If you know me. Or get to know me. You’ll quickly realized I am super organized & manage my time well. It’s something I’m proud of.

I tend to show up early for events rather than late. I tend to have labels and a place for everything in my home. My closet is color coded. My pantry is organized. My refrigerator is too. This brings me peace.

Time management & Organization are my HAPPY.

While these things have become a part of who I am now, they haven’t always been. I’ve learned through deliberate action how to be productive.
Not only does productivity and organization keep me sane; no really, it helps to lower my anxiety and frustrations about not knowing where something is or “running” behind. It allows me to be the best version of myself.
When things are in order, when things are going according to plan, it sparks Joy!

Time management is a skill. It’s something that can be taught, but it has to be practiced! & boy does it take practice! It took years of me getting it wrong to finally be able to find systems that worked for me to get it right.

Law school taught me that there was no room for LATE in my profession & Hampton University taught me that; to be early is to be on time, & to be on time is to be late.

With those things constantly lingering in my mind, I decided to level up my time management which in turn boosted my productivity!!

I put together some basic ways you can better practice time management & flourish as well.

1. Make a schedule & STICK to it. I know this sounds basic. & easy. But it’s one of those things that sound good in theory but hard to practice. When you’re not intentional with your schedule and time, people will keep you busy & take advantage of your time for you!
   As much as possible, schedule your days & stick to the schedule.
   One thing I love to do, is {time block.} Outside of planned meetings or events. I block off time in my planner to GET THINGS DONE. I know that for x amount of time. I will be focused on whatever task scheduled for that designated period & nothing else. This allows me to hone in on what I’m doing, close some of the open tabs in my head & produce! The best way to do this, is to figure out the time (morning, mid-day, evenings) you’re most productive & get to work. Put your phone on do not disturb. Put busy on your messenger, & get the task you need to complete, done. When you write things down. Pen to paper, it makes it twice as likely to actually get done. Try time blocking in your schedule and stick to it!
   

2. Set clear expectations and guidance for how you’ll get things done. Nothing like having a lofty idea with no road map to make it tangible. A dream without a plan becomes nothing! Set your own deadlines. Deadlines help you stay on schedule and not create a mess down the road because you kept putting this off to the side. Be clear about how long something will take you. Plan for the unknowns & be honest about the expectations of your end goal!
   

3. Break down big task into BABY STEPS. I find this to be the easiest way to stay motivated. By checking off baby steps on your way to the big goal. This also helps me to not feel overwhelmed if I’m facing a big task or todo. Small steps make things manageable & you feel like you’re always moving towards the finish line.
   
   Say you have a goal to go on a vacation to Paris. Here’s a way to break that down: (1) open a savings account, (2) get a passport, (3) save money, (4) book the flight, (5) create an itinerary, (6) Vacation in Paris ✔️

4. Make list & priorities a PRIORITY- it’s no good to make a list if you’re not going to actually prioritize what’s on your list. The more clear you are with your task, the more likely you’ll complete it! I usually create a top three for each day. Things I must get done. Once those are checked off, I can focus on what’s left to do. I prioritize checking in on my top 3 before whatever time I created for my deadline. & when I don’t check it off, it carries over to the next day’s top 3! - but I try reallllyyy hard to get those top 3 done daily, because well, that’s my TOP priority for that day!
   
   List are a great tool but only work if you use them! Planning is cool & fun, if you’re actually going to be productive & follow through on your plans!
   

5. Organization allows you to create a clear picture of what you need. What you don’t. What’s clutter, & what’s meaningful or of purpose! So get organized. Go through your closets, cabinets, and drawers and get rid of the things that have no purpose. Accumulation of things that serve no purpose in your life leads to unnecessary stress and frustration. Eliminate that by organizing your essentials. Less is really more when it comes to being productive. Getting rid of “stuff” to be organized isn’t always easy but having to organize less stuff in the future saves you so much time and effort that can be put towards the things you enjoy and love!
   

   Time management takes time. It takes practice. But learning new behaviors will literally shift the trajectory of your life, work, business, etc.

   If you hadn’t noticed Planning is the most fundamental part of time management! Being efficient in planning out your day, meetings and how you will accomplish things will help you stick to your schedule & be more productive!!
   

   You can get your life all the way together with my new Un-dated DELUXE Planner that will be in the shop soon! This planner will offer everything from Monthly & Weekly spreads, Goals, Budget, Meal Ideas, and More to help you plan and have productive days!

