Another week just slipped by… didn’t even think about my blog until Thursday. But I did read an interesting “productivity” blog at the beginning of the week that had something to do with it. It started me thinking about my priorities (and unfinished projects!) and I’d like to share the ideas in it that struck a chord for me…
What was I up to this week?
First, let me you what I did do this week. I have two projects I’ve been working on for a while that are close to completion but, for some reason, I’ve been letting sit unfinished. It reminds me of the first sweater I knit – all the pieces were done but I didn’t know how to sew it together… so it sat in a bag for 2 years! My mom didn’t knit so I really didn’t have anyone to ask how it was done. Then one day, I saw a "how to" article, explaining how to sew knitting together with a backstitch, and I finally finished it off. I think I was 11 or 12 when I started and was lucky it still fit by the time it was finished!
One currently unfinished project of mine is a collection of some popular blogs I’ve written, edited together into a book on wellness. Like my sweater, it’s been almost finished for quite a while. My main stumbling block is an interesting title… somehow, words like “wellness” and “staying healthy” just sound boring. I brought up my problem on a video chat last weekend with my kids, and one suggested “The Pharmacist is IN” as a title. I liked that... much more interesting. And the title fits because answering questions was such a big part of what I did as a pharmacist for 40 years. Of course, it would need a subtitle that talks about the contents, like “Answering your questions about health news, research and ideas” or something along that line. It was a definite improvement on my working title (“Staying Well”) so I sat down and edited the chapter titles into questions this week. But what do you think? Let me know if you have an idea that might improve the subtitle!
My second project that’s almost finished is the audio version of my hormone book, Can I Speak to the Hormone Lady? mentioned in an earlier blog. It’s finished except to do a final listen through, beginning to end, and then I need to figure out how to upload it to an audio book distributor… another thing to learn how to do. And that’s always a reason for me to put off a task! Plus, the cover needs to be changed to a square format so I nudged my cover designer (my daughter who has a degree in design!) to do that for me, and got a first draft yesterday. Moving along with it again…
Back to the article...
The productivity article I mentioned at the beginning of this blog is about prioritizing what is important to you and choosing to spend your time on these things. It’s also about minimizing or getting rid of some common time-wasters we all have, so we can get these important things finished!
So, here’s a summary of recommendations from the article that resonated with me and got me going on my projects again:
Be intentional – consciously decide what is most important to you and spend time on these things.
Create deadlines, even if they’re artificial ones just for yourself. This helps you focus on the things you really want to do and helps make sure they get done in a timely manner.
Focus on the process rather than the final outcome you want to accomplish. Achieving small steps is do-able, less intimidating and helps you get there in an organized way without becoming overwhelmed.
Chase the small moments, the small actions taken daily. Small actions and creating good habits can change your life and help you achieve your bigger goals, if you plan and choose actions that keep you heading in the right direction.
Don’t sit for phone calls – walk, do a chore, etc. This adds exercise and improves your health and ability to focus, plus you can get 2 things done at once! My daughter often does this, for example, folding laundry while chatting with me on a video call. (“Why am I looking at the ceiling fan on this video call???” 😊 ). She also “reads” audiobooks for the same reason – my inspiration for creating an audiobook!
Don’t work long hours. The quality of your work and how much you accomplish diminishes when you're overtired. Rest to refresh or do a mundane task that doesn’t require brainpower to take a break.
Don’t automatically say “yes” to every request. Consider whether the activity contributes to your overall life goals.
Reduce the number of decisions you need to make for mundane activities – what to wear? What to eat? Save your energy for bigger things by streamlining the everyday decisions. For example, plan the week’s menu and line up work outfits for the week on weekends.
Keep your email inbox clean. Delete emails once they're read, archive ones you might need in the future. (I’m really bad at this… but at least I "search" certain notifications, like my daily Duolingo reminders and various health newsletters, and delete them all every so often)
Consider using an organization system, even if it’s just the calendar on your phone - my choice, being a former Palm Pilot user. I loved how it would wake me up in the morning and tell me where I was working, back in my relief pharmacist days. But there are plenty of different ones available – complex and sharable with co-workers and/or family, or as simple as a wall calendar (my hubby’s favourite!)
Lastly, avoid drama and negativity. Anger and productivity don’t mix, and chaos is anti-motivating. Stay positive and stay focused on what’s important to you!
So, are you as inspired as I was? Here’s the original article if you’d like to read more:
14 Things My Highly Productive Friends Have Given Up – Tim Dennings, Australian blogger
And please let me know what you think of my proposed book title… The Pharmacist is IN… Answering your questions about health news, research and ideas. I’d love to hear what you think!
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