Don’t you just love the high you get from ticking stuff off of your to-do-list? It’s quite addicting! We’ve only got 24 hours in a day; an important 6-8 hours of which are spent sleeping (don’t even think of trying to cut this part short! Sleep is essential for your brain to function optimally, I’ve tried working while only getting 2 hours of sleep— it wasn’t pretty.)
I work at a wedding cinematography and photography production house and run my own business full time, so sometimes things can get quite crazy. In between work-related travel and tons of emails, there’s barely enough time to squeeze in a few things. Like most people, I wish I had 30-hour days. But we’re given 16 waking hours.That’s that. Now it all boils down to how you use what you have to make things happen.
I’ve always been an advocate of working smart contrary to working extra hard and constantly pulling all-nighters and staying up until the wee hours of the morning. I’ve been there done that. I wasn’t really thrilled about the effect the energy drink binging, late-night snacking and 4am bedtimes had on my body and my overall sense of well being. I think these things are unnecessary to becoming truly productive. You can get things done when you use your time efficiently, set daily goals, learn how to prioritise and have fun while you’re at it. (The 53:17 work principle is also very helpful! 52 minute work sprints with 17 minute breaks all throughout an 8 hour work day). It’s totally easier said than done so I get a lot of help from a few of my favourite tools that help me make my days brighter and more efficient. I’d like to share some of those things in this post. Let’s go!
1.) Big windows and natural light— It’s been 3 years since I’ve changed up my waking habits and decided to switch from night owl to full-fledged morning person. I just get a natural high from the sun and now I really try my best to get all of my important work done while it is up! Nothing quite like natural light to jumpstart a productive workday. I love soaking up the sun by picking seats near the window at my favourite “coffices” and opening all of the curtains at the apartment first thing in the morning. I like starting with my most difficult tasks first. I agree with swallowing the frog before anything else as things just seem to get easier from there. And the sun helps energize these tougher pursuits. I also like getting my creative work done while there is still a lot of good light. As soon as the sun sets, everything goes downhill from there and I try to save my evenings for dinners, relaxing, hanging out and doing less stressful activities.
2.) But first… coffee! It’s been 3 years since this whole coffee addiction started. Now I cannot start a full blown work day without a good cup of black coffee to jumpstart things. I try my best to limit my intake to 1 cup a day, maximum. 2 is pushing it, but never 3 or more. Also, I like to enjoy my coffee with a morning devo. I like reading scripture as it helps put things in perspective and gives you so much peace and wisdom. I snap less and love more by God’s grace and His grace alone! (God knows how much I need help in this area. I can be such an anxious wreck!) As Christian-y and cliche as it sounds… nothing beats coffee and the Word in the morning.Mmmhmm… so good!
3.) Running shoes — A good 30 minute workout in the morning does wonders! Before I used to want to work out to look good, more than anything. Of course, I still want to look good, but it isn’t primarily why I work out. I workout for the way it makes me feel on the inside. When I’m physically active, I have more energy all throughout the day, I’m happier and I can concentrate more and I can endure long shooting days without getting as tired. Now that I’m older (I just turned 26! Eeeek!), exercise, like sleep, is just one of those things I’ve been highly prioritising. Got to keep those endorphins flowing!
4.) A good notebook (The Daykeeper!) — I don’t mean to sound like I’m tooting my own horn here. But I really enjoy using and planning my day with The Daykeeper. I always believe that a good productive day, starts the night before. Before I go to bed, I like writing a quick list of things that made me smile the whole day. It really helps me practice being grateful and makes me look for little silver linings even if I’ve had a rough day and it makes me seek out the beauty in the everyday things and celebrate life’s little joys— like watching the rain pour from the backseat of the car, getting a call from my mom or running to my 90’s playlist. Aside from that, I like preparing for the day ahead by jotting down a list of my to do’s. I use the Daykeeper as an agenda, reminding me of meetings, flights, birthdays and anniversaries. I also use it as aswipe file (in Austin Kleon lingo) to write down my random ideas and the things that inspire me. In an age of the iPad and iPhone, I still am a bit old school in terms of journaling. For me, writing stuff down and seeing your goals/dreams in tangible form puts you a step closer to actually achieving them. Magic happens when you put a pen to paper. Also, jotting down your goals and schedule on paper also makes you spend less time on your phone (which I need)… that’s why I am now telling you about a fun new discovery I made that helps you detach from your device via delayed gratification. I present to you…
I first saw this product on one of my favourite shows, Shark Tank. On a trip to New York earlier this year, I just knew I had to get one for myself! See, I have a love-hate relationship with my phone. I love social media and the inspiration you get from Instagram, blogs and Pinterest. But sometimes I go overboard browsing the internet through my smart phone. An innocent “I’ll just check my messages/notifications for a bit” turns into a full hour of nonstop browsing— a major time waster. After scrolling over random pet videos and tons of pins, I usually end up skipping my workout altogether or extend my short 15-minute work break (that I should rather spend socialising in real life (IRL), calling my parents, looking outside the window) into a 30 minute – 1 hour long scrolling sesh. My schedule gets a bit thrown off and I am met with more to do’s the next day. Thank God for the Kitchen Safe!
Originally created for people trying to lose weight and cut their bad snacking habits, the kitchen safe is a small clear box with a timer you can set from 1 minute to 10 days(no overrides or cheats until the timer actually goes off!) The founder used to put in the cookies and snacks that he wanted to stop eating in one go. He’d set the timer and the box would open only during when he actually allowed himself to snack. People also use the safe for credit cards, video game controllers and yes, phones! I put my phone in for a few hours when I need uninterrupted working time. It actually works for me. My breaks are happier because I actually use them to stand up, walk around, step out for a bit and actually talk to people. My dad isn’t a fan of the safe, because he feels like phones should be readily available in case of emergencies. But that’s my dad, who doesn’t struggle with social media! Lol #thestruggleisreal But I take his word for it and make sure when I do lock up my phone, it’s when I’m in a safe environment or just really close to home.
Well, that’s pretty much it for now folks! Thanks for letting me share my little productivity hacks.
I hope these tips help you craft a work day that is true to you and will help you move a step closer towards your goals. Work smart, be productive and stay inspired!