I spend about 2 hours at the end of the month (or beginning of the month, if I have a late-month show) changing over the paperwork in my guest kits, car tote, and prepared host kits. (I carry host kits with me to shows. They're complete except for the specials and OOFs. Those I have clipped together for the current and next month. This allows me to easily add whichever is needed.)

I spend about 1/2 hour each morning checking my calendar and getting any host coaching materials ready to send. I also make up a list of calls for that day, arranged by times.

I spend 15 - 30 minutes making calls. I generally make calls between 7:00 and 7:30 p.m., unless someone requests a daytime call. I make host coaching calls, CCCs, and follow-up calls during this time.

I spend 10 - 15 minutes reading/sending emails. I generally only use email if it's a customer or host's preferred method of contact. Then again, I live in a rural area where most people don't have email or don't use it very frequently.

I set aside at least 1/2 hour each day to do some sort of business-related reading. Sometimes that's HO correspondence. Sometimes that's info that's come via business-related enewsletters. Sometimes it's something like Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Red Book of Selling or anything by Zig Ziglar.

When my host kits get low (I like to have at least 5 on hand at any given time), I set aside a couple of hours to put 12 of them together. I choose 12 because a few of the things I use are printed 4 to a page.


In addition, I take time for planning. I sit down at the beginning of the week and sketch out a tentative schedule. This takes about 15 - 20 minutes. I look over my calendar and make a mental note of any appointments, shows, etc. I look at each day and block out time for each thing I plan to do. Because things don't always go the way I've planned, I make sure that sketch is in pencil.

At the beginning of each day I sit down and look over what I have planned. I then transfer my plan to my organizer, to-do list, or planner pad. (What the day holds determines which I'm using.) This takes about 5 minutes. On a personal note, I generally do this at the end of my devotional time. I pray about my schedule before writing it down.

Play with things a bit. It took me several months to settle into a rhythm that worked for me. Try to take into account the natural flow of your energy. I'm a morning person. I do most of my computer/paperwork in the early hours before normal people are awake and moving about. Reading is for mid to late afternoon. That's when my energy is naturally lowest. I can do my reading while I have a healthy snack.

 

I kind of have to be organized. In addition to PC, I . . .

. . . am Children's Ministry Director for our church.


. . . do most of the publications for our church (not bulletins, but directories, brochures, booklets, and such).


. . . do publicity for a friend who is a speaker. This involves dispensing bio, brochures, and sometimes booklets about her services.


. . . am helping a friend write a book by transcribing her sermons.


. . . am helping a friend to have prints and cards made of her artwork. Proceeds from the current piece are going to support a ministry in memory of a departed friend. Proceeds from the images of future pieces will go to support other ministries.


. . . am in the final stages of taking my pastor's book to print. It's about his experience with acute myeloid leukemia.


. . . am making a concerted effort to stay in touch with friends by arranging lunches and other outings for 2 or 3 of us at a time.


. . . occasionally do secretarial temp work.


. . . attempt to be a good, loving helpmate to The Furry Guy.


. . . am considering joining my friend who is a speaker. She has asked me to consider joining her on the podium doing a bit of speaking and also some singing. I'm giving it serious consideration.
​

 

Okay, you asked for it. I had a coach suggest that I make out a generalized schedule. As you can imagine if you read my previous post, this is a very basic schedule. Projects could mean working on transcriptions, putting together host or guest kits, or just about anything else. Most nights I'm asleep by about 9:30 unless I'm doing a show.

