Today we are making an EASY football snack for the Today we are making an EASY football snack for the Super Bowl that your kids will love. 

-First melt chocolate chips in a wide-rimmed bowl. 
-Then cut chocolate chip granola bars in half. 
-Dip each half in the melted chocolate and then place them in the fridge until the chocolate hardens. 
-Once they are ready, draw laces on top with white icing. 
-Serve and enjoy!

#superbowlsnack #superbowlsnacks #superbowldesserts #superbowlideas #superbowlparties #recipereel #easyrecipesformoms #easyrecipesforkids
Today we are making a cheesy pepperoni football fo Today we are making a cheesy pepperoni football for your super bowl party. 

-First roll out a can of pizza dough and cut into squares. I make 5 vertical cuts and 3 horizontal cuts to get 18 squares of dough. 
-Then cut 6 string cheese sticks into thirds and place a piece of cheese in the middle of each square. 
-Roll your dough into balls around the cheese. 
-Set these aside and repeat with another can of pizza dough and six more string cheese sticks. 
-Arrange your dough into a football on top of a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. 
-Then mix together melted butter, garlic powder and parsley flakes and brush on top of the football. 
-Top with pepperoni and make sure all of the dough is covered to really define the football shape. 
-Bake on 400 for 15 minutes. 
-While it's baking cut another cheesestick into two long pieces and three short ones. These will be your laces. 
-Once the football is done, arrange these on top and place back in the oven for another minute or two. Serve and enjoy!

#superbowlsnacks #superbowlappetizers #superbowlideas #superbowlfood #recipereel #easyappetizers #easyappetizer #footballfood #partyfoods #easyrecipesformoms
Making cute Valentines for my son's class. These l Making cute Valentines for my son's class. These little stickers say "I'm so glad we swim in the same school. Your friend, Benjamin."

I filled some cute little fish bags with goldfish and added the sticker to the front! 

What do your kids give their classmates Valentine's Day?

#classvalentines #toddlervalentine #valentinesforkids #valentinesdayideas #valentinescards #valentinescards #ltkfamily #ltkkids
Let's make heart-shaped quesadillas! These would b Let's make heart-shaped quesadillas! These would be fun for Valentine's Day dinner with your kids. 

In full transparency, I wanted to make quesadilla uncrustables, but bought the wrong kind of tortilla. If you want to make those definitely get flour tortillas not corn. 

These are easy to make though, just use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut your tortillas, then fill and grill on the stove! 

#easymealsforbusypeople #easyrecipesformoms #valentinesideas #valentinesdinner #recipereel #galentinesbrunch
Here's a hack to make your boots stand up tall in Here's a hack to make your boots stand up tall in your closet! Use a magazine! Roll it up and stick it inside for your boots to stand tall! 

After organizing all weekend, I didn't want to purchase ANYTHING else to organize. I wanted something cheap that I already had lying around.

I like the pool noodle hack but did not have time to go acquire a pool noodle in January.

Try the magazine hack and let me know how you like it? What's your favorite organizational hack?

#organizationhacks #closetmakeover #homehacks #closethacks #widecalfboots #organizationideas #homeorganizationtips
A little matching moment for your Monday! 🌸🌺 A little matching moment for your Monday! 🌸🌺

As a boy mom, I have to work a little harder for matching ensembles, but this little floral wrap dress and button down for spring are just too cute! 

Linking our outfits here: https://liketk.it/40B4p

#ltkfamily #shopltk #ltkunder50 #boymomclub #familymatchingoutfits #familymatching #ltkkids #boyclothes #oldnavybaby #oldnavykids #oldnavystyle #floralsforspring
I purchased the @thebeachwaver B1 over the holiday I purchased the @thebeachwaver B1 over the holidays and loved it so much I bought one for my sister. The rotating barrel makes getting ready so darn easy! 

Use my code HELENWAVE for 10% off!

#beachwaver #beachwaverpartner #hairstylingtutorial #hairstylingtips #hairstylereels #curlingirons #curlingiron #curltransformation #igotbeached
Today we're making garlic and herb pigs in a blank Today we're making garlic and herb pigs in a blanket for your super bowl party. 

-First, roll out crescent dough and slice each of the triangles into thirds. 
-Then spread a little boursin herb and garlic cheese onto each of the triangles. 
-Add a lil smokie and roll it up. 
-Bake for 12-15 minutes on 375. 
-Serve and enjoy!

Do you add anything extra to your pigs in a blanket? 

