Put in some play time

The studio is torn apart! Remain Calm. Get stuff done. Here’s a favorite post from the past I wanted to bring back…  

One of the things I get asked a ton is “how do I do so much” the truth is – I don’t do 1/2 of what I’d like to do on any given day! There are a few things I have learned along the way though, so I thought I’d pause from the inky madness and share.

Work in batches. Scrambling day-of for dinner, to meet a deadline, for things needed… that’s a recipe for last minute disaster. I like to work in batches. For example, going to the grocery store if not for the week at least 3-4 days worth. While out, do a batch of errands so I’m not going out as often in general.

Own your choices. Another big thing for me- if I’m going to sit down and watch an episode of a TV show that is what I’m going to do. Blow off the end of the list and just read a book for a while? Same. The key is, whatever I do with my time I own that I’m making those choices. Whether work, play, or just catching up on things I don’t ever say “I don’t have time…” it’s more about how I’m prioritizing my time and some days I don’t make time for things.

Small steps add up. It’s true. In everything. Yes the grand cleaning of the house complete with dusting and window washing feels great! But the truth is the 5 minutes to wash and put away the breakfast dishes or the 2 minutes to start a load of laundry or the 10 minutes to tidy up my mess from the last scrapbooking session are more important. Doing little tiny ‘just a minute’ things all day long maximizes my time and helps me to avoid big ugly messes. Small choices like water not soda, or walk don’t drive add up to healthy choices, and little things creatively add up too.

You can’t work too far ahead. True story: I was going to mail my aunt’s birthday gift but I didn’t want to send it too early so I waited. Her birthday was a month ago. In the 7 weeks since I had the time and thought I totally forgot about it and when I do remember it’s never at a time when I can pack it up and take care of it. My point is: if you see an opportunity to work ahead on something – whether prepping a scrapbook album, getting a jump start on cards, or preparing for a meeting just do it. Something always comes up, there’s always a last minute something.

Make time to play. Whether it’s to go see a movie, sit for 30 minutes with a good book, or get inky. It doesn’t matter how much time or when – just make little nuggets of time just for you and just for fun. Don’t wait for the mythical free day or nothing planned opportunity. Make a little space each day.

I still have a long way on becoming a productivity master, and I’m struggling with keeping to my three item “must do” list each day… but I’ll keep working at it.

But first, a donut and some creative play…