How to stay organised when you're on the go according to these 3 business babes
When your work or personal life means you are always on the go & not in an office Mon to Friday 9-5pm, it's often hard to get organised & into a routine. I chatted to 3 on-the-go business women including iconic designer Karen Walker, Gritty Pretty founder Eleanor Pendleton & influencer/mum of 3 Erin Maxwell about how they stay organised...
NAME: KAREN WALKER
OCCUPATION: DIRECTOR OF KAREN WALKER
OVERVIEW:
Iconic fashion designer, Karen Walker's eccentrically elegant style & designs have allowed the brand to establish a stellar international following across her ready-to-wear, eyewear, jewellery, bags and fragrance collections. As a successful international business women, Karen Walker herself is a complete professional when it comes to her organisation & on-the go strategy. She is also someone I have always been inspired by & loved working with (shop our KW x AOL collab here). Read more below about how Karen stays organised on the go...
1. How often do you travel for work each year?
Last year I did 250,000kms and 25 trips.
2. How do you manage to stay organised when you’re always on the go?
I try to schedule at least an hour or two a day for 'work time' away from whatever the trip’s about – just so I can keep on top of emails and FaceTimes etc. Also it’s really important to me to fly on airlines that have wifi – I can’t stand getting off a 12 hour flights and seeing my in tray suddenly explode!
3. Do you have a set routine for the office & a routine for when your on the go/travelling?
Kinda. When I’m in the country I try to schedule a set number of hours a day for design time, for meetings and for just keeping on top of the 'in tray' so one bit of the job doesn’t get ignored. When I travel I try to keep an hour or two for emails etc and no matter where I am it’s screens off at least an hour before bed.
NAME: ELEANOR PENDLETON
OCCUPATION: FOUNDER OF GRITTY PRETTY
OVERVIEW:
Eleanor Pendleton is the founder & editor behind Gritty Pretty, Australia's first and only digital publication dedicated solely to beauty. Personally knowing Eleanor, she is one hard working & talented lady who juggles magazine deadlines, an insane amount of travel/events & running her business with ease because of her organised manner. Read more below...
1. What does a typical day for you look like? Does your ‘office’ change often with shoots & travel?
There is no typical day as most days differ for me. However, they usually start with coffee. I grab a coffee on my drive from the Northern Beaches to my office at Sydney's south. It's during this hour that I'm able to relish for myself and mentally prepare for the day ahead. I also use this time to make any personal or professional phone calls. Once I'm at the office, I tackle my email inbox (I receive around 200 emails a day!). Some days, I can be attending up to two or three beauty product media launches, directing a beauty shoot, modelling in a beauty shoot or video tutorial, interviewing a beauty expert or celebrity, writing a beauty feature, or meeting with my editorial and advertising teams. Gritty Pretty's office is my base but I'm often travelling and on location shoots – no day is ever the same, which is one of the many things I love about my job!
(View Eleanor's Gritty Pretty HQ & Workspace here! It's an absolute dream!)
2. How often do you travel for work each year?
I usually travel once a month either interstate or overseas. Travel is such a joy and a privilege I'm grateful for.
3. How do you manage to stay organised when you’re always on the go?
I write a to-do list at the end of every day for the following day. I find doing this as I wind down for the day allows me to hit the ground running the next morning.
4. Do you have a set routine for the office & a routine for when your on the go/travelling?
Every day starts with coffee.
When I'm travelling, I pack travel-size skincare products to refresh my skin on the go. SK-II Mid-Night Miracle Essence is my ride or die face mist!
NAME: ERIN MAXWELL
OCCUPATION: FOUNDER OF LSS & MUM OF 3
OVERVIEW:
Erin Maxwell is the creator and girl boss behind LSS (Love, Shop, Share) a journal featuring curated edits, flat lays and styled imagery in the beauty, fashion and lifestyle space. Erin is also a wife, mum to three & a lover of the black, white and grey colour palette! I chatted to Erin about how she stays organised when she is always on the go with work & family commitments.
1. How do you manage/juggle working life with family life?
Working from home does blur the lines a bit and there is never set hours. There are a lot of late nights where I have sorted the family life out and everyone is good so I can focus and get some work in. I think its all about time management and using each time block the best you can and when you can. I am lucky that I am able to create and do what I do for my career as it is flexible and I am able to try and fit a lot in. I am however very cautious of being present and separating work and family time and understanding priorities.
2. How do you stay organised when you're always on the go?
I am old school and love lists with pen and paper and never follow phone lists and digital memo’s. I need to have it all laid out in front of me and work over it. I have (your) note books around and I am always jotting down ideas and plans for content. I can take these with me when I am running around to keep focussed.
3. Do you have a set routine you try & do everyday or do you have another strategy?
Every morning of a typical 'work day' I have all my lists and memo’s out to see where we are at. Emails, a quick social media scroll and of course coffee sets up the day to be organised and I know my priorities to get on top of. Evaluating whats ahead makes me hustle and use the solo moments I have well. I am notorious for procrastinating and trying to tackle too many things at once so it is a must that I have a set agenda or nothing would get done!