Carve your own path based on science and psychology for maximum effectiveness.

My routine:

• Meditate.
• Watch a half hour or an hour or so of world class fencing while eating breakfast and having coffee.
• Play with Carter.
• Work out.
• Shower
• Check emails, check financials, check projects-in-progress, follow up on invoices.
• Break.
• Meetings, trainings and writing.
• Lunch.
• Teaching, advising, composing, etc.
• Break.
• Read something in my field by an expert I want to work with. Contact them.
• Breathing exercises to end the work day.
• Fencing or yoga or stretching or a walk through Belle Isle or some such to punctuate the end of the work day.
• Practice.
• Family and or friend gatherings, concerts or music stuff, library or chess stuff.
• Play with Carter.
• Sleep.

That's the basic structure of my movement about the earth right now.

This schedule is perfect for me. It took years to figure out when I learn best (hence the classes in the morning), how to motivate myself (hence the Olympic level fencing videos), how to best stay connected to people I love and who love me (intentionally making time on the calendar to see them when folks get home), how best to stay in shape (work out right after watching world class fencing to capitalize on the adrenaline already present), and so on.

Here's the thing: This works for me and only me. This schedule is ridiculous for anyone else who does not live my life. It's ok if you had thoughts about this.

On top of this, this whole schedule will change when the weather breaks, when I finish this phase in the renovations, when my calendar begins to fill up more with performances, and so on. This isn't static or written in stone.

Here's the other thing: When I'm training teachers, there's so much time spent convincing teachers that there is no model to follow for scheduling your flow of work. There are basic components that need to be present like rest, time to reflect, physical activity, time to plan and so on, and I teach those very well.

But who said that everyone's best planning time is in the morning? What if your best creative time is at 10 pm?

So check your own rhythm. Be honest about what makes you tick. Can you set up your life gradually and incrementally so that you it benefits you?

Why is this so important?

Because sometimes the issues that a studio leader has boils down to their routine. If they scheduled their lives in a way that was authentic to them instead of trying to impress others, they'd make so.much.more.money. It's so bonkers how a small shift can yield such tremendous rewards.

Why does this happen?

Because the care you put into working with your natural flow shows up in the studio. Students most definitely comment and note those teachers who seem to go with the flow and are also rigorous in their instruction. Those are the ones students gravitate toward.

That sentiment shows up in your enrollment numbers, in teacher satisfaction, in teacher retention numbers, and in overall satisfaction. I've seen it with my own eyes.

We teach this.