Now that my kids have been back in school for a while, I am settling into my schedule, trying to use my time as wisely as I can and be as productive as possible.
As a task-oriented person, I have a slight productivity advantage over personalities like my husband’s. He tends toward, “I’ll get done whatever I get done, and no more or less. No expectations. We’ll see what happens.” That’s too ambiguous for me.
There are, of course, advantages that his personality has over mine (I’m reminded of this any time I try to take a day off or we go on vacation), so I don’t want you to hear that one personality is better than the other; that’s not what I’m saying at all.
I do, however, want to share some of my favorite productivity hacks, in hopes that some of them might be helpful to you.
1. Try a schedule.
I know some people cringe at being locked into a schedule. For some it can seem like a prison of sorts. I have to write every day from 10 to 11:30 a.m.? What if something comes up? What if I don’t feel like it? What if…?
I won’t say that this schedule won’t be interrupted now and then. If a teacher calls because my kid has a fever, I obviously have to go pick him up. But having that dedicated time to write, every day, helps when I’m making yearly doctor checkups and scheduling meetings with friends; I schedule around it. It is sacred writing time.
Beyond that, scheduling my days helps me make the most of my time. I schedule workout time, writing time, break time, yoga and stretching time, short walks through the wilderness time. You can even schedule social media time if you so desire. Knowing where your hours go is helpful when you’re trying to accomplish big things with a very tight schedule.
2. Know what you’re going to work on before you sit down (or stand up) to work.
Before I put away my week’s work for the weekend, I always look ahead to the next week and plan. I figure out the projects that will take precedence (I work on multiple projects at a time, which helps me do my best work—but also doesn’t work for everyone). I assign one project to each writing session (I have three sessions during the school year and two during the summer). I plan my business tasks. Then I put my work away and wait until next week to pick it up again.
Planning before my work time begins helps me save time trying to decide, in the moment, what I want to work on. It reinforces the habit and discipline of sticking with a project to the finish. And it means when I have dedicated writing time, during which I’m making lots of decisions for my plot and characters and words, I don’t have to preface all that work with a decision about which project I should pick up—which can often feel intimidating and hinder our starting in the first place.
3. Take breaks and get enough sleep.
It might seem strange to include this suggestion in a piece about productivity. Shouldn’t you want to use all your hours to create? Wouldn’t that be the ultimate productivity win?
No! Contrary to the American way, our productivity is directly tied to how rested and invigorated our mind is. When we burn the candle at both ends (even during a regular eight-hour work day), we risk burnout. It’s practically impossible to create effectively with a brain and mind and body that’s burned out and exhausted.
Schedule regular breaks. Take a quick walk. Meditate. Play a game of Wall Ball with your kids. Sit down at the piano and play for five minutes. Get a snack. Stepping away from your desk for even a few minutes can help reinvigorate you so you’re ready to work smart.
These are not all of my productivity hacks, but I hope they help you in a small way (or a very big way!) this month.
Happy creating!