Weekdays

4:10 AM to 4:45 AM Wake Up, Stretch, Take aspirin; Eat banana

4:45 AM 6:00 AM Bike 30 min; Weights (Mon/Wed/Fri) or Yoga Stretches (Tues/Thurs); Morning meds

6:00 AM 9:00 AM Do devotions; eat breakfast; check emails; read for pleasure

9:00 AM 11:30 AM Computer work (Snack @ 10)

11:30 AM 1:00 PM Lunch; Reading or Prepping to leav

1:00 PM 6:00 PM Errands/Meetings or housework; Study; Make & Eat dinner (Snack @ 3)

6:00 PM 8:30 PM Email; Calls

8:30 PM 10:00 PM Wind down for evening; read/watch TV; go to sleep



Saturdays

4:10 AM 4:45 AM Wake Up, Stretch, Take aspirin; Eat banana

4:45 AM 6:00 AM Bike 20 Minutes; Yoga Stretches; Morning meds

6:00 AM 9:00 AM Do devotions; eat breakfast; check emails; read

9:00 AM 11:30 AM Projects; Reading

11:30 AM 1:00 PM Lunch; Reading or Prepping to leave

1:00 PM 6:00 PM Errands/Fun; Make & Eat dinner

6:00 PM 8:30 PM Varies Wildly

8:30 PM 10:00 PM Wind down for evening; read/watch TV; go to sleep



Sundays

4:10 AM 4:45 AM Wake Up, Stretch, Take aspirin; Eat banana

4:45 AM 6:00 AM Morning meds; eat breakfast; check emails; read

6:00 AM 9:00 AM Get Ready to leave

9:00 AM 12:30 PM Church

12:30 PM 1:30 PM Lunch

1:00 PM 8:30 PM Nap; Reading; Eat dinner

8:30 PM 10:00 PM Wind down for evening; read/watch TV; go to sleep

4-12 times each month Pampered Chef Shows--last about 3 hours from arrival to departure

Usually scheduled weeknights 6:30 or 7 p.m. or Saturdays 10 a.m. or 2 p.m.​

 

Thanks, Brenda. Congratulations on restarting your business.

 

Yes, Jessica, I'm seriously up and moving by 4:30 (usually 4:15) every morning. I have an alarm set, but I'm usually awake before it goes off. I find that I function best if I keep to a schedule of getting up at the same time each day. I'm naturally a morning person, but I eased my way from 5:30 to 4:15 as a way to make sure I get my exercise and devotions in without rushing if I'm working a temp job.

 

I am busy. However, I don't do everything at once. That's why I take the time to plan my schedule. I occasionally have days when I feel like I'm meeting myself coming and going. However, I make sure those are followed by a fairly relaxed day.

I also learned several years ago to purposely put "slug days" in my schedule. These are days when you mostly just lay around like a big ol' slug. If I have that written on my calendar, I an legitimately say, "I have plans that day." I don't have to tell people what those plans are.


Host Kits include:

Let's Have a Great Party (got that here)
Guest List (my version of the list from the planner)
Host Responsibilities (just a quick, bulleted list)
Invitations
Flyer with Specials
Outside Order Forms
Order Collection Envelope
Catalogs​

Guest Kits include (front to back):

Contact Card (3 x 5 card with my contact info)
Monthly Guest Special (I print these 2 to a page)
Recruiting Flyer (varies depending on my mood that month)
Blank Colored Half Sheet for Notes
Catalog
Survey​

 

I really don't have it all together. I just have some things really well organized.

These are PDF files. The Let's Have a Great Party I found here somewhere and adapted it to fit the way I do my shows. If you do a search you can probably find the original.

 

Happy to help.

 

I'm a big believer in what several prominent coaches/leaders have said. You are changed by the people you encounter and the books you read. I've always loved to read, and I read quickly with really good comprehension and retention. My friend was fond of telling me that I was the only person she knew who read self-help books, then actually did what they said. I'm currently reading a lot of John Maxwell stuff on leadership, since this is my first experience leading a large team of people. (We have over 40 volunteers in our children's minstry, which includes the nursery.) I also subscribe to enewsletters by Zig Ziglar, Jeffrey Gitomer, and several others. I often print those off and take them with me when I know I'll be eating out alone. I take along a pen to make notes of things I want to do/research/share.

I usually bring the food ready. My Walk Through the Catalog is my most popular show. I've also had really good success with open houses. Both let me focus on the products rather than the food. I gladly do a traditional cooking show if that's what the host prefers.

 

That's pretty close to what I do, too. Keeping up the host's excitement is critical.