Over the course of my personal development journey, I’ve learned I thrive with structure and routine. Regardless of the task, I do best with clear goals and external accountability. So working from home can be…challenging.

I regularly read material on productivity, habit development, and eliminating procrastination. These books are never a one size fits all solution (even when marketed as such) so I take whatever pieces resonate with me and leave the rest.

Fine tuning my routine is always a work in progress. Do you feel the same way?!

Here’s what’s currently working for me!

A Day in the Life of a Book Blogger

7am  Seven days a week, I’m woken by the silent buzzing alarm of my FitBit Blaze smartwatch.

The first glorious hour of the day is all mine. I wash my face and change my clothes right away to chase away grogginess and the urge to lounge in my pajamas.  I make coffee in the French Press and savor a cup. I do things to prepare for and set the intention for my day, such as look at the day’s forecast, write a journal entry, and read from a non-fiction book. I try to avoid email and social media during this time, but it’s not a hard and fast rule.

8am I take a cup of coffee to my husband while he’s still in bed. Then I shoot for 30-40 minutes of exercise. That had been running on the treadmill or walking my Boston Terrier, however I’m currently recovering from a severe calf injury so it’s less time and I can do a slow walk or ride my bicycle. If I’m not up for exercise, I’ll go sit in the sun in my back yard and listen to music to get my heart rate up a little.

9am  I’m generally at my desk right around 9. I get my essential oil diffuser going to meet my current needs: I love blends for focus, clarity, and general emotional support. Then I choose a Spotify playlist of instrumental music and I get rolling.

The rest of the morning is dedicated to my “actual job.” I work as personal assistant to Coach Sherry Winn, a motivational speaker, leadership trainer, and all around awesome human being.

I’m currently trying a variation of a technique from Magnus Mueller’s book on curing procrastination addiction.I was previously blocking out 9am to noon on my calendar for work, then struggling to stay focused that long. Instead, I’m working in 30 minute chunks with a 15 minute break in between. It extends my “work hours,” yet I’m finding I’m much more productive this way.

After a break for lunch, I’ll dedicate an hour or two to writing and blogging.

Late afternoons are for running errands, working out with my trainer, or any appointments I need to schedule.

Dinner is usually around 6-6:30, mostly homemade by my wonderfully skilled husband who loves to cook.

No screens after 7pm. This is the first step toward my evening wind down for sleep. On the days I’m not able to resist or I’m out of the house, there’s an noticeable difference in my ability to fall asleep that night. This non-screen time is dedicated to reading and writing.

8:30pm Pajama time and 9pm In bed to read These are my ideal goals, but summer in Montana cramps my style! Right now, it’s light until almost 10pm. It’s tough for me to get sleepy when the sun is bright and shining, even if it’s 9pm!

10pm-7am Nine hours of sleep is my goal, although my FitBit shows I’m awake more in the night than I ever remember! (I never claimed it to be an exciting day in my life, ha ha!)

Structure, routine, and solitude are key components to my health and success. However so are socialization, physical activity, and creating. It’s a careful balancing act, and I don’t always succeed.

Now tell me about your days. Do you find structure helpful or too confining? What works and what doesn’t?

If you blog regularly, what have you found that keeps you on task?