- MYFI Monthly
- Posts
- MY⚡️FI MONDAY
MY⚡️Feature
featured piece of advice for creatives and creative leaders
Your Way Or The Highway
I am juggling so many projects right now it’s almost hilarious. All the while my wife’s work has ramped up, my son is wrapping up his junior year of high school and my daughter is wrapping up 8th grade so their calendars are jam packed as well. Life is busy and trying to make sure that I’m getting all my work done while not losing my creative edge or forcing the work is really hard some times.
I see these courses online that claim to teach you how to be productive or maximize your efficiency. The problem is that most of those courses, or even inspirational instagram accounts, treat us all like we’re wired one similar way.
The fact is, that we are all wired so differently that there is no way there is a singular way for us to create our best work and use our time efficiently. We have to figure out what works for us as creative individuals and then create a plan or a work flow that we know that we can stick to. I want to share a few things that I do and a few other ideas to help you discover how you may prefer to work so that you can create great things and get your work done in a timely manner.
PERSPECTIVE
I used to function off a specific task list. For example, if I had recording work to do I would make a list of the instruments or tracks such as bass, rhythm guitar, synth, etc… and check them off as I recorded them. The problem that presented for me was that sometimes I could record a bass track in 10 mins and other times it would take me 2 hours because the song just needed something more unique, or I couldn’t find the right sound right away, etc… I left those sessions feeling defeated because I had tasks left on the list that I didn’t complete.
So, I changed my perspective.
Now, instead of individual tasks, my task list just has time chunks on it. It just says “Record for 3 hours”. I’ve found that I’m efficient and creative and focusing on time instead of tasks has helped me stay positive and make progress.
The point is… figure out how your wired and don’t set up your to-do list in a way that defeats you.
PLANNING
Every afternoon or evening, as I’m finishing up for the day, I look at my calendar and my task list for the next day just to process what I have to do tomorrow. Some times I move things, some times I delete things, some times I go ahead and knock out a couple of things if I have extra time at the moment.
Looking a day a head helps me plan and gives me a little mental peace because I know I’m walking into a day that I believe I can accomplish.
Also, every Thursday, I look at the entire following week on my calendar and my task list and try to frame up and organize each day as much as I can. I check out my family calendar, my personal and work calendars, my deadlines, etc… and add tasks to each day against the recurring tasks that are already there.
Looking that week ahead really helps me communicate well with my family and prioritize the right things and at the same time helps me to be less reactive and more proactive in my work.
The point is… make a plan and work the plan.
Don’t believe that you have to see things the way I see them to be effective or plan the way I plan to be efficient. You should get perspective and you should plan to a certain degree, but figure out how YOU do that so that you can actually win the day and do your best work.
We are all different. Our work is different. Our goals are different. Our circumstances are different. There is no way that we can all work the same way and create our best work.
But figure it out for yourself and get it to it! If you need help, reply to this email and let’s grab a call!! I coach creative people every day and I would love to help you!
MY⚡️FI Podcast
a podcast about the journey of creativity
Ep. 047 :: Lorraine Lewis
This episode of MYFI features the incredible rock vocalist, Lorraine Lewis. Lorraine began her great career in the 1980s as a solo artist and fronting the groundbreaking band Femme Fatale. She’s now the front woman for the legendary band, Vixen as well as leading a fantastic solo career. Join us as we talk about the movie “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead”, how seeing David Lee Roth changed the trajectory of her life, and how she discovered that being on stage is where she truly belongs.
MY⚡️FI Blog
monthly blog for creatives and creative leaders
Going It Alone
This month on the blog I talk a little about the process behind creating my upcoming solo album. I share about the process, the songs, and a little more… Check out the blog by clicking here.