Watch the original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIyYUuGZJtQ

Creating Your Ideal Week: A Strategy for Success

Welcome to another episode of the STR Sisterhood, where Stacy St. John engages in a truly enlightening discussion with Melissa Monsalooi about designing your ideal week. This might sound like an unconventional topic, but as business owners, it is crucial to dedicate our time not only to the most strategic work but also to the fulfilling activities we cherish in life. In this session, Melissa shares invaluable insights into how she structures her week for maximum productivity and satisfaction.

Melissa’s Journey into Short-Term Rentals

Melissa Monsalooi embarked on her journey into short-term rentals in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the global challenges, Melissa decided to pursue her passion for beach properties, and today, along with her husband, she owns four short-term rental properties, with a fifth one in progress. Located in both Orange Beach, Alabama, and Kentucky, these properties serve not only as a business venture but also as a strategy for future financial stability in retirement. Melissa’s path underscores the importance of balancing her roles as a mother, wife, and businesswoman—a balance made easier by planning her ideal week.

Understanding the Ideal Week Concept

Developing an "ideal week" revolves around the idea of systematizing and setting boundaries. Melissa emphasizes the dynamic nature of life, illustrating how her ideal week adapts over time with the changing seasons of her family’s life. For her, the concept started with the realization that juggling responsibilities as a mother of four necessitated planning and prioritizing. This includes non-negotiables like family schedules, workouts, and personal time, all seamlessly integrated before tackling business tasks.

Tactics for Planning Your Ideal Week

Melissa offers actionable strategies for planning your ideal week, beginning with a five-year vision, which is then broken down into one-year goals, quarterly schedules, and daily tasks. She stresses the importance of committing to these goals and crafting weekly plans each Sunday to prepare for the specifics of the upcoming week. Melissa’s method prioritizes crucial, non-negotiable activities first, followed by aligning business tasks to support her goals, even when adjustments are needed due to unexpected circumstances.

Navigating Unexpected Changes

Melissa recounts a personal experience where a family medical emergency required her to re-prioritize her plans. This underscores a crucial aspect of planning: allowing for flexibility and giving oneself grace when plans need to shift. Her example highlights the importance of maintaining a balance between family priorities and business commitments.

Tools and Techniques for Efficiency

In discussing her approach, Melissa reveals her affinity for using a daily planner alongside digital calendars to track appointments and efficiently manage time. This dual system helps her maintain organized meal plans, ensuring less stress during hectic times. Her dedication to pre-planning meals, often with tools like crockpots or meal prep services, showcases her comprehensive approach to managing her household and business efficiently.

Embracing Imperfection and Progress

For those who may not possess natural planning prowess, Melissa encourages embracing progress over perfection. She stresses that while not every week may be fully planned, having a system or even a loose framework can greatly reduce stress and enhance productivity. This mindset supports achieving long-term goals incrementally and realistically.

Conclusion

Stacy and Melissa’s conversation is a vivid reminder of the power in planning and structuring our weeks to align with our personal and business aspirations. By prioritizing non-negotiables, embracing flexibility, and acknowledging the continuous evolution of our goals, we make room for both professional success and personal fulfillment. For a deeper dive into the conversation, watch the full video above.