When it seems like you have a good rhythm to your work day, you might think “I may have time to take on more… should I do that?” Block out an hour or two to think on this idea and ask yourself some important questions.
Anything that is a clever tip or trick to simplify things in your home or office is a “hack.” In my home, I’ve figured out in each room what would help me stay organized and accomplish more! These are simple things that don’t require you to spend a lot of money and can be both physical things or mental things.
I believe what you speak comes back to you so I try to be very particular about what words come out of my mouth and the tone in which I say things. When you speak, you are speaking things into existence so you must be careful about what you say!
I don’t normally think much about my age but I turned 35 this year, which seemed like a big deal! I was thinking “If I retire at 70, I’m halfway through my working life!” GAH! While I want to amp things up and get things done, I also want to take a breath and reflect on what I’ve learned during my time here on this earth.
Pairings mean two things that must go together. You can’t do one without the other. Pairings are important because it becomes automatic in your brain to put these things together so when you think of one, you automatically think of the other. Like bread and butter!
You’ve made your priority list and your key decisions… now it’s time to start blocking! Blocking means breaking your day into sections of time and dedicating those to specific tasks based on importance.
In order to grow your business, grow your family and prioritize what you are doing, ask yourself these key decisions to help gain clarity! Answering these questions will help you do your job that much better!
Priorities. You must know what your priorities are before you can make your key decisions! Write them down in order and post them so you can see them often!
When will you work? How many hours are doable in your stage of life? Write it down, set those hours, and commit to it.
Who are you going to work with? Who is going to help you? Do you need a nanny/babysitter? Do you need an assistant or marketing person?
Where will you work? You need a designated space for your stay-at-home job! What are the rules regarding your work and workspace? Decide what they are and let your family know.
What are your goals? Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly goals are SO important! Write them down and post them so you can see them!
What is your why? This is the ultimate goal of why you are doing what you are doing.
How will you grow your business?
Margin is the act of putting breaks in your life and your schedule to allow yourself time to sit and reflect, to absorb what you’ve created or accomplished. This is SO important, especially since we all have so many roles in our lives!
Why? Margin is important because it gives you time to step back and check out for a little bit. It helps us gain a new perspective. Margin will help you stop and refresh before starting back up again.
Where? It’s important to decide where you’re going to take time for margin. In the bathtub? On the back porch? At the park? Find a space you love that is relaxing!
When? Decide when you will take time for margin. What day? What time of day? Will you schedule margin daily? Weekly? Monthly? Start slow by scheduling margin once a month. Then once a week. Then daily!
How? Block this time out in your calendar. Set a reminder on your phone. Be purposeful!
Batching is the practice of arranging things in sets or groups in order to decrease distraction and increase productivity. Batching gives me freedom from choices! It helps me free up mental bandwidth to be present with my family. And it helps me be more creative!
Happy New Year! January is an exciting time for change, setting goals and planning for the upcoming year but to do that, reflecting on the past year is so important. Join me as I review 2016 and select my best practices to continue into the new year!
Welcome back Encouragers! I took the last year off to focus on other areas of my family and business and have truly missed you! So, here’s what’s been going on while we were away...
Thank you for listening along to our very first Encourager series. We’ll be back soon with another series so please start our current series over and join our mailing list to be updated once our new series launches!
Join me as I explain how I clean out items that aren’t essential to my life and how we pursue a life of less in the Scott house!
For my business, we’ve created a goal to make a 1% change each week. Listen to my latest podcast to hear how making just a 1% change can compound into reaching your big goals in 2016!
*This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™. Find at shoprsd.com*
Check out the show notes under the “Encourager Podcast” tab on my website.
January is a time for planning for your next year. Grab your shiny new calendar and join me as I share a few tips and strategies that I’ll be using to plan out and reach my goals personally and professionally in 2016.
*This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™. Find at shoprsd.com*
Check out the show notes under the “Encourager Podcast” tab on my website.
Encouragers, thank you so much for your support and attentive listening toward “The Encourager” this past year. I feel so fortunate and blessed to have learned so much along with you these last few months. Thank you to my guests who have interviewed thus far as well! My last episode for 2015 encapsulates the best practices that I worked on in my life and business. Hopefully, you can either try one of these for yourself in the New Year or reflect upon your own practices to build unique practices for 2016.
*This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™. Find at shoprsd.com*
Check out the show notes under the “Encourager Podcast” tab on my website.
I’m back! Thank you for your patience as I sewed like crazy to get my Christmas purses finished! During my time sewing, I had plenty of time to brainstorm about new episodes to share into 2016. This week, it was incredibly obvious that perspective had to be my main subject. From now on, I will try to include elements of perspective in my show to help guide you through times that seem too difficult to manage. Business flops, misbehaving children, church and community commitments, hosting family, etc. can all be overwhelming—especially when they overlap. Not to fear, a perspective of positivity and gratefulness can get you through anything! Tune in this week to hear how I am looking at life with a new perspective and how I can guide you to do the same!
