Episode 27. Empowered CEO Part 3: Get More Done with these 5 Productivity & Time Management Hacks
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We’re wrapping up our Empowered CEO Series with a must-listen episode on taking action in your creative business! If you’re looking for time management strategies, productivity tips, and ways to take intentional action in your calligraphy business, this episode is packed with real-life, practical strategies to help you stay consistent and scale your business like an Empowered CEO.
We share five productivity strategies to help you structure your workdays for maximum efficiency—without burnout. Whether you're running your calligraphy business full-time or balancing it as a side hustle, these tips will help you take intentional, strategic action to move your business forward.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Develop a Weekly Plan: How to break down long-term goals into daily actions to stay on track.
Time Blocking for Success: The best way to structure your day so you’re focusing on high-impact tasks.
Batching Your Work: How to maximize productivity by grouping similar tasks together.
Setting Boundaries to Protect Your Time & Energy: Why having clear business boundaries helps you work smarter, not harder.
Hosting a CEO Day: The importance of setting aside time to reflect, strategize, and make data-driven decisions.
These productivity hacks for creative entrepreneurs will help you stay consistent and take action in your calligraphy business—without feeling overwhelmed. If you’re ready to work on your business instead of just in it, grab a notebook (and your favorite latte) and tune in!
🔗 Links to resources mentioned in this episode:
Transform your business with Shaochen's 1:1 Mentoring Program (or DM the word "PARTNER" to @monstera.gold to learn more!)
Join the waitlist for Alane's Group Coaching Program, Flourish in Biz (or DM the word "FLOURISH" to @writeprettyforme to learn more!)
Check out the Full Focus Planner (Alane's favorite!)
Check out the Golden Coil Planner (Shaochen's go-to!)
Hey friend! We're Shaochen and Alane, full-time wedding calligraphers and business mentors who built our dream businesses from scratch. On the Calligraphy Biz Corner podcast, we spill the ink on how you can too! Together, we'll uncover the business that compliments the life YOU desire, and we'll leave the overwhelm and imposter syndrome behind. Whether you're a wedding calligrapher, a live event artist or a creative entrepreneur, there's something here for you! Join us for biweekly business chats, where we guide you through the maze of running a creative business, complete with real-life strategy and mindset magic.
How to Take Action in Your Creative Business: Productivity Tips for Calligraphy Entrepreneurs
Taking action in business is what separates successful entrepreneurs from those who stay stuck in planning mode. In the latest episode of Calligraphy Biz Corner, hosts Alane and Shaochen dive into the daily habits of successful entrepreneurs and share productivity tips for creative entrepreneurs—specifically for calligraphers looking to grow their businesses. This episode, the final part of their Empowered CEO series, focuses on how to stay consistent in business, manage time effectively, and implement real strategies that lead to growth. Whether you're working on your calligraphy business full-time or just a few hours a week, these productivity hacks for calligraphy business owners will help you structure your workdays for efficiency—without burning out.
1. Develop a Weekly Plan to Stay on Track
A major challenge for creative entrepreneurs is balancing daily tasks with long-term business goals. That’s why weekly planning is a crucial habit for staying focused and productive. Alane and Shaochen emphasize that without a clear plan, it’s easy to get lost in busy work rather than making progress on meaningful goals.
To take action as an entrepreneur, start by:
Reviewing your quarterly and monthly goals to determine what needs to be done each week.
Setting top priorities at the beginning of the week (Sundays or Mondays work well).
Using a planner—whether a paper planner or a digital tool like Google Calendar, ClickUp, or Notion—to map out action steps.
By planning ahead, you avoid spending time each day figuring out what to work on, making it easier to stay consistent in business and make real progress.
2. Master Time Management with Time Blocking
Time management for creative business owners can be tricky, especially when juggling client work, marketing, and admin tasks. The key is time blocking.
Shaochen explains that when you time block, you:
Assign specific tasks to set time periods in your day.
Avoid decision fatigue by knowing exactly what to work on and when.
Track how long tasks actually take, allowing for better future planning.
One of the best productivity hacks for calligraphy business owners is the Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand method:
Big Rocks = High-priority tasks that move your business forward (working on client projects, updating your website).
Pebbles = Medium-priority tasks (responding to emails, following up with leads).
Sand = Small, less urgent tasks (checking social media).
By scheduling your big rocks first, you ensure your most important work gets done before smaller tasks take over.
3. Batch Similar Tasks for Maximum Efficiency
Another powerful productivity tip for creative entrepreneurs is batching your work. Instead of jumping between different types of tasks, batch similar ones together for better focus.
Examples include:
Dedicating specific days to client work, admin, and marketing (Mondays for emails, Tuesdays for design work).
Grouping similar projects, like engraving multiple mirror signs on the same day, to minimize setup time.
Setting aside one block of time for all social media content creation instead of posting daily.
When you reduce context switching, you work more efficiently and get more done in less time.
4. Set Boundaries to Protect Your Time
Entrepreneurs often feel pressure to be available 24/7, but the most successful ones set firm boundaries to protect their time and energy.
Alane and Shaochen share their top boundary-setting strategies, including:
Turning off work email notifications to avoid anxiety and distractions.
Using auto-responders to set clear expectations for response times.
Blocking off "no-meeting" days to focus on deep work.
If you don’t set boundaries, your schedule will quickly be taken over by other people’s priorities. Protecting your time allows you to focus on the work that truly matters.
5. Host a CEO Day for Strategy and Planning
One of the best ways to take action in your creative business is to step back and focus on big-picture strategy. This is where CEO Days come in.
A CEO Day is a scheduled time, either monthly or quarterly, to:
Review business goals and track progress.
Plan upcoming projects and set priorities.
Brainstorm new offerings or marketing strategies.
By dedicating intentional time for strategy, creative entrepreneurs can ensure they are making progress on their long-term vision—not just getting stuck in day-to-day tasks.
Final Takeaways: Work Smarter, Not Harder
To build a successful calligraphy business, you don’t need to work more—you need to work smarter. Here is a recap of the five strategies shared in this episode:
Develop a Weekly Plan to align daily tasks with long-term goals.
Use Time Blocking to stay on track and prioritize important work.
Batch Your Work to minimize distractions and maximize efficiency.
Set Boundaries to protect your time and focus.
Host CEO Days to plan strategically and grow your business with intention.
By implementing these daily habits of successful entrepreneurs, calligraphers can build a business that runs efficiently, avoids burnout, and consistently moves forward.
Want more actionable business tips? Listen to the full episode of Calligraphy Biz Corner and get the step-by-step strategies for growing your creative business.
And if you haven't tuned into Part 1 or Part 2 of this series yet, you can do so here!
