Gal Friday Tips

November 11, 2022

Hello,

How about how winter came in like a lion here in Alberta? I was shoveling quite a bit of snow rather quickly the first week of November.

Today will be talking about your work schedule, and who is controlling who. It can be very easy for our work to manage our schedule instead of the other way around. I run a business, work and have a family. One thing I have to do is manage my client interactions so that it all works. I hope you enjoy the read.

Take care,

Sheila MacKay

Front Line Gal Friday

You And Your Work Schedule...Who's Controlling Who?

Don't let your work manage your schedule. Here are some tricks I'd like to share.

Set your own hours

Just because a client emails me during my "off hours" it doesn't mean that I am required to answer them immediately. I get to set my working hours. I also don't get angry when a client emails me during these times. All it means is that they are working and I'm grateful that they're giving me the work.

Use technology

When I want to work in the evening or weekend, I use an email delivery tool that allows me to schedule when my email will be sent. I find this effective because I can "stay under the radar" during evenings and weekends, but still be productive. It's great to be able to respond on my schedule while making sure my client received my email at a time of my choice by using the email scheduling function available in email accounts like Gmail.

Manage Expectations

When I start working with a new client I set expectations in the beginning. I let them know what time I am working. I answer emails within 24 hours. I'm always scanning my emails for emergencies and quick requests, and while I understand there are times when it's important to start early and work late, I just don't want it to be a way of life.

The result of this is simple. My clients know what to expect while still having plenty of time for my family and friends.