*This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™. Find at shoprsd.com*
Check out the reflection guide on my website under the “Encourager Podcast” tab.
This week we are replaying another popular episode: "Leaving a Legacy the Simple Way". The holiday season is the PERFECT time to make lasting memories with your loved ones. Try some of my suggestions from this episode along with other Christmas traditions. Decorating the tree together, caroling, donating to the Salvation Army, buying gifts for an Angel Tree, and many other acts of kindness can be done for others. There are so many opportunities to give back this time of year! Help create that legacy of a servant heart this Christmas with your family.
*This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs. Find at shoprsd.com*
Hello encouragers! Well this lady had to get real with time! I will not have new episodes for the next couple of weeks. The holiday season is extremely busy for RSD and I have to sew like crazy to get all of the orders completed. As I have elaborated on before, I truly rely on my priority list to guide me when things get hectic. Through prayers and reflection, I have decided this decision would be the best for my family and for my business. This week on the Encourager we will re-post the Jenny Fenig interview since it was such hit! If you missed this episode, check it out! If you have already listened to it, take another listen. Jenny gives great advice about slowing down and finding one's passions/purpose to have renewed energy for life's daily tasks.
*This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs. Find at shoprsd.com*
Let’s not let fear control our future! My episode this week focuses on seven critical action steps to take when beginning a new adventure. After detailing the seven steps, I share a personal story of how I turned a worst-case scenario into a success. If you feel frozen in the starting gates, tune in to hear my advice about how to mobilize your dreams.
This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™. Find at shoprsd.com
Check out the reflection guide on the Encourager Podcast tab on my website.
As we all head off in our cars or begin preparations for the big feast on Thursday, I decided to keep my things short and sweet this week. Even though the holiday season can be hectic, Thanksgiving allows a time for us all to take a deep breath and reminisce on the past year and all the things we are thankful for. Your family will love you regardless of how decorated the house is, or how juicy the turkey may be—so let go of some of that worry! During the episode, I share with you a few short things that after reflection on 2015 I have been extraordinarily thankful for. I challenge you this week to be in reflection of your year and many blessings!
*This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™* Find at shoprsd.com.
Check out the reflection guide on my website under the “Encourager Podcast” tab.
My babes are the reason I do what I do. Being a work at home mom, I am blessed with watching them grow and learn in the comforts of our home. However, in order to enjoy our shared time together and have a productive work day, my children and I have to follow a schedule while I have to remember to give them grace and patience. This week on the Encourager I share my seven best tips that have made business with the kiddos right next to me successful over the last seven years. Each of my children have different personalities and have gone through different phases; but these seven tips best encapsulate the methods for how I have handled day to day life thus far. I hope you can apply one or two of these to your parenting techniques while working from home!
*This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs. Find at shoprsd.com*
Check out the reflection guide under the "Encourager Podcast" tab on my website.
So far on the Encourager, we have talked all about children and business. This week I felt it necessary to have a chat about those wonderful spouses of ours! Your partner can be your greatest asset and support to your business. Cluing them in on your passions and goals can help you too see eye to eye and prevent unwanted tension. My episode this week shares some tips I have learned through my entrepreneurial venture alongside my husband. We didn’t do everything right in the beginning; but after twelve years I believe we have developed a helpful system that is worthwhile to share with you!
*This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs ™. Find at shoprsd.com*
Check out the reflection guide on my website under the “Encourager Podcast” tab.
It is harvest season in the Midwest! The fact that my “harvest season” for my business coincides with my husband’s occupation may be a coincidence; but it only reiterates the importance of planning ahead for busy seasons! Whether it is life or work, we all have eventful times of the year that require extra preparation and coordination. My episode this week is geared at providing tips for big events in your industry. Specifically, I highlight planning ahead, estimating inventory demands, alerting loved ones for the impact, and wrapping up with the event with helpful organizing and financing tips. You don’t want to miss the details in this one!
*This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™. Find at Shoprsd.com.*
Check out the reflection guide in the “Encourager Podcast” on my website.
As a business owner, you are given lots and lots of advice--some good and some not. However, I am going to look at the positive side today in hopes of giving YOU some of the best tips I have gathered in my 12 years of work. Specifically, I outline the importance of becoming the status quo in your industry, staying true to your mission and vision, creating a business that others regard in the highest sense, hiring out the details so everyone can use their strengths, and lastly making sure the kids are given the appropriate attention to feel loved. These five things, in my opinion, are the reasons Rebekah Scott Designs has been so successful. Your business can be as well! Join me today to learn more!
*This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™. Find at shoprsd.com*
Check out the reflection guide for this episode under the “Encourager Podcast” tab.