This is a collaborative post but all opinions are my own!
It's impossible to be productive every day. You may set out some tasks to do, but life changes and those things get pushed to the bottom of your to-do list. Sometimes, choosing a day to get everything done can help you to stay track. Life is always busy, so planning an admin day can help you manage your time and get stuff done. Here's how to plan a life admin day and some admin tasks you should add to your to-do list!
What Is A Life Admin Day?
There is a book called The Art of Life Admin by Elizabeth Emens. It talks about productivity and dealing with life admin. While I haven't read the book, I've heard mixed reviews about it, but I liked the concept. For me, a life admin day is where you create a list of all the things you need to do and see how much you can get done. It's a productivity method that I've found really helpful for getting things done. There are so many things that we all push aside, and a life admin day is a great way to address those things.
A life admin day is beneficial to those who like to get everything done at once. I tend to be busy during the week, so I plan a productive day to get everything in order. It's great for those who don't like giving up their weekends to do more work. I love getting blogging jobs done on a life admin day, but I'll also do more personal jobs. Personally, I feel motivated to do a life admin day because I spread them out. I will do the odd job throughout the week as life goes on, but my admin days are every so often, and it's when I really crack down and sort things out.
Should You Be Doing A Life Admin Day?
- Do you like to get everything done at once?
- Do you feel relieved when you have a clear week?
- Are you more productive when you do things in blocks?
- Can you spread your jobs throughout the week without putting them off?
- Do you have the time for a day of admin rather than little blocks?
- Will it help you accomplish more?
How To Plan A Life Admin Day
Personally, I like to do my life admin days during the week. I will book off a day from work as I get a lot done when everyone else is at work and school. It also means that all of the services I will need are open, so you don't have a time limit to call people and go to places. The first step to planning a life admin day is choosing when you'd like to do it. I aim for once every couple of months so that I'm keeping up to date with things. Once you've chosen your day, make sure you clear your calendar. You don't want any plans to come up other than your life admin tasks.
The next thing to do is write out all of your jobs. Just make a long list of everything you need to do. From getting birthday gifts to phoning your insurance, you can make your list as extensive as you need. You can categorise your list in whichever way you like. I like to group similar tasks together, especially if they're all done in the same place. You could arrange your list by things you need to do first or how difficult it will be to complete. If you're struggling with some ideas, I've written a whole range of life admin ideas below!
When you brainstorm ideas, you don't need to complete them all. It can put a lot of pressure on you if you're trying to get a year's worth of jobs done in a day. Try to get the highest priority ones out of the way, and then start on the ones you're feeling up for. Otherwise, you'll be unmotivated to finish your life admin day! I love writing a long list and seeing how much I can get highlighted. If you don't finish everything, you can move those jobs over to your next productive day!
Types Of Life Adminer
In the book, 4 key life admin types were noted. When I was younger, I loved doing the quizzes to find out what type of person you are. While it's interesting to see what kind of person you are, it doesn't mean you can't do a life admin day. The 4 types just reflect on the personality you may have. I'd love to hear what type of life admin doer you are!
Super Doer - The Super Doer gets it done. They probably have already completed their to-do list and started planning for the next life admin day. You don't have to ask them twice, and they'll do the job they need to do. They may also really enjoy admin and feel it as part of daily life. If you need something to get done or a recommendation, this is the person to go to.
Reluctant Doer - You know something needs to be done, so you put it off until it REALLY needs to be done. The Reluctant Doer understands what needs to be done but will do it when it's right for them. Some deadlines may be missed, and they are often behind on things, but it will get done...eventually.
Admin Avoider - The Admin Avoider leaves things and probably won't get round to doing it. There may be late fees, unread emails and a mound of washing on the back of the chair. Getting stuff done is just not their thing. Sometimes it's because they don't want to grow up and accept responsibility, but they can be unreliable. If you can do it for them, they'd be more than grateful.
Admin Denier - The denier usually has someone to take care of all admin for them. That way, they can get on with their free life. They don't see admin as an issue, as it gets done for them. A denier can be quite successful, but they usually haven't done much of the admin themselves.
Ideas To Add To Your Life Admin Day
A life admin day is personal to you. You can do as little or as much as you need to complete your to-do list. However, it's easy to forget about the little jobs that may need finishing. There are so many things you should keep up to date on. There are also one-off jobs that can just be done and dusted. Here are some life admin ideas that you need to add to your list!
