For me, life needs to be fully rounded in order to be fulfilled. Variation, friends and hobbies are super important to me. Although I’m guilty of sometimes not having the right balance of work, play and exercise, in the back of my mind there’s always that niggling feeling that with a bit of consideration and a few alterations, I could have a truly fruitful life. Whether my particular focus is my career, wellbeing, family or home, there’s no denying that guidance, planning and direction can boost productivity. It helps to achieve ambitions and generally win at life.

I‘m constantly researching different ways to help me become more focused and happy. Even taking time to discover new ways to feel satisfied with what I’ve achieved in my day can make a difference. Granted, blogging is a job that requires an enormous amount of discipline, determination and organisation so one could say I’m adept in managing my life. But it doesn’t come overnight and it’s tricky to find what works for each individual. I’m one of these people who can’t just be content at what I’m achieving, what I’m doing and how I’m progressing. I need constant stimulation, new challenges and ultimately, more work.

This Spring

I’ve been squirrelling away behind the scenes on three new projects. The first I’ll be launching in March and I think it’ll surprise a lot of people. The second will launch soon afterwards. Both of these ventures have allowed me to learn a lot in terms of planning, strategising and budgeting.
My third project comes in partnership with a beauty company and requires a new objectives and a new way of thinking. Each of the projects are being kept under wraps for now but you’ll see why it was just so important for me to have a brilliant organiser.
I did toy with the idea of employing an assistant but when I saw the CEO Of My Own Life Planner (£44.50), I ditched my Filofax’s and decided to wait a little longer before growing my team. Why? Well not only does it allow me to see everything at a month’s glance but I can categorise my life from budgets to business, home, health and my future. Much like a bullet journal (only less time consuming and better looking), it offers me daily mantra’s, a master goals section and space for my notes, dreams and doodles. You can make it work for you.

Help On Being The Best CEO Of Your Life

CAREER

Being self employed is great but equally as difficult. As a self employed tax payer it’s down to me to earn, down to me to pay the bills and whilst I can celebrate every success, I can also scrape through the hard times. Being your own boss is totally different to being employed and requires a whole different work approach. Having worked at some of the most successful British magazines, my advice in the workplace is:

• Relay everything back to your job. Your career ambitions, thoughts, ideas and solutions. Even identifying a potential problem before it becomes one.
• Be a team player. It’s detrimental to a team’s motivation to be the only one who is always negative, always talking about you and doesn’t pitch in equal amounts.
• Be committed. Don’t have a sense of entitlement and don’t be fooled into thinking that you deserve something because you’ve coasted for years.

HOME

Running a home takes much more time and effort than I ever anticipated. Although I don’t consider myself a housewife, moving in with Daniel three years ago was definitely a shock. The food shop, the utility bills, the cleaning and updating, it all takes planning.

• Be willing and flexible. Living with a partner or having your own family is a huge adjustment to living alone or with friends.
• Be prepared. There’s nothing worse than an unexpected boiler break or an empty kitchen cupboard when you’ve invited people round.
• Get a routine. Dan and I share the cooking, share cleaning bills and if one of us are snowed at work, the other will be more than happy to help out.

FINANCES

I wrote a piece a while back on saving and how I managed to tweak a few things to cover my salary for three months after leaving my job to become self employed. Finance for me has always been something I’ve never particularly had big problems with. I know to not get credit cards and at University, Accounting and Finance modules helped me to become more business minded with my income and outgoings.

• Form a winning habit. Save a bit each month as priority before any other bills have been paid and gradually you’ll save without realising.
• Be responsible. No loans, finances or borrowing for handbags, shoes and things that are not worth investing in.
• Take advice. From homeware to houses, cars to outfits, take recommendations from those more experienced.

 

The Ella Iconic CEO Of My Life Planner’s are available in three shades, black, mint and blush. The weekly planner for a desk (above) is just £15.99. On the website, you can also get free print-ables to really help give your life organisation a much needed boost. Don’t forget to also check out the beautiful stationery and even the cute jewellery.

Will you be better an organising this year? Xx