Since I’ve released The Productive Pastor Handbook, one of the common questions I hear is, “As a creative person, how can I become more productive.”
First off, everyone can get organized enough to do what they need to do. While we’re all certainly wired differently for a purpose, we can all organize enough to be productive. That being said, though, I do know that for certain types of people (hello, musicians), it can be much more difficult to get through a to-do list.
Here’s some help…
Create work windows.
Borrowing a little from the Pomodoro method of productivity, here’s what that means…
– Create small windows that you determine to get stuff done. It could be as little as 15 minutes at a time. Start with 15 and work your way up.
– Set a timer for 15 minutes and drill down on a task. Once the timer goes off, you’re free to take a break.
– Take a 10-15 minute break and start again. Do this throughout your day if you have a job that isn’t interupted with people often.
Note: If you find yourself being constantly interrupted by people (not always a bad thing), find out when you have the most amount of interruptions and schedule your small, quick tasks then. That way you can fully develop and complete them during those short stints of work time.
Have paper handy.
Preferably digital (who hasn’t lost a sticky note??), have something handy to jot a note down if you need it. Sure, you may have a moment of creative genius, but be sure you can jot it down so you can get it off your mind if you’re in your productive zone.
Just a couple of tips. Anyone have any to add?
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