Health & Wellbeing
- Book in pill appointments/replenish your prescriptions
- Schedule in a routine check-up or book your smear
- Replenish your medical cabinet with in-date medication, sun creams and a first aid kit
- Make sure your medical insurance is up to date
- Write your will and ensure those you love know what to do in case of an emergency
- Change your eating habits
- Take a first aid class, so one day you could save a life
- Sign up for a workout program to look after your physical health
- If you're willing to, give blood or plasma
- Book your dentist appointment
- Book your optical or hearing appointment
- Get all of your paperwork in order, in case you ever need it
- Schedule a hair cut to look after those split ends
- Book a nail appointment
- Start planning a healthier lifestyle
- Build a skincare routine to look after your biggest organ
- Clear out any old skincare and make-up
- Book an appointment to get those retainers fixed or get an aligner appointment
- Get your eyes booked and tested - you may even be able to claim on your workplace
- Test your hearing at a clinic
- Check in on someone you know who could be struggling mentally or physically
Money & Finance
- Write a will to protect your finances if anything happened to you
- Budget for your monthly expenses
- Scheduling restaurant staff for your business
- Start a savings account or sinking fund
- Create a plan to get out of debt
- Pay back anyone you owe a small amount to
- Check your bonds, shares and investments
- Ensure that all of your tax documents are inline
- Ask your boss for a raise!
- Start putting away for your pension
- Begin your credit building journey
- Phone your utilities to ask for better or cheaper rates
- Review your finances and move money around if need be
- Renew any insurances or policies you may have
- Cancel any unused subscriptions
- Get all of your paperwork filed
- Update your passwords and PINs for security
- Service your car and get it booked in for an MOT
- Start budgeting for Christmas or another event
Home & Lifestyle
- Send back any parcels you have lying around (return those ASOS orders!)
- Order that new thing that will kickstart your career or improve your life
- Schedule tweets and pins for your blog or business
- Start looking for quotes for that new project you're starting
- Send emails for things you've been meaning to ask
- Take a new course and learn something
- Deep clean your house
- Study for an upcoming exam
- Do some portfolio work
- Change your bedsheets and do some washing
- Put away any clutter on open surfaces
- Review your personal goals and set new ones
- Go through your emails and DMs
- Create a media kit for your blog/website/youtube
- Book off important days at work
- Renew your driving licence or passport
- Wash your makeup brushes
- Pitch some collaborations to brands
- Change the batteries in your smoke detector
- Unsubscribe from spam emails
- Get rid of any clutter you have, especially the bits you don't use
- Update your CV & apply to new jobs if necessary
- Write thank you cards after a celebration
- Back up your blog, school work or portfolio!
- Write birthday or Christmas cards in advance
Tips To Keep Motivated & Productive
Having a whole day for life admin can be stressful. There are reasons why we put these things off, but they need to get done at some point. I find that after lunch, things slow down, and you no longer want to finish your tasks. Here are some of the ways I like to stay motivated while I complete my to-do list:
- Block time for each activity - Block together the same jobs, and complete them all at once. For example, you could blog, schedule tweets and return comments all at once. Grouping activities also saves time, so you can get more out of your day and finish early!
- Break things down - When you write down your tasks, break each category into smaller, manageable steps. Instead of writing sort out taxes, give yourself a list of things like file paperwork, register for self-employed or look at finances.
- Create a pretty to-do list - I love lists. The night before your day, write out a few lists. The first list should be general jobs you need to do for the day, and the second could be breaking the first one into when you'll do each thing. Make it look nice, and give yourself the space to tick things!
- Reward yourself - For some, finishing a to-do list isn't the end goal. Set yourself little treats as you go to push you to continue. A life admin day can be exhausting, so maybe you treat yourself to chocolate and a face mask in the evening!
- Take a break - If you're not feeling a life admin day, you need to take a break. It's not good to force yourself to do everything. You'll get bored and want to put off everything further. Try to do what you can. Not everyone can remain focused for a whole day, so take a break when you need it.
A life admin day can be full-on, but I love ticking off everything on my to-do list. I find that booking off days that everyone else is still at work or school helps me get more done. I love the feeling of getting everything done and enjoying my weekends again. Maybe you don't like doing everything at once, and splitting up life admin across evenings is better for you? What things are you adding to your list? I'd love to hear how your life admin day goes and what things you're still putting off!
Hi there! I'm Emily, and welcome to my little corner of the internet. You can find me preaching sustainability, hustling hard or working on my endless to do list! Together, we can make a productive, happy lifestyle!