How I Structure Each Day Of My Creative Work Week
I'm the type of person who lives and breathes by a to-do list. If I don't write down my tasks, appointments and calls, my day can quickly slip into one that's full of creativity – but structure? Not so much.
Preceding the first week of pursuing my creative business full-time, I sat down to make a game plan for what I would accomplish each day so that come Friday of each week, I could breathe a little easier and feel confident knowing that I worked as hard as I could and checked off all of my boxes for clients.
After years of working in different environments, I've finally found a system of planning out my week that works for me – and might just work for you, too! I'm sharing exactly how I structure my work week below, along with the same free printable that I use to structure my days.
Ready to get organized and take back your work week? Let's dive in!
Monday: Reporting, Content Scheduling and Emails
When a new week rolls around, I like to dive right in and take care of all of the repeat tasks that I know are awaiting me in my office. With that in mind, I devote my Mondays to recurring tasks like client reporting, weekly social content scheduling (for myself and clients) and emails. I'm not talking just a few emails here and there – but getting down to inbox zero! Starting off the week on a strong note is important, and taking care of administrative tasks is a great way to clear the clutter.
Tuesday: Content Creation and Design
After a day full of admin tasks, it's time to get creative again. I currently devote Tuesdays to content creation for all of my clients' social media channels for the following week, and also plan out any upcoming blog or social media content for my own channels. I also begin to dive in to any branding projects on my plate, which means mood boards, logo concepts and experimenting with font pairings!
Wednesday: Content Delivery, Calls and Meetings
After wrapping up social content on Tuesday, I like to deliver the next week's content to my clients on Wednesday mornings. While I'm waiting for feedback and edits, I'll leave this middle-of-the-week day for a little human interaction – because let's face it, these days I'm talking to my dogs far too much! Client calls and in-person meetings with friends and potential new business are a great way to spend the rest of the afternoon, while also staying on top of emails.
Thursday: Finalize Content, Design Projects and Proposals
By Thursday, I usually receive social media content edits from clients so that content can be finalized and scheduled for the following week. If everything goes as planned, the same goes for design work, which can be finalized and packaged for delivery. Lastly, I send out all new business proposals to potential clients on Thursday, so that they have time to review the details over the weekend to come back with feedback or next steps on Monday.
Friday: Social Engagement, Writing and Pitching
Ah, Friday – the most free day of the week! I like to leave Fridays more fluid, with most of my client work finalized for the week. This day is devoted to ramping up social media engagement on my own channels, completing any outstanding freelance writing before deadline and also pitching contributed content ideas to some of my favorite online magazines and blogs. On this day of the week, I can opt for a change of scenery and work out of a coffeeshop or communal space to finish out the week strong.