#superbowlsnacks #superbowlsnack #superbowlappetizers #easyappetizer #easyappetizers #easyrecipeideas #easyrecipesformoms #easyrecipesathome #recipereel
You've heard of a butter board, but have you seen You've heard of a butter board, but have you seen a peanut butter board? 

Today we are making one for Valentine's Day. 

-First take a board and spread peanut butter all over it. 
-Then top with chocolate chips, valentine's day sprinkles, bananas, nutella and strawberries. I cut mine to look like hearts. 
-Then serve with graham crackers, pretzels or fruit and enjoy! 

Are you doing anything fun for Valentine's Day or Galentine's Day? Have you tried the peanut butter board yet?

#valentinesdays #valentinesdaydessert #galentinesparty #butterboard #peanutbutterrecipe #peanutbutterdessert #recipereel #valentinesdayideas #easyrecipesformoms
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Blogging · October 4, 2019

Let’s Talk About Time Batching


Let me set the scene for you.

I took an Instagram poll a few weeks ago asking if you time batched. The results came in that 95% of people do not time batch. I was gobsmacked. I can’t get through my day without it. Time batching is the only way I can be productive and stay on task. So I did a follow up poll and asked if people were familiar with time batching. I waited too long to post this blog post so the poll results are gone off my Instagram now, but I remember it was also a humongous difference.

I knew I wanted to work on a time batching post where I really deep dive into the concept. I wanted to share all of my scheduling tips to keep on track and really maximize my productivity. So it’s been a few weeks, but I’m finally finishing that post!

So what is time batching?

Simply put, time batching is a productivity strategy that allows you to fully concentrate on similar tasks by doing them all at the same time.

Think about all the times you get distracted while you’re working. How long does it take you to get refocused after a distraction? By streamlining your routine with time batching, you eliminate potential distractions. Your brain will get into “we’re doing this now” mode and keep you focused on the task at hand.

I think it’s the easiest hack to be productive! I plan my entire day ahead of time and schedule what tasks I want to accomplish during the day in one big block. So let’s break it down. As a blogger, here are some typical tasks that come up for me weekly: emails, blog posts, photography, video filming, video editing, image editing, Pinterest, and other social media. Obviously there are administrative tasks and other aspects of running a business, but for this post we are going to focus on these things.

 

Here is a specific plan of how I break it out.

Emails: emails are always coming in so this ends up being a daily task. I put this block in the morning and try to breeze through it in an hour. If I have a break during the day, I might open my email back up and check it out but I try not to be a slave to my email. There are so many other things that need to be accomplished.

Planning: I’m not really a wing-it kind of girl. I’m casual in my blog, but I do have a strategy and a calendar of when I want posts to go live. I spend a block of time planning out the entire month of blog posts. They may not all get posted and, of course, things come up and shift but I do have a plan going into the month.

Write blog posts: A lot goes into a blog post. It may come off that it’s just a write and push publish situation, but there really is a lot that goes on behind the scenes. So I split this into several blocks. If I’m planning to publish three posts in one week, then I plan a big block of time to write and craft all three posts. I turn on Spotify, get a Diet Coke, and crank out the content portion of the blog post. This is purely writing, no photography, social media, or plugins.

Photography: I don’t know about you, but getting dressed is exhausting–especially when it’s still 95 degrees in Atlanta. So I like to get the tasks that require me to look human crossed off the list in one swoop. Since I have already planned which posts I want to go live and sometimes have already written them, I know what imagery I’m looking for in the post. So I plan a shot list and then go through the motions to get my images captured for all blog posts and Instagram.

Video: Similar to photography, I block my video content take care of all the filming while I look like a human being. I sometimes shoot two or three videos in one block.

Photo Editing: All of those photos need to be edited for the post. I also need Pins, thumbnail images, YouTube thumbnails, and Instagram images. I take a large chunk of time to go through the photos from the shoot and create the images I need.

Video Editing: Since I’ve filmed more than one video, I go ahead and edit more than one video. This makes uploading so much easier and having these checked off my list is always such a huge relief.

Pinterest: Pinterest requires a whole strategy and it takes a long time. I schedule one hour a week solely to schedule pins on Pinterest. For me, it usually falls on Tuesday and then I schedule through the following Tuesday.

Other Social Media: I have an editorial calendar for my social media as well. I go ahead and plan what posts I want to go live on each platform and schedule those out as well.

time batching

So how do I stay on task?

Here are a few strategies to stay on task.

