I get so many questions from my friends and family how it’s possible for me to get productive and get all my food projects done – while I’m having a full time job + study.
So, I though I would share some of my best tips with you. You can use them what ever your tasks are. If you have a home office, studying, if you’re making a lot of food like me – or having other creative projects.
Often you see someone working really hard and you feel like it is a bit of a competition. If you’re not being as busy as they are – because maybe you’re just being lazy? But being busy doesn’t mean that your are more effective with your time.
Some people work better in the morning, some after lunch and some are more efficient in the evenings. Make sure that you schedule the most important work during that period of time where you know you are going to be most productive.
1) Plan your time and schedule your day
Trust me, I’m not structured at all, so I know this might be a irritating tip. But I promise you this makes you more effective than you think.
Plan your day with all your work. Make sure to think realistic how long time it takes you to complete different tasks. Schedule hour per hour what you want to be done. Some may takes longer that you’d expected, so you can easily change the tasks. But if you find out that you are faster than you schedule – it feels so good!
If you can then do it the day before if it’s possible. In that way you’re not spending any pressures mental energy as the first thing in the morning and figuring out what you need to do.
2) Turn off notifications and e-mails
If you have something creative to be done: Writing, reading, planning, make photography, cooking, painting or whatever – then turn off notifications. If I’m not going to use my phone I put it in another room. Turn off e-mails (I you get a lot) and other social media. It should be an online choice – not disturbance.
Listen to music instead, if it makes it easier for you to concentrate.
3) Breaks
Ough. This is something that I constantly reminds myself to do. I’m really bad at it because I want to be productive so having a break will stop my effective period. But actually, it’s not how it works. It’s super important to take breaks throughout the workday – especially for lunch. In summer I sit outside on my balcony in this sun and read a book. No devices or screens – just focusing and relaxing.
So make sure to have some breaks and self care throughout the workday – and you’ll be effective.
4) Say NO to private activities, coffee meetings and social things
I’m very “financial” with my time. So the period of my schedule where I need to work effective I don’t meet with friends and family. I know it’s fun and you might feel very strict and boring saying no. But it’s taking a lot of time and can get uncontrolled.. I know I might sound self-important, but if you want to be productive and get things done, you need to say no sometimes. I always plan the things I really wants to do and means something to me – and then I appretiate them a lot more.
5) Be happy and appreciate your working days
I found out that appreciating my day and the tasks I get done on my schedule – I actually get more and more motivated to continue doing it. I love that I can choose my day myself and sometimes choose to be very productive and sometimes the opposite. Because I also enjoy to have calm and relaxing days with the ones I love to spend time with.
I don’t get stressed doing it in this way. When I make a schedule I actually never feel like being behind. I feel proactive, I know my days and what to do. I also create fun ways to reward myself completing a bigger goal or an important task.
This was my tips and tricks to be productive with your projects. I hope you could find some inspiration!
The pictures is from my living room where I have my office space and gets a lot of photography and projects done.