Efficiency vs Productivity for Creatives During a Pandemic
♥
By: Meredith San Diego
Art is a form of creative self-expression, one of evolving renewal and nurturing.
Whether you’re a jewelry maker, writer, painter, or fitness guru– when you pour yourself (and your pocketbook) into a project you are passionate about, you most certainly hinder an attachment to the result.
But cut to being on lockdown for weeks or months at a time during a global pandemic when most of us haven’t been able to get outdoors for inspiration or mental revitalization. Coupled with increased access to social media platforms, and the melodramatic house drape for a variety of anxiety-infested mini-sagas is drawn.
I have found that the pendulum for creatives on lockdown swings wide with some individuals flourishing in the leisurement while others fall headfirst into creative paralysis. Which of these scenarios sound most like your current creative footing?
Are you feeling the too familiar tug of comparison to others demonstrating an apparent (and impressive) ability to cope and stay creative in this madness? Struggling to feel as productive as you hoped or thought you would be during this novel pandemic?
Fear not– there is another option! From my creative sparks to help jump start yours.
Let’s shift our mentality and focus on efficiency versus productivity in just three easy-to-follow tips for creatives.
Getting Organized
Organization is synonymous with my existence in life. However, I understand organization may not come as natural to others. But please hear me when I say, organization is number one foundation for all matters of efficiency.
A realistic to do list is exactly how getting organized can help you accomplish more of what you set out to do.
Start by recognizing how you spend your time and what you spend your time on. Consider how much more you could accomplish if you focused only on predetermined specific tasks each day. A realistic to do list is exactly how getting organized can help you accomplish more of what you set out to do.
Pick two hours and schedule them consecutively anywhere throughout your day. I recommend scheduling your two hours in a time slot you find yourself naturally productive. Are you a night owl? Early bird? This can also be a reflection of the tasks themselves. For example, if adapting a regular self-care routine to increase creative fluidity is your aim, perhaps blocking those two hours at the beginning or the end of the day would work best.
Now that your efficiency time block is scheduled, lets figure out which tasks to tackle with that time.
Making Lists
Making lists can often feel like more of a chore than a helpful tool. Just like any new habit though– practice makes perfect. In regards to getting organized, the same applies to list making. Creating a list can aid in reducing stress by helping you navigate your day more smoothly, in turn helping to improve your time-management skills.
Seek inspiration in the successes of other creatives around you.
Try doing a brain dump of all the tasks you would like to accomplish on one large note, then break down the list into categories. These categories can be as vague (personal, professional, spiritual) or specific (supplies, travel, networking) as you’d like. Regardless of the task order, remember to:
- Avoid including obvious elements of your day, such as showering or eating, etc.
- Prioritize the list by level of importance or deadline
- Leave time for flexibility of unexpected delays or distractions
Struggling to create a list at all? Seek inspiration in the successes of other creatives around you. Make a list of the elements of their success that you would like to emulate and creative ways that you can individualize it to meet your creative needs.
You’ve got yourself organized and are now armed with a list or two (or three), but what if you just do not feel like tackling your list or better yet, a midday nap sounds more appealing?
Well let’s get after some of those hiccups!
Managing Procrastination
The best (and easiest) strategy for managing procrastination is to accept the inevitability of it. Even being “stuck” inside at home during quarantine, unexpected distractions are just part of life. For this reason, ensure to make a conscious effort to monitor (or change) your internal dialogue. Hold yourself accountable, but be forgiving of yourself as well.
Commit to your willingness to be more efficient. Manage procrastination by breaking down your list even further. If you are the go-getter type, start right at the top of your list and work your way down. Going after the largest items first will most certainly help you double down on your productivity. If that feels intimidating, try tackling smaller tasks first. By checking them off of the list as you go, you provide a tangible means of measuring your progress, increasing your overall feelings of efficiency.
Improve your time management by getting organized and focus your intentions on arriving at the end result, one completed task at a time. When you’ve completed one list, create a new one and implement it.
Following these tips will certainly increase your efficiency. Don’t allow this life-disrupting pandemic to stifle your creativity. Be a light in the darkness and shine!
Efficiency vs Productivity for Creatives During a Pandemic
♥
By: Meredith San Diego
Art is a form of creative self-expression, one of evolving renewal and nurturing.