Time yourself – I legitimately set timers all day based on the blocks I set for myself. If I say I’m going to do blog posts from 11-2, then at 2 I have an alarm go off. I have to be done by then because I will have another task ready to start at 2. This turns into a game for me to see if I can complete it by the time limit. Obviously, some things take more time and that’s ok to get a little off track, but it’s a good starting place to keep my focus.

Hide your phone – Put your phone in a different room, on a different floor, in your car. Every buzz of the email app, every text message ding, and every notification or Tweet will tempt you to pick it up and look at it. If your phone is an easy distraction, get it as far away from you as possible while you work.

Take a break – I do jam-pack my time, but I like to take mental breaks. Go for a quick walk, watch the show you recorded last week, get a cup of your favorite caffeine, go workout, just do something to give your brain a break. It helps with burnout and you just saying “screw it” to the rest of your afternoon and going to take a nap instead. Take a block of time to recharge.

I hope this helps with productivity! I was shocked that so many people were unfamiliar with time batching, so I really wanted to take the time to explain what it is, how I use it specifically, and some tips to make the most of the strategy.

Do you time batch? What are some of your favorite tips for productivity?

In: Blogging

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Comments

  1. roxyturtle says

    October 4, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    Oh wow! This post is such a godsend, I’d been thinking just two days ago that I want to try a different way to structure my blogging time but hadn’t found the right answer yet. And I think time batching might be it! Truth be told I kind of do this anyway but I’m not good about sticking to my given task and I think enforcing time limits would help a ton! Totally gonna try this. Pinned too.

    • Helen @ Hel On Heels says

      October 4, 2019 at 9:52 pm

      Thank you for sharing!! It totally changed my life and my business.

  2. Emily Bendler says

    October 4, 2019 at 9:33 pm

    I love batching. I use it for home stuff too like paying bills all at once or going through all the kids school papers at once or the mail.

    • Helen @ Hel On Heels says

      October 4, 2019 at 9:52 pm

      Yes! Me too. I use it for everything including chores and admin tasks! I’m so glad you love it!

  3. Indya | TheSmallAdventurer says

    October 5, 2019 at 6:51 am

    Whilst the actual activities change per day, I LOVE time batching. It has completely changed my rate of productivity for the better as I’m only focused on the one task I’m doing. It also helps get rid of worry about all the OTHER things I need to do, as I know I’ve already noted down a future block of time to do those things in! Everyone should give time batching a go.

  4. Irene Tjia | Club Coconutti says

    October 5, 2019 at 2:46 pm

    This post was SO helpful! It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all that needs to get done during a day, as there are so many things that come up. Thanks so much for sharing your approach to time batching, drew a lot of inspiration from it!

  5. Dara @ The Southern Thing says

    October 7, 2019 at 1:59 pm

    Time management is so important! These are some great tips!

Next Post >

September Favorites 2019

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Today we are making an EASY football snack for the Today we are making an EASY football snack for the Super Bowl that your kids will love. 

-First melt chocolate chips in a wide-rimmed bowl. 
-Then cut chocolate chip granola bars in half. 
-Dip each half in the melted chocolate and then place them in the fridge until the chocolate hardens. 
-Once they are ready, draw laces on top with white icing. 
-Serve and enjoy!

#superbowlsnack #superbowlsnacks #superbowldesserts #superbowlideas #superbowlparties #recipereel #easyrecipesformoms #easyrecipesforkids
Today we are making a cheesy pepperoni football fo Today we are making a cheesy pepperoni football for your super bowl party. 

-First roll out a can of pizza dough and cut into squares. I make 5 vertical cuts and 3 horizontal cuts to get 18 squares of dough. 
-Then cut 6 string cheese sticks into thirds and place a piece of cheese in the middle of each square. 
-Roll your dough into balls around the cheese. 
-Set these aside and repeat with another can of pizza dough and six more string cheese sticks. 
-Arrange your dough into a football on top of a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. 
-Then mix together melted butter, garlic powder and parsley flakes and brush on top of the football. 
-Top with pepperoni and make sure all of the dough is covered to really define the football shape. 
-Bake on 400 for 15 minutes. 
-While it's baking cut another cheesestick into two long pieces and three short ones. These will be your laces. 
-Once the football is done, arrange these on top and place back in the oven for another minute or two. Serve and enjoy!

#superbowlsnacks #superbowlappetizers #superbowlideas #superbowlfood #recipereel #easyappetizers #easyappetizer #footballfood #partyfoods #easyrecipesformoms
Making cute Valentines for my son's class. These l Making cute Valentines for my son's class. These little stickers say "I'm so glad we swim in the same school. Your friend, Benjamin."

