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A few months ago someone in our Creative Differences program asked what tasks Kendall and I do in our businesses because sometimes it feels like there isn't anything to do outside of creating content which can be draining and may not be helping you meet the business goals that you want for yourself. But like, what else is there to do sometimes??
I ultimately created 3 lists of tasks because there are tasks I do daily, tasks I do on a semi-regular schedule, and tasks I used to do or I sometimes do or I have thought about doing again.
I think it's helpful to share what a practical list of tasks looks like as an entrepreneur but know that every list of tasks is incredibly unique to every individual and their offers.
I have done so many different tasks in my business as life has shifted and changed, but this is currently what my task load as a service-based entrepreneur looks like.
What is on your entrepreneurial task list?
Tasks I do regularly (daily or weekly):
checking my email
responding to emails (I am really bad at this myself)
resetting my office space for the week + things in that area which includes my meds
creating content for clients + researching solutions for clients
creating content for myself that reach my goals (check out my newest freebie on that)
sending out things for clients like emails
resetting my major tasks for the week in my Asana board— although everything is moving over to Notion
writing and sending emails for myself once a week
delivering things to clients like resources, recordings, information, notes, etc
I check my calendar once a week to make sure that I know what is happening throughout my week
Researching and finding solutions for clients
Meeting with clients— I have at least 1 meeting a week but normally I try to have no more than 1 a day
Tasks I do regularly— This is a long laundry list of stuff that I do regularly which for me means daily or weekly. You may be thinking, Meg, why are tasks like checking my email, responding to emails, etc. on the list?
I am a big believer (and this is something we teach in Creative Differences) that the micro-tasks, all of the small and sometimes mundane things you do in your business should be accounted for. Otherwise they can become sources of energy leaks, feelings of inadequacy, etc.
When running a business, I feel it is important to honor all of the things you are doing no matter how small. This can help us as business owners to recognize how much we do and how much effort goes into running a business. This also includes cleaning our spaces, especially if we are working from home. Maintaining a work environment that is functional for you takes time, energy, and effort. That should be recognized when thinking about the work you do for your business.
Tasks I do sometimes (monthly, once a quarter, etc.):
Blogging when there is time for it
Creating and scheduling pins on Pinterest
Scheduling notes on Mighty Network
Making new resources
Working on vintage + furniture pieces for my other side projects
Tasks I do sometimes— This list is not nearly as long and sometimes can mean a month, or it can mean 3-6 months. In regards to blogging, ideally I would be creating a new blog once a month. That doesn't seem to happen so whenever I get to it is fine. I do create and schedule pins out on Pinterest once a month for all of my resources and other blog posts as well as for my clients. A monthly rhythm seems to work best for me when it comes to Pinterest and our Mighty Network notes. I try to have a full month schedule for both of those things. I aim to have a new resource made every quarter or 3-4 months but sometimes it is 6 months before I have something new, this is okay. A lot of these sometimes tasks aren't on any sort of timeline and are more just things that happen when they do.
The last task here is working on vintage and furniture pieces for my other projects and I would say I have a couple pieces every month that I am steadily working on. Sometimes I take a month off, but I always come back to it eventually and it has become a more regular part of my work.
Tasks I do when I need to/have done in business:
researching + reaching out to potential clients + partners in a not terrible way for cold-pitching services as a service provider
researching potential event or speaking opportunities
completing business rituals
working on materials to clarify values, vision, mission, etc.
revamping branding materials when necessary or when I feel like it doesn't match the vibe
take photos of myself
Tasks I do when I need to/have done in business— I also wanted to include a list of things that I have done for my business, or things that I do when I need to. The task I do the most regularly from this list is completing business rituals— I do this whenever I feel I need some grounding, guidance, support, etc. Otherwise, I do not do a lot of these tasks anymore. I am currently in a season where I am about ready to take on another client so I have start promoting my services more but I haven't done any outreach for a few months. I'm currently feeling really good about my branding, materials, photos, etc. but I also know that new photos wouldn't hurt. Just not a priority right now. And this is okay! These tasks will happen when I need them to, they don't have to be on the list right this second.