   In the meantime, head over to Luxe Legal Papeterie on Etsy to download some printables & start being productive today!!

Drop a comment below of your favorite time management or organizational hack?

The Luxe Weekly Planner (physical) has been delayed due to covid, but it should be here soon. In the meantime, the Weekly Verticle planner seen here is available on Etsy, shop here.

I am writing this from a place of gratitude and admiration....  

I can honestly say: I AM PROUD OF MYSELF & so thankful that I did not give up! 

This weekend I will be graduating from Law School.. something I dreamt of since I was a little girl!

~Funny Story~

My mom use to watch America's Most Wanted ALL THEE TIME when I was growing up. Although I was scared to go into dark room by myself 😅😰 because I just knew the boogie man was in my house after every episode, I remember thinking: "when I grow up I'm going to be a lawyer who sends bad guys to jail!" That coupled with Law & Order, A Time to Kill & The Good Wife had me committed to this dream of one day becoming an attorney.

(Newsflash- It's not like it seems on TV.. but that's a different post haha) 

& well here I am today, one step closer to accomplishing that dream 😩😁🎉

I didn't really do anything that the next person couldn't do, you just have to Set Goals & Accomplish them! 

Here are 5 things to encourage you to  Just do it: 

• 1. Start by Starting - There's something about starting that seems shameful. We tend to look at other people who have been further on the journey we're headed towards and get discouraged. DONT. Be inspired by the people who have gone before you. Stop allowing comparison to hold you back. It really is the thief of Joy. Be proud of where you start & celebrate the small accomplishments along the way. It's going to make the success feel so much better in the end.

• 2. Write IT Down - I truly believe in Writing the Vision & Making it Plain. Confession: I am a planner. I love to plan things. I love cute stationary, & I have about 4 active "calendar/todo list" I reference a few times a day. It keeps me organized & on track but more importantly, it keeps me focused! There's something about SEEING it written down that makes it tangible. & checking things off your "list" makes you feel like you're getting things done- Making progress towards the finish line, & it helps to keep you going. If you don't already, I'd encourage you to write down what you see yourself accomplishing in the next year, & work every day, week and month - at fulfilling that goal. You'd be amazed at how much can change in a year ;)

• 3. You DO NOT NEED their approval - In this digital age where everyone seems to be looking for validation & approval through social media, remember that you weren't put on this earth to please people. You don't need any ones approval for what you feel led to do.... oh & guess what, you will never be successful trying to be a people pleaser- it's impossible!!

 Also, do not allow someone who gave up on their dreams talk you out of yours. Not everyone will understand, not everyone will think you can do it. That is ok, God did not give them your vision for a reason, he gave it to YOU to see what you'd do with it despite the adversity & what "they" have to say. Once you realize that he has equipped you with all you need and that the approval of man will always amount to nothing, you'll begin to thrive. & do so abundantly! (In other words, ignore the haters lol)

• 4. Don't get in your OWN way - Confession: before committing to going to law school I was holding myself back. I made every excuse in the book during my senior year of college as to why I wasn't going right away....("I just wrote a thesis, my brain needs a break... I'm going to just work a year... I have a kid, I need a job... Law school will always be there.... I will go ..... eventually.") Eventually turned into three years and everything I "tried" doing during that 3 year period wasn't really fulfilling, and it never seemed to "work out." As soon as I stepped out on Faith and decided to take the LSAT to jumpstart the process of me going to law school, EVERYTHING FELL INTO PLACE! *If you've been a reader of my blog since the beginning, you know what I mean :)

If you continue to talk YOURSELF out of it, IT will never get done. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Once you start believing you can do something, you realize that you actually CAN. Don't waste time holding yourself back making excuses or thinking that you can't. Even if no one else believes in You, YOU have to believe in YOURSELF! 

• 5.  FAITH it until you make it- even in the stages where you don't see your thing working out, and you hit road blocks and hardships.....you HAVE to keep going. When you are called to do something IT will not be easy! No really. It will not be easy! You have to trust YOUR process & wait on God by Faith, what he began in you he will be faithful to complete. The race is not to the swift and fast, but to those who continue to endure. Finish the RACE & you will reap the REWARD.

You are Powerful, Brilliant, Beautiful & Brave.

Go Make {IT} Happen