Whether you’re a jewelry maker, writer, painter, or fitness guru– when you pour yourself (and your pocketbook) into a project you are passionate about, you most certainly hinder an attachment to the result.
But cut to being on lockdown for weeks or months at a time during a global pandemic when most of us haven’t been able to get outdoors for inspiration or mental revitalization. Coupled with increased access to social media platforms, and the melodramatic house drape for a variety of anxiety-infested mini-sagas is drawn.
I have found that the pendulum for creatives on lockdown swings wide with some individuals flourishing in the leisurement while others fall headfirst into creative paralysis. Which of these scenarios sound most like your current creative footing?
Are you feeling the too familiar tug of comparison to others demonstrating an apparent (and impressive) ability to cope and stay creative in this madness? Struggling to feel as productive as you hoped or thought you would be during this novel pandemic?
Fear not– there is another option! From my creative sparks to help jump start yours.
Let’s shift our mentality and focus on efficiency versus productivity in just three easy-to-follow tips for creatives.
Getting Organized
Organization is synonymous with my existence in life. However, I understand organization may not come as natural to others. But please hear me when I say, organization is number one foundation for all matters of efficiency.
A realistic to do list is exactly how getting organized can help you accomplish more of what you set out to do.
Start by recognizing how you spend your time and what you spend your time on. Consider how much more you could accomplish if you focused only on predetermined specific tasks each day. A realistic to do list is exactly how getting organized can help you accomplish more of what you set out to do.
Pick two hours and schedule them consecutively anywhere throughout your day. I recommend scheduling your two hours in a time slot you find yourself naturally productive. Are you a night owl? Early bird? This can also be a reflection of the tasks themselves. For example, if adapting a regular self-care routine to increase creative fluidity is your aim, perhaps blocking those two hours at the beginning or the end of the day would work best.
Now that your efficiency time block is scheduled, lets figure out which tasks to tackle with that time.
Making Lists
Making lists can often feel like more of a chore than a helpful tool. Just like any new habit though– practice makes perfect. In regards to getting organized, the same applies to list making. Creating a list can aid in reducing stress by helping you navigate your day more smoothly, in turn helping to improve your time-management skills.
Seek inspiration in the successes of other creatives around you.
Try doing a brain dump of all the tasks you would like to accomplish on one large note, then break down the list into categories. These categories can be as vague (personal, professional, spiritual) or specific (supplies, travel, networking) as you’d like. Regardless of the task order, remember to:
- Avoid including obvious elements of your day, such as showering or eating, etc.
- Prioritize the list by level of importance or deadline
- Leave time for flexibility of unexpected delays or distractions
Struggling to create a list at all? Seek inspiration in the successes of other creatives around you. Make a list of the elements of their success that you would like to emulate and creative ways that you can individualize it to meet your creative needs.
You’ve got yourself organized and are now armed with a list or two (or three), but what if you just do not feel like tackling your list or better yet, a midday nap sounds more appealing?
Well let’s get after some of those hiccups!
Managing Procrastination
The best (and easiest) strategy for managing procrastination is to accept the inevitability of it. Even being “stuck” inside at home during quarantine, unexpected distractions are just part of life. For this reason, ensure to make a conscious effort to monitor (or change) your internal dialogue. Hold yourself accountable, but be forgiving of yourself as well.
Commit to your willingness to be more efficient. Manage procrastination by breaking down your list even further. If you are the go-getter type, start right at the top of your list and work your way down. Going after the largest items first will most certainly help you double down on your productivity. If that feels intimidating, try tackling smaller tasks first. By checking them off of the list as you go, you provide a tangible means of measuring your progress, increasing your overall feelings of efficiency.
Improve your time management by getting organized and focus your intentions on arriving at the end result, one completed task at a time. When you’ve completed one list, create a new one and implement it.
Following these tips will certainly increase your efficiency. Don’t allow this life-disrupting pandemic to stifle your creativity. Be a light in the darkness and shine!
About author: Meredith San Diego
Meredith is a travel blogger and vlogger from the USA with over 50 passport stamps.
She is passionate about offering intuitive insights about life as she jet sets around the globe.
Follow her adventures on her blog, Baglady Meredith San Diego.
About author: Meredith San Diego
Meredith is a travel blogger and vlogger from the USA with over 50 passport stamps.
She is passionate about offering intuitive insights about life as she jet sets around the globe.
Follow her adventures on her blog, Baglady Meredith San Diego.
