The Organized Diaries: Sara Neely

Sara is the Editor of Study on Style, the fashion editor at Poppy Magazine, and a freelance stylist and consultant.  Sara was kind enough to answer a few of my questions and was amazingly candid and open.  Take a peek inside Sara’s day-to-day world …

Take us through a busy day in the life of a Blogger/Editor/Stylist/Business Woman.

I have so many different jobs- some that pay, some that don’t- some that are similar, others that are completely unrelated- some that have daily deadlines, others with monthly deadlines. I’m not just a Blogger, I’m also the Fashion Editor of Poppy Magazine, a Freelance Writer and Stylist, and a Web Consultant. The common denominator of all my jobs is that I work entirely from home- an aspect that requires extra focus and structure. I’ve had to become creative and more of an entrepreneur in the last few years because I have agoraphobia (a fear of crowds that often leaves me housebound.) I divide my work up for each month as far in advance as possible so I’m aware of my monthly deadlines and can plan an even daily workload. I always start my day with jobs with deadlines for other people; in other words, my blog is always the last thing I work on. I also try to start my day or week with jobs that pay, primarily my Freelance and Consulting work, just in case something unexpected happens later in the week. Then I fill in my day with jobs with eminent deadlines. I try to cook dinner for my fiancé before he gets home (I’m not the best cook!) and spend some time with him before I work on my blog. He also works a second job from home consulting, so, sadly, we usually pass out side-by-side with our laptops.

What’s your go-to day-to-day planner of choice? Are you a pen-to-paper kind of girl or is it all technology for you

I spend a little too much time organizing my life! I practically have to schedule time for scheduling! I use both pen-and-paper and technology; I have a day planner and monthly calendar so I can look at my schedule short-term and long-term. I also keep a to-do list in a Word document of my weekly tasks. To keep track of my tasks when I’m on the go I have Orchestra, an app on my iPhone, that syncs with my computer. Of course, I never actually leave the house without my planner!

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October 18, 2012   4 Comments

The Organized Creative: Design Darling

Most of my design fans probably already know who Mackenzie of Design Darling is, but for those of you who have not had the pleasure of getting to know her, she’s unbelievably talented and amazing at juggling so many big things at once.  I had the pleasure of finally meeting Mackenzie in real life while in NYC for New York Fashion Week, and she is just as adorable and on her A-game in person!

Take us through a busy day in the life of a blogger/business owner.

What I love most about my job is that every day is different! I manage my social media presence, respond to customer service inquiries, scout new products, ship customers’ orders, write blog posts, and try not to let my inbox get too out of hand. And of course I’m playing on Pinterest and reading blogs! The fact that that’s part of my job is a big bonus ;)

What’s your go-to day-to-day planner of choice?  Are you a pen-to-paper kind of girl or is it all technology for you?

I use the recycled leather notebooks from my boutique to jot down ideas and to do lists. I like writing on blank pages instead of conforming to a printed calendar! There’s nothing like the satisfaction of crossing something off that list. But I also use iCal to keep track of appointments, blog conferences, coffee dates, etc.

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September 21, 2012   10 Comments

The Organized Creative: Sabra of The Lonely Wife Project

This week we’re taking a look inside the multitasking genius behind the blog, The Lonely Wife Project.  Meet the hilarious author, Sabra …

Take us through a busy day in the life of a full-timer/blogger.

5:30 am – My alarm goes off at an ungodly hour and every single morning I spend a good amount of time devising a plan to get spontaneously sick. Alas, I have a corporate job.

7:00 am – Attempt productivity in corporate America.

11:30 am – Run, Pilates or yoga. I need to get away from the computer and sweat profusely.

1:00 pm- After another shower and a quick lunch at my desk, I resume work (and sometimes I Pin and peruse other blogs).

5:00 pm – Arrive home, walk the dogs, make dinner and eat at the table like civilized people (this is a new rule in our house as we previously only ever ate at the coffee table whilst watching TV).

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August 16, 2012   11 Comments

The Organized Creative: Clémence Herbillon

This week’s “The Organized Creative” Series is featuring Clémence of Oh The Lovely Things. Clémence has a gorgeous blog full of beautiful inspiration, DIY projects, and so much more. (To learn more about The Organized Creative Series – a look inside the organized (or not always so organized!) lives of our favorite creative types – bloggers, designers, event planners, artists, chefs, social media gurus, and beyond – check out the original post.)

1.     Take us through a busy day in the life of a blogger/jewelry-maker.

My day starts, without exception, by drinking half a liter of green tea. I can’t spend a good day if I haven’t had my cups of tea! Then I write my to-do list for the day and usually read and reply to emails for an hour or two. The rest of the morning is spent working on my thesis (on literacy in early childhood). After lunch, I work on blog content for about three hours, and when I’ve finalized a post, I work on blog management and sort through my emails. Then I go back to my thesis for an extra hour. Every alternate day, I go to the gym for a one hour workout around 7:00 pm.  After that I work on my jewelry – either drawing/designing a new line, packing up orders, or creating new pieces. Then I spend about half an hour on Pinterest, social medias and my favorite blogs. Now time to read, watch a show, or relax with my better half or friends. Well, I’m lucky enough to be able to change my schedule as needed, but this would be my typical daily routine.

2.     What’s your go-to day-to-day planner of choice?  Are you a pen-to-paper kind of girl or is it all technology for you?

Both! Planners are vital for me. I plan my days myself, which is wonderful but can be tricky  as I can easily spend 14+ hours in front of my computer and suddenly wonder where has time gone. I get easily distracted and can lose hours because I have 10 projects going on at a time, 20 tabs open at a time, and I just can’t focus anymore. I have mild ADD (attention deficit disorder) and get very overwhelmed when I have a lot to do. I need to write down a daily detailed to-do list and stick it up in front of my desk so that I can keep track of what I have to do. I plan my blog with a very basic weekly blog planner that I designed myself (free to print here if you’re interested).  But I also use online tools like Google Calendar, Thought Boxes, that allows you to make list and plans that you can transfer to your Google calendar, and Hootsuite for social media planning.

3.     What one tech accessory can you not live without?

My laptop. I just can’t spend a day without my laptop!

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August 2, 2012   2 Comments