I like being productive, but I had been searching for a term that encompasses all of productivity--the work part and the rest part. I wanted a term that could encompass all the ways to be productive, not just the ways that are quantifiable. Mindful productivity may be the term I want. Mindful productivity is defined as “being consciously present in what you’re doing, while you’re doing it, in conjunction with managing your mental and emotional states.” (From https://nesslabs.com/mindful-productivity-2). Here’s some of the tools I use to hopefully achieve the goal of mindful productivity:
My planner--I’m a planner/stationery nerd so I love my planner. I separate my personal life from my professional life, but you can plan all in one planner. I plan my day, my week, and my goals as well as reflect on how my week went and what I need to do for the next week.
An ideas notebook--This has been a game-changer for me. As a writer, I gotta have ideas. So each day I sit down and write 10 ideas about whatever subject--where I’d like to travel, people I’d like to get to know, meals I can prepare, literally whatever. Some lists I keep, others I toss. If you write, produce content, videos, run a business, or do any kind of creative work, you gotta have ideas. You can learn about ideating here https://jamesaltucher.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-for-becoming-an-idea-machine/.
Social media--Social media is good, if you use it right. It can be a major time suck, but it can also be a great way to connect with others and learn about anything you want to. Take a few minutes each day to interact with social media--post, film a reel, a story, a Tik Tok, start a Clubhouse room, whatever. Don’t feel like you have to be on all the platforms. You don’t. Pick the one you like and be faithful to it.
Rest and breaks--Rest is important. Sleep is important. Not only do you need to rest physically, but mentally as well. Sometimes getting your mind on something else or having unstructured time does wonders for your creativity and productivity.
Reflection--If you know me, you knew this one was coming! Reflect on how your professional life is going. How did that meeting go? How did that project go? What comes easy for you? What is more challenging? How do you solve problems? Reflection is so important for all the reasons you think and have been told, because how can things improve if you don’t know how things are. Why I love reflection so much is because it gives you all those great STAR and CAR stories for interviews. Have a hard time answering the “tell me about a time when…” type questions? Well when you do all this reflection, it’s easier to remember. I can tell you off the top of my head a time when I had a disagreement with a coworker, a time when my ideas didn’t work, a time when I made a mistake, a time when I saved the company money. Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.
An inspirational quote--Nothing too cheesy or cliché, but quotes really help me. They are like your own personal cheerleader. Sometimes they are sarcastic, sometimes way too sentimental, but they motivate me to stay of course with my goals.
My 2021 planner
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