizabeth Weintraub
Photo / About.com
Elizabeth Weintraub is real estate agent, writer, and About.com's expert on Home Buying & Selling. A few tips from Elizabeth:
- Wakes up at 5 a.m. and makes a beeline to her desk with a quick stop at the coffee maker
- Regularly cleans off her desk and computer desktop at night to be ready for the next morning
- Takes breaks throughout the day by weeding her garden
My Daily Routine from Katherine Blackdorf
Photo / About.com
Kathy Blocksdorf is a writer and horse owner. She was raised at her family's training and boarding facility, where she met horses with a wide range of needs and problems. She is About.com's expert on Horses. A few tips from Katherine:
- Katherine begins working immediately at 6 a.m.
- She plans her breakfasts for the next day at night
- She schedules time for her hobby--riding horses--into her calendar
- She uses a modified version of Getting Things Done
- Tackles more challenging work in the morning and save mundane tasks for later in the day/evening
My Daily Routine from Mariette Mifflin
Photo / About.com
Mariette Mifflin is a freelance writer, and About.com's expert to Housewares. A few highlights from Mariette:
- Mariette starts her day by pressing the "On" button on the coffee maker
- The first thing she does at her desk is check the news, scans emails and gets down to serious work
- Recommends spending 10 minutes the night before getting lunch ready for the next day, food for the slow cooker and having your outfit picked out
- Keeps music a priority by fitting it in every day
- Organizes her To Do list by priority
- Tries to minimize social media and web browsing to get work done
- Advice: "Make a to do list every day, but make it short, sensible and realistic"
My Daily Routine from Tonya Lee
Photo / About.com
Tonya Lee is a freelance writer and designer with more than 15 years experience and specializes in encouraging others to make the most of their homes within a tight budget. She is About.com's expert on Budget Decorating. A few tips from Tonya:
- Tonya (like me!) starts her day with coffee
- Finds she is more productive at reading and writing work in the morning
- Goes over her schedule and To Do list at night in order to prepare for the next day
- Keeps a notepad in the kitchen to jot things down on the fly
- Recommends banning procrastination
- Follows a regular daily and weekly routine
