This entry is for all my hustlers out there juggling as much as possible & then some! We are straying away a little from our regular topic with the spirit of a popular quote "how you do anything is how you do everything" (author unknown, it's been recycled too many times) in mind. To be a good social media manager, or anything really, you need to be able to be productive & to stay on track!

You ever feel like you are being pulled in all sorts of directions? You can’t seem to find your footing? I know there are times I do! Between life events, running a business, being a good friend, being a good daughter, sister etc, I can easily get off track. Life can quickly offer distractions and consume your time; this is why so many life coaches say to write down your goals somewhere you can see it every day. So that you remember, throughout your day, what you are actually working towards. I find it funny that I need a daily reminder of what I want. Life, am I right?

Here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way (and sometimes still need a friendly reminder of) that have helped me feel more grounded and stay on track!

1) Have a bedtime/morning routine. Set the tone for the rest of your day by purposely starting your day for you! The best way to do this is to plan the night before. If I happen to pass out from exhaustion I am more likely to snooze in the morning. If I go to bed on purpose, write down what I want to get done the next day and begin to visualize what I want then I actually wake up excited and ready (sometimes even before my alarm goes off). I personally like to journal, meditate, and workout in the mornings. Sometimes all 3 things, sometimes just 2 but I always start my day with my routine to get me grounded and ready for the day! Find what that is for you & stick to it!

2) Make the time for what truly matters to you. You are so busy you don’t have time for your dream business or drinks with a friend but suddenly there’s a pipe burst in the kitchen and you somehow find the time to deal with the “emergency”. Treat the steps towards your goals like an emergency. It needs to be dealt with at the time you designated for it. No if, ands, or buts about it (unless there’s like a legit emergency of course)! My point is, when I schedule my day on purpose, with purpose, & most importantly follow through... things get done!

3) Set yourself up for success. You know you best! If you are trying a new diet but get tempted at lunch time at work: bring your own lunch and/or meal prep. I know lots of people who cook for the whole week on Sundays because that sets them up for success!...You are not a morning person? Set yourself up to make your morning as smooth and easy as possible, whatever that means to you. And maybe don’t watch TV until 2 am and be upset you can’t get up when your alarm goes off (Netflix will be there tomorrow). OK fine that was totally for me: My name is Belle Cordero & I am a sometimes bingeaholic…seriously though, set yourself up for success! When I do things on purpose, & not by chance, things get done!...This is one of those simple but not easy things. Whenever I start to feel unorganized I know that I dropped the ball on tip 1, 2, or 3... and that something needs to get cleaned up!

4) Declutter your life. Both physically & mentally. A messy environment creates a messy mind. I like to fix my bed right away in the morning and keep things in their place. I also like to do a mind dump before bed, where I just write down all the stuff that’s spinning around in my head. Laundry, call so and so, post office drop off etc. This allows me to get organized on my to-do list, prioritize my day, and frees up mental space for creativity. A relaxed & creative state of mind allows me to be open to seeing opportunities around me that I would otherwise miss because I’m too in my head about… laundry! Honestly, laundry is a great example of random distractions which leads me to…

5) Avoid distractions. There have been times when I make a scheduled to do list, giving every item an assigned time, and then an email pops up and next thing you know an hour has passed and I am behind on my own to do list! Like where did the time go?! Something I learned from a great coach, Wendy Braun (highly recommend her if you are an actor/in the entertainment industry), is: is it actually urgent or can it wait for its designated time? Does that email have to be answered right now? Do those dishes need to be done right now? And so on. And yes, I schedule a time for the little things, because it is the little things that compound and easily take over my day. Just like it is the little steps you take on a daily basis that compound, keep you on track, and ultimately get you to reach your goals!

6) Set boundaries. With work, with family, with friends, and romantic partners: set boundaries! I find that this was harder to do when I was more insecure. The more I started to really love myself and feel like I am worthy, the easier it became to stand up for myself & my needs. It’s OK to say no to someone you love. The people that love you understand that you love them and that you are working on staying on track. You can be there for others without sacrificing all of you, it is possible. While we are on the topic, surround yourself with people that support you and love you for who you are (this will also help set you up for success). I personally have my amazing business partner Kim Lamothe- together we be thriving!😉

I know that if you apply these 6 tips to your life you will see a huge difference in productivity! For more resources to help you on your productive journey check out Brian Tracy You can also follow us on Instagram where we love to post about the books we are reading!

Thanks for reading! Leave a comment & let us know your thoughts/routines!