I've been operating Nickichicki full time since 2014, and in that time I've learned a lot about myself as a person. I am free spirited. I like to sleep in. I'm a social beast. I like to follow my random whims.
But one of the main things I've learned in running a business is that I am at my best when I mix in my barrel of fun with perhaps just the tiiiiiiniest bit of discipline (gasp!) and organization. Below are my tried and true methods and tools that help me stay on my "A" game.
Passion Planner: I used to scoff at planner users. I live my life completely spontaneously, thank you very much! But now I couldn't imagine my life without one. I love the Passion Planner as it has a flat binding (lefty here), plus dedicated space for both personal and work. Mostly it just has a ton of room to write. Which is important because, between a busy business and 3 kids, I have a lot going on.
Every morning while I drink my coffee I write out what I need to accomplish that day. And anytime I feel myself starting to get off task or "floating" around the house I know it's time to refer back to the planner and get back on track!
Trello: Once I started hiring help I knew we needed a virtual headquarters since we don't all work under one roof. Enter Trello! Here I assign tasks, apply due dates, keep an eye on what everyone is working on, share a calendar, and so much more with my team. I could not imagine my business without it!
My Computer: Having no desire to snuff out my free-spiritedness, I love how portable my business is. Thus when I searched for a laptop I knew it, too, needed to be extremely portable. My Surface Pro fits into many of my backpacks/purses and comes with me into many meetings + coffee shops alike!
Profit First: This book seriously changed my business owner life. I am most definitely a creative person first and a numbers person, um, sometimes barely. When it's no longer just you creating products/wearing all the hats, and things start getting all, "next step" and serious...it's time to read this book.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: This book is less money, more personal growth. The author suggests reading a chapter and doing some reflecting rather than just plowing through and I 100% agree. I'm not sure I will ever feel I've read this book enough times.
Giant Wall Calendar: My planner is great, but it also really helps my brain to see 4 months at a time laid out and huge in front of my face. I also color code it with post-it notes so I know at a glance what personal and business deadlines I have coming up.
It's also been a really great communication tool between myself and my husband since we both work long hours and sometimes forget to tell each other what we have going on or coming up!
Echo Dot: I often refer to my brain as a whirling tornado (as opposed to a tornado that does not whirl...). When it's time to seriously buckle down, I have to remove all distractions from the room (looking at you, phone). This used to be really hard for me because I have so many things pop into my head that I would worry about forgetting. Now while I'm working I just say, "Alexa, remind me to..." and it cancels out the need/want for me to find my phone and inevitably get off task.
There you have it! I hope you found that helpful and have now picked up some new efficiency tools of your own!
Til next time!
<3, Nicole