My tried and true personal hacks.

Hi sweet friends,

I have been posting daily on medium. You can find that here.

I caught a bug a little under two weeks ago. The first few days were nothing I couldn’t handle, and by day four, I was a zombie. And the worst part? It kept getting worse. I started feeling better a few days ago, but not 100%. Mentally, I am so sick of being tired and so sick of being sick. I had about a five-day buffer on daily writing, but each night has struggled for the last six or so. I hated keeping this from you, but it never seemed like the right time to bring it up, and it hasn’t appeared to be contagious. For a solid week, it was an incredible pain in my face, similar to sinus pain. Now, it is mostly congested, but all the way up my ears. So if I start yelling, you’ll know why. Lol.

Today I want to share my tried and true personal hacks for life with you. ❤

3 Strikes You Are Out

This one is new and has worked so well lately. It is two birds and one stone, with the best built-in accountability. This is how I discipline and reward the kiddos. They each have a list of non-negotiable expectations each week. The repercussion of not performing is a strike. Any time their behavior leans towards unfavorable, I say, if you aren’t careful, you might get a strike, which works like a charm. The reward is breakfast (me and the kids) at Starbucks and/or Chick-fil-A on Friday morning. I say built-in accountability because it is a special time for us each week, and they never forget. I love how black and white this is. My three little kids are now 8, almost 10, and 13.

Pinning My Important Clients

I have so many ways to stay organized. Some work, and some don't. The problem is that when I get super busy (or sick), I don’t have time to sit down and look at these different platforms. The three areas I spend most of my time are my iPhone messages, my Gmail iPhone app, and my Google Calendar iPhone app.

I used to keep my family at the top of my iPhone, but I have found keeping the clients that require the most attention or the closest to go under contract at the top of my iPhone messages as an easy reminder of their names and an easy way to stay on top of constant communication. The problem is, I can only place 9. Another option is adding a “Contacts” widget to the first page of your app's home screen. You can put 4 people in a row and add 3 widgets for a total of 12 shortcuts. I have also been leaning toward Reminder or Note Widgets to keep things I can’t forget on top of my mind. (I am the kid who always writes her to-do list on top of her hand. Lol.)

Another way I keep my contacts organized using a color coding system. I put a client's whole name in the “first name” space, and then I follow it with a circle. A green circle means actively looking, a yellow circle means they aren’t right away, so they fall into the nuture category, then I have red for under contract, white for past clients, and blue for active sellers. Putting this in the first namespace shows me all the important pieces of importance when they call. Our brain works faster to comprehend symbols, which is one reason I use this method.

30–30–30 for Weight Loss

This is the best weight loss method I have ever tried. I do couple it with some other tactics, and those will follow. 30–30–30 is a method thanks to Tim Ferris. He wrote The Four-Hour Body. So, I eat 30 grams (or more) of protein within 30 minutes of waking up, followed by 30 minutes of walking. I also try to stay away from added sugar and gluten. The meals my body likes the most are heavy protein (fish, shrimp, scallops, eggs) with some vegetables. If I cook (aka preheating) for myself, I avoid the vegetables and sometimes add fruit just because I love it. I occasionally drink protein if I can only eat eggs because I have nothing prepped. My favorite protein drink is the chocolate one, which is 32 grams of protein and made by OWYN (Only What You Need).

I have been on and off gluten-free, and right now, I am having very little gluten (all home-cooked meals are gluten-free). I consider myself gluten-free, sugar-free, and caffeine-free, and I have finally kicked the 3 p.m. hurdles. I am feeling fantastic, minus being sick. This is super new to me and is the best decision. Lol. I often post my meals on my stories, especially home-cooked ones. You can find me at http://instagram.com/jordanschilleci.

Live Within Walking Distance of the Kids’ Schools

This is my favorite part of my day. I love walking my kids to school. I know not everyone can do this, but this is one of the finest luxuries in my life. It is the main reason why I can’t bring myself to move.

I take my notes in Gmail.

I have many fine CRMs with note-taking capabilities, but I love using my Gmail. I start an email to myself, and in the subject line, I place “Call Notes” along with the client’s full name. They never get lost, and they are dated. My assistant will transfer them to Follow Up Boss (FUB), but this is convenient since I already spend so much time in my Gmail. If I were to be more intentional and lean into my FUB platform and app, I could eliminate this, but it is a habit that runs deep.

I always carry a large refillable water bottle.

My current favorite water bottle is this one. It is easy to fill and easy to drink out of. I actually have the plastic one right now, but the lid top is called a chug cap. And after seeing the stainless steel one with shatter-proof glass, I want to get that one! They make a 36oz and 46oz. Mine is 34oz, but I would love to get the glass 36oz one. I highly recommend a chug cap versus the straw. Easier to get the water you need without working. Lol.

I carry a pill pack of iron and vitamin C with me at all times.

I recently found out I am anemic, and the only way to preserve my energy and defeat this, I have found, is by taking iron three times a day. Most people are deficient. By having them with me at all times and in my vehicles, I never have an excuse for missing a dose.

Cook large meals for dinner, and eat the leftovers for breakfast.

Cooking a healthy breakfast early in the morning has always proved complicated. I find it easy just to heat up the leftovers from the night before. They were so good, and I am craving them, so this is an easy fix. I have more time to prepare lunch, but I also like to make big lunches and eat the leftovers the next day. Leftovers are my best friend for staying healthy.

Keep books in places you sit.

I love to read, and I love to read more than one book at a time. By placing books around the house in common places where I might sit, or even one in my car, I always have something “better to do” than just scrolling on my phone. Examples can be the bathroom or kitchen.

Take a walk.

If you are bored, angry, frustrated, sad, or at a loss, go take a walk. Spending time out in the nature, with the sun beating down is one of my favorite things to do to fill my cup.

Daily Reoccuring To-Do List or Reminder

I have recurring reminders on my phone for what I promise myself to do daily. They are: