As a person who has no one to report to and work at home most of the time (or at local cafes), staying on schedule is the single most important driving force behind “staying alive”.

I don’t know how I even started my work schedule but once I did, the more efficient I became while relaxing myself.  (meaning I got a lot of things done without stressing myself out)

So, what is this schedule?

Well, first of all, I make sure to take advantage of my most effective hour everyday.  Whether it’s a Monday, a Saturday, Thanksgiving, or any day of the year, you will see me working during my most effective hour.  (There’s one day I do take off, Christmas because I don’t want to be haunted by Christmas ghosts, seriously!)

As a person working from home, the terms “weekends” and “weekdays” are irrelevant to me.   I even like to do the complete opposite so I can avoid traffic during the weekends, that is to take my weekends when everyone else is working.

And yes, for a long time I used to go crazy on Fridays because either I got off school or work but boy, am I glad I am out of “that” hellish schedule.

Anyways, staying on schedule means that you practically do the same things everyday.  Not only will this keep you consistent, you will get a lot more done than randomly sailing along your life.  (Just like they taught you in school as a 1st grader.)

Here’s what my schedule looks like:

8 or 9AM Get Up

9 to 12PM – My most effective hours – Blogging

12PM – Quick 10 minute power lunch (I feel that people waste a lot of time during lunch, taking elaborate lunches that they really don’t need.  Of course, if you are with a client that’s fine but for the other days, you might be more efficient to take a quick, power-lunch.)  I usually gobble down a big sandwich at lunch with a LOT of Tabasco sauce and a full cup of milk.  (Yes, milk is good for you, drink like 3 cups a day like me!)

12:10PM – 4PM More Blogging plus sweating the small stuff.  (Perhaps also work out if it’s my work out day; I work out every other day)

4PM – 7PM Everyday tasks such as going to get groceries and dinner – I force myself to quit working early otherwise I will be too excited and not able to sleep.  I realize long hours in front of the computer results in insomnia.

7PM – 9PM Go Hit Balls at the Driving range. – By this time I have drank at least 3 cups of coffee, I seriously need to do some kind of exercise to calm me down, otherwise I won’t be able to fall asleep around midnight.  So I got hit golf balls for an hour or two at my local driving range.  I used to drink a lot of beer in the past but now I have substituted a healthier addiction, golf. If you drink too much beer on a daily basis, perhaps it’s time for you to find a new hobby. I might add some blog posts here and there there depending on how I feel.

9PM – Midnight – Relaxing, once again trying to relieve my head from work so I can fall asleep on time.  My favorite TV shows are King of the Hills and Family Guys, these 2 cartoon shows help me get away from work and get myself totally relaxed.  I think the couple hours before your sleep hour, you need to NOT work, so you can re-energize and work hard the next morning.

My schedule might not look like I work (blog) much but I definitely do since most of my work is done during my most effective hour and the other hours are really “optional” and I have been substituting for my new profession, that of becoming a photographer/film director/pro golfer.

If you look at my schedule, you will notice I save almost hour at lunch time plus I don’t have to get up as early as people who commute to work since my office is at arms-length from where I sleep.

I used to get up super-early like 5 or 6AM but I stopped doing that because I would end up in a vicious-cycle of getting to sleep late and getting up way too early.  After couple days of this, my body would be completely exhausted and drained!  I realized that wasn’ natural and probably bad for me especially since I am turning 30 soon.

Now, my schedule consists of getting full 8 to 9 hours of sleep, my most effective hour, hitting golf balls, and watching some TV.

For years, I haven’t watched TV for 3 years but I found that “dumbing” myself out in front of the TV for couple hours really helps me to relax. (Plus, it gets my blogging better, no more blogger’s writer block, I get a ton of funny ideas from Family Guy.)

All this schedule for what?

My schedule is optimized so I can blog as effectively and creatively as I can everyday I wake up.  If I worked too long hours, my mind would burn out and there’s no way you can be an effective blogger like that.  Blogging is essentially creative writing and it takes a whole lot of effort for you to optimize your schedule so that you will always be relaxed and ready to write.

Think of it this way, when I am relaxed, I can write 5000 words no problem with interesting stories to add.  If I am stressed, I can write 100 words with boring, repetitive phrases.

For a blogger, being in the right state of mind is everything. There are times I can literally write about something all day, passionately.

Well, just one thought to leave you with no matter what you are trying to accomplish in life,

Stay on Schedule!