By Izzy Bunke, Creative Specialist at Big Fish Local

At Big Fish Local, my role as a Creative Specialist and Content Writer is more than just a job; it’s where creativity meets strategy. I work on everything from website design and content writing to blogs, branding elements, and digital assets, always with one goal in mind: creating work that resonates with real people and delivers real results.

I love what I do. I love learning. I love collaborating with our team. And I care deeply about the quality of the work we put in front of our clients.

But here’s something you might not expect:

I’m not naturally someone who loves change.

I like systems. I like routines. I like knowing what to expect.

Time management, though? That’s one area where I’ve learned to bend because when you work in digital marketing, flexibility and structure have to coexist.

And the way I manage my time directly impacts the quality, consistency, and timeliness of the work you receive.

So today, I want to pull back the curtain and share how I structure my weeks  and why that matters for you as a client.

Turning Pressure into a Plan

I’ll be honest: part of what drives me is the desire to avoid poor outcomes.

If I think something might fall behind…
If I think a deadline could slip…
If I think a client might feel out of the loop…

I feel it, it’s like a gut-punch of anxiety.

But anxiety doesn’t create more hours in the day.

So instead of letting stress run the show, I’ve built systems that turn that pressure into structure.

None of these strategies are revolutionary. Many are simple. But consistency is what makes them powerful.

My Monday Reset: Setting the Tone for the Week

Every Monday, I do three non-negotiable things.

1. I Review and Book My Entire Week

Before diving into creative work, I cross-check my schedule against ClickUp (our project management system).

New tasks get added daily. Timelines shift. Priorities change.

By reviewing everything at the start of the week, I can:

• Identify bottlenecks early
• Flag concerns before they become delays
• Reassign or adjust workloads proactively
• Set realistic expectations

This prevents reactive scrambling later in the week.

2. I Send Weekly Client Update Emails

Each active client receives a short Monday email from me:

• What I’m working on this week
• What they can expect to see
• Updated timelines if anything shifted

Sometimes you’ll receive a draft to review. Sometimes I’ll let you know that backend development is underway and when you’ll have something visual to “ooh and ahh” at.

These emails are intentionally simple and sometimes a little lighthearted. But they serve an important purpose:

They keep communication consistent and transparent.

No one likes wondering what’s happening with their project. Weekly updates remove that uncertainty.

3. I Check All Project Notifications

Things move quickly in digital marketing.

Checking new notifications at the beginning of the week ensures nothing urgent slips through the cracks. It also helps me reprioritize if needed before my week fills up.

This entire Monday process takes about 45 minutes, and it’s one of the most valuable 45 minutes of my week.

Because you can’t deliver on time if you don’t first plan your time.

What Keeps Me Productive During the Week

Now for the day-to-day systems that make the biggest difference.

1. I Remove Distractions Before They Remove My Focus

I use an app that blocks non-work apps on my phone during work hours.

Of course, we all know we shouldn’t scroll during the day, but temptation exists. Instead of relying on willpower, I remove the option.

Fewer distractions = more focused creative time.

And focused time is what produces high-quality work.

2. I’m Intentional About Background Noise

As someone who works creatively, I’ve learned something surprising:

Music with lyrics can derail my focus, especially if I know the songs well. My brain would rather sing along than design.

So when I need deep focus, I rotate between:

• Instrumental music
• Podcasts
• Audiobooks
• New music I don’t know yet

It sounds small, but productivity is often shaped by small environmental choices.

3. I Track My Time (And It’s About Focus, Not Hours)

Time tracking isn’t about hitting eight straight hours of productivity.

In fact, research shows that the average worker is truly productive for less than three hours in an eight-hour workday. Interruptions happen frequently, and it can take over 20 minutes to fully regain focus after one.

Studies on high-performing professionals show something interesting: many don’t work in eight-hour focus blocks. Instead, they work in shorter bursts, roughly 50 minutes, followed by 15–20 minute breaks.

Even Sweden experimented with six-hour workdays in healthcare settings, and employees reported improved energy, health, and productivity.

So instead of aiming for eight nonstop hours, I aim for six highly focused hours per day.

That means:

• Tracking time in ClickUp
• Taking intentional short breaks
• Resetting before burnout sets in

Time tracking also gives me valuable data.

For example:

• I know four blogs take about 30 minutes.
• Website content typically takes 2–4 hours.
• Switching from Adobe XD to Figma increased my design time per page by about 30 minutes.

Because I track my time, I can schedule accurately, which helps predict & protect your deadlines.

4. I Use a Written Daily Checklist

Each morning, I create a handwritten task list while reviewing emails and ClickUp.

This gives me:

• A quick reference without tab-switching
• A visual progress tracker
• A small psychological reward when I check something off

If something doesn’t get finished, it rolls over to the next day, and nothing disappears.

It’s simple, but effective.

5. I Pretend Everything Is Due One Day Early

This strategy has made the biggest difference.

I treat every deadline as if it’s due one business day earlier than it actually is.

Why?

Because we’re human.
Because we’re a small team.
Because unexpected revisions happen.
Because software updates happen.
Because life happens.

That one-day buffer creates breathing room.

If something runs slightly long, there’s time to adjust.
If something finishes early, there’s space for additional refinement.

It turns potential panic into flexibility.

Why This Matters to You

All of these systems exist for one reason:

To ensure that when your website launches, your content goes live, or your design is delivered, it’s thoughtful, polished, and on time.

Creativity thrives in structure.

The more organized I am behind the scenes, the more energy I can dedicate to producing work that truly represents your brand.

At Big Fish Local, we value creativity, growth, and initiative, and that’s exactly how I approach my work each week.

Because managing time well isn’t about perfection.

It’s about intention.
It’s about accountability.
And it’s about delivering results you can feel confident in.