Creativity and Productivity

Let’s talk about works in progress. What have you got going on?

Me? Oh, I've got a lot going on...

Do you tend to have multiple works in progress or are you able to zero in on one?

I tend to be the former, the multiple ideas/projects person. As is commonly understood, you can’t spread yourself too thin or nothing will get accomplished. That or what gets accomplished isn’t up to your standards. So, that’s usually where I find myself, just frustrated over the lack of productivity or the poor product!

I don’t have three simple steps to improve your focus or five tips on productivity. I have one BIG idea that I have heard countless times. A tip that is so big and broad that it’s silly to label it a “tip”. (Tips are small!) This one thing seems so huge to me that I have put it off out of fear. But my frustration has finally overcome my fear by a landslide. And instead of sitting around feeling sorry for myself and watching YouTube videos on how to do this thing (and then never doing it) I have decided it’s time to take the leap. And I’m taking you with me!

I’m talking about: S C H E D U L I N G

I know. It sounds sooooo simple. It’s one word. One thing. Shouldn’t be hard. But, y’all…

I have bought planner after planner. I have written list upon list. Set goals. I have mapped out days, weeks, months and years all to no avail.

So with this new effort I’m making in the area of ehm, scheduling, I will be documenting my progress. As I attempt to organize my life/work/writing/producing schedule I hope in time to feel more productive and more satisfied with how I use my time and resources. If this is something that you struggle with as well, please follow along and hopefully you can learn from my mistakes and perhaps get your life in order much faster and with less struggle than I! IF this is something you have already mastered, please don’t leave me, but do leave and comment and let me know how you mastered scheduling in your own life.

I have found that for me, things must be and remain simple. I have seen some planners that are like, categorized to the hilt and I can’t handle that jazz. To that end, I have a planner. A very simple planner. One with a month layout then weekly pages that allow me to schedule from 8am to 9pm M-F and even some time on the weekends. I like this because my weekends are already pretty well set in stone, it’s the rest of the time that is in question so I have plenty of room to work with.

Next, I will be creating monthly themes.

I am a content junkie. I devour YouTube videos and podcasts consistently. If you’re the type of person who is constantly learning and rarely doing, you’re in good company. I hate to say it but I’ve fallen into that trap. It’s much easier to consume than to create. But I do not wish to get stuck in the mire of consuming when there is a wellspring of creation going on in my mind and soul that is waiting to be released. You can quote me on that! So the monthly themes I will be setting involved limiting content consumption to the designated monthly theme. I’m starting March a little late so I think my March and April theme will be the same. And the theme for this month, drumroll please, is… Convertkit!

I have heard the importance of building an emailing list and thought I had started to do that on my website but there is so much more to building an email list than simply just collecting emails. It's about building relationships and providing value. So, to that end I am developing an email course which I will share more about later (yet another WIP), deciding what piece of content would be valuable to which audience and then I will be able to set up my landing pages accordingly. I truly want to share what I'm learning so that I can help others to meet their goals and see their dreams of authorship and publication come true! I have done some research, I've spent much time watching YouTube videos on the subject (imagine that) and read articles and blogposts and decided Convertkit was the company for me. There are many options but I like the friendliness of Convertkit's dashboard. It seems their website was made for technologically impaired people like me!

All of that being said I know I have a lot to learn but am really excited about my new-found focus.

So there you have it, my problems with focus and a very transparent plan in hopes of improving my focus and production.

If you have any tips (big or small) on scheduling, productivity or focus that’s worked for you and you’d like to share, please leave a comment here or find me on facebook @sarahfenlonfalk. As always you are welcome to join Storyteller Nation where we talk about the craft of writing and the power of words to change the world! Find the nation here or on facebook!

Until next time!