I filled some cute little fish bags with goldfish and added the sticker to the front! 

What do your kids give their classmates Valentine's Day?

#classvalentines #toddlervalentine #valentinesforkids #valentinesdayideas #valentinescards #valentinescards #ltkfamily #ltkkids
Let's make heart-shaped quesadillas! These would b Let's make heart-shaped quesadillas! These would be fun for Valentine's Day dinner with your kids. 

In full transparency, I wanted to make quesadilla uncrustables, but bought the wrong kind of tortilla. If you want to make those definitely get flour tortillas not corn. 

These are easy to make though, just use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut your tortillas, then fill and grill on the stove! 

#easymealsforbusypeople #easyrecipesformoms #valentinesideas #valentinesdinner #recipereel #galentinesbrunch
Here's a hack to make your boots stand up tall in Here's a hack to make your boots stand up tall in your closet! Use a magazine! Roll it up and stick it inside for your boots to stand tall! 

After organizing all weekend, I didn't want to purchase ANYTHING else to organize. I wanted something cheap that I already had lying around.

I like the pool noodle hack but did not have time to go acquire a pool noodle in January.

Try the magazine hack and let me know how you like it? What's your favorite organizational hack?

#organizationhacks #closetmakeover #homehacks #closethacks #widecalfboots #organizationideas #homeorganizationtips
A little matching moment for your Monday! 🌸🌺 A little matching moment for your Monday! 🌸🌺

As a boy mom, I have to work a little harder for matching ensembles, but this little floral wrap dress and button down for spring are just too cute! 

Linking our outfits here: https://liketk.it/40B4p

#ltkfamily #shopltk #ltkunder50 #boymomclub #familymatchingoutfits #familymatching #ltkkids #boyclothes #oldnavybaby #oldnavykids #oldnavystyle #floralsforspring
I purchased the @thebeachwaver B1 over the holiday I purchased the @thebeachwaver B1 over the holidays and loved it so much I bought one for my sister. The rotating barrel makes getting ready so darn easy! 

Use my code HELENWAVE for 10% off!

#beachwaver #beachwaverpartner #hairstylingtutorial #hairstylingtips #hairstylereels #curlingirons #curlingiron #curltransformation #igotbeached
Today we're making garlic and herb pigs in a blank Today we're making garlic and herb pigs in a blanket for your super bowl party. 

-First, roll out crescent dough and slice each of the triangles into thirds. 
-Then spread a little boursin herb and garlic cheese onto each of the triangles. 
-Add a lil smokie and roll it up. 
-Bake for 12-15 minutes on 375. 
-Serve and enjoy!

Do you add anything extra to your pigs in a blanket? 

#superbowlsnacks #superbowlsnack #superbowlappetizers #easyappetizer #easyappetizers #easyrecipeideas #easyrecipesformoms #easyrecipesathome #recipereel
You've heard of a butter board, but have you seen You've heard of a butter board, but have you seen a peanut butter board? 

Today we are making one for Valentine's Day. 

-First take a board and spread peanut butter all over it. 
-Then top with chocolate chips, valentine's day sprinkles, bananas, nutella and strawberries. I cut mine to look like hearts. 
-Then serve with graham crackers, pretzels or fruit and enjoy! 

Are you doing anything fun for Valentine's Day or Galentine's Day? Have you tried the peanut butter board yet?

#valentinesdays #valentinesdaydessert #galentinesparty #butterboard #peanutbutterrecipe #peanutbutterdessert #recipereel #valentinesdayideas #easyrecipesformoms
Today we're making jalapeno cheese dip in a bread Today we're making jalapeno cheese dip in a bread bowl. This is a great party snack and would be awesome at an upcoming super bowl party. 

-First, cut the top off a round loaf of bread and remove the middle. 
-Cut all of the pieces removed into cubes and set aside. 
-Then take a jalapeno queso block and cut it into cubes. Place in a pan. 
-Then add two cans of drained green chiles and a splash of milk. 
-Heat over medium high heat on the stove stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Trust me nobody wants that cleanup. 
-Then immediately pour into your bread bowl and serve hot with the cubed bread pieces. Enjoy!

Easy, and tasty! Are you having or going to a Super Bowl party this year? What's on the menu?

#partysnacks #partysnack #easyappetizers #easyappetizer #cheesedip #recipereel #superbowlsnacks #superbowlfood

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