when i woke up today i knew there were many pending projects awaiting attention. after savoring two sensory-filled days up north, it's time to settle back into the writing practice with vengeance. my hope is to have many checked boxes before the sun fades today. good news, it happens around 10pm in paris.
tackling a few projects at once can feel daunting, so i tend to break them out into workable pieces. and ensure ample tranquility tools are nearby such as tea, favorite pens, lavender oil, a candle, and water.
i begin by penning them into my daybook to help stay focused in case i find myself going down a tangential rabbit hole. hello facebook. and then i'll determine which one to tackle first based on deadlines and excitement.
although productivity experts often encourage we conquer the biggest, most complicated task first, i find myself gravitating toward smaller, quicker ones so that i can open up brain space for the others. i also try to bundle similar tasks together such as writing, email responding, or social media.
next, i'll gather all the information necessary to work on the project and hunker down with the plan of hitting a milestone such as completion, five written pages, or a thoughtful email response.
one key part of the process includes regular stretch breaks and a possible dangling carrot. for example, mine today is to take an afternoon stroll to the montparnasse monoprix {a parisian version of target} i loved so much last year to pick up gifts and postcards, clear my head, move my body, and grab a treat for tonight.
although our to-do lists can look daunting, it's helpful to break projects down into action steps and to reward ourselves along the way with a walk around the block, a favorite iced tea, or a juicy read. do you have a project routine that you love? if so, please share it in the comments.
here's to moving forward in a mindful way. bisous. x
4 comments:
Mine is to savor the early morning when no one else is awake yet. I can get through emails, Facebook and look at my planner to see what I need to do that day.
I enjoyed this article and pretty much do it the same way as you described. I like to do a few easy things first to up my feel good self, before tackling what I'm not so excited about doing, but know I need to do earlier in the day when my mind is most clear and alert for the best results.
I also like to use colored pens, petty papers (even for computer printing) folders, magazine pictures that inspire me, washi tape and my project into 3 ring binders. The more I personalize it and use images and such that I love to look at, the more I want to be with the project. Plus it makes it more mine in a funny way, mine to protect, care for, grow and learn from.
One last thing is that I have a huge calender on my wall that holds post-it notes for planning longer projects and important dates. I learned about this calendar from Jennifer Lee, who you recently interviewed. I hope she owns stock in Paper Source!
judy h, agree, morning is such sacred time! x
kimberly, great suggestions, thank you. yes, making the whole process into a pretty experience is sure to make a difference in getting things done! appreciate your input and yay for colored pens, pretty paper, and washi tape! x
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