Creative Ways to Make A Productive Day Fun!
We’ve all had days when we dread waking up knowing there’s a mountain of work waiting for us and seemingly endless emails to address only to find at the end of a long day we’ve only ticked off a couple tasks on our to-do list. Those days feel draining and disheartening to say the least.
Productivity in its most basic terms is output measured by input. However, not all projects are measured in the same way. If you’re working on high volume projects like retouching hundreds of images or illustrating many images for a book you are measuring your productivity solely by volume of output.
Oftentimes people can be productive but still lack effective time management. This is not sustainable as it leads to long hours and eventual burn out. Your brain, like any muscle, requires rest and it will find ways to obtain that through impaired creativity and problem solving skills, slowed reaction times, memory recall difficulties or finding distractions like doom scrolling social media.
Here are some tips and techniques to help you stay on task and get more work done without the burn out. You don’t need to utilize all of them, everyone is on their own journey so choose your own adventure and select some of these techniques that speak to you. Starting your day on the right foot.
Meditation
Taking the time to meditate regularly before a long workday gives your brain the support it needs to fight a long work battle. Even setting aside less than 5 minutes before you crack open your computer has been proven to boost creativity, and productivity, reduce stress and be more mindful and focused on the tasks at hand. I’m a lifelong supporter of the Headspace app.
Resources: I’m a lifelong supporter of the Headspace app. Many healthcare providers are offering this service for free or at discounted rates.
Insight Timer is another excellent free resource.
SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-based
This is often done only once every quarter or even yearly. If you’re running a business and feel like you’re lost in the loop of tiny details or small tasks you may be subconsciously drifting further from your ultimate goals. A good example, when i was starting out in illustration I knew I wanted to work in editorial illustration so the specific SMART goal I created was to attain 2 new editorial clients by the end of the year.
From there I created smaller, digestible tasks to complete each day that directed my path towards that goal. Either finding clients I could work with, making a cohesive portfolio that already looked like I was working in that field and creating websites, social media and marketing materials to send to prospective clients. Prioritize your to-do list: Figure out what can be done TODAY that inches you closer to your ultimate goal.
Start with the hardest task: Oftentimes we like to sabotage ourselves by avoiding the work that is hardest because its typically the scariest one. But by forcing yourself to tackle that one first when your brain is fresh feels empowering and you’ll be less likely to procrastinate. Leaving the least mentally taxing work at the end of the day.
Time Blocking
If you’re someone who’s constantly bombarded with notifications, emails, meetings, another helpful tip is to schedule out your day. Allow yourself only 30 minutes or an hour to address what’s critical. This is your admin time and cut yourself off. Set a work block that allows uninterrupted work time to get those scary tasks off your plate. An ideal time is 2 hours. If possible, find a time in your day when you know you don’t have meetings scheduled and even set yourself as ‘away’ on Slack so you allow your brain to get into a flow state. Here are some ways to keep your brain in a flow state.
Pomodoro Method:
Named after the classic tomato-shaped kitchen timers. This method is built to improve time management and force your brain to take a rest through a series of timers. It typically starts with 25 minutes of work followed by a 5 minute break which makes up one work block. This work block is repeated 4 times followed by a longer, 15-30 break. Check out Pomodoro, Be Focused (for app users), and Toggl Track. If you already use Toggl to track work spent for each client, a Pomodoro is built in.
5 Minute Rule
If procrastination is a big struggle for you, allow yourself only five minutes of distraction before returning to work.
Take a Walk:
Physically removing yourself from your desk or workspace is crucial to avoid burn
out. Getting outside and moving your body can also promote creativity and give your brain space it needs to reset and better problem solve.
Delegate:
If you work in a team setting this can be crucial to your business. Offloading work to
people best suited for the task based on their skills and strengths gives you mental clarity and time to keep the train moving and addressing high-priority work that aligns with your ultimate goals.
Identify when you’re most productive: Even if you’re tied to a 9-5 job, identifying when you’re most productive and arranging around that can improve the flow of your day. Read more about the power of delegating in our blog post.
The Hustle Period:
If you’re building your own business there can feel like there’s no end to your workload and no time off. If this is a crucial time for you to pull long hours make it a priority to set an official end date to the hustle. This will keep you motivated knowing there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Put on Some Tunes:
Music increases your brain’s dopamine levels, effectively improving your mood. Classical specifically has been proven to enhance brain activity, this is called ‘The Mozart Effect’. If you’re not into classical, you can also listen to some familiar favorites as it doesn’t pull your concentration.
If you’re avoiding singing, try some low-fi beats as they reduce stress and promote focus. Additionally investing in some decent noise-canceling headphones has been a game changer for me. I’ll gently communicate to my partner, headphones are going on, meaning I’m in my flow state and can’t be distracted. Especially after COVID many of us work from home with our families close by blurring the lines between work and relaxation.
Resources: Spotify Lo-fi beats playlist, SkullCandy Noise Cancelling Headphones.
Get Creative!
There are many different modes and methods to organize the madness so start small and select a few that feel appropriate for you. When in doubt, get creative, maybe through a tiny dance party for 5 minutes to shake out the anxiety. Be patient with yourself and always allow time for rest, your brain will repay you. The irony is as the same day I wrote this blog, I ignored all of these tips resulting in a migraine that brought my day to a screeching halt.
I thought, “I’ll get through everything on my list” but in the process, I didn’t drink enough water, eat nearly enough food and took absolutely 0 breaks but tomorrow is a new day and I’ll be sure to take my own advice!
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