Surprising productivity lessons from six months of flying solo
My desk at The Forge
Setting up on my own after nine years of working in partnership has been a big adventure and it’s taught me lots of things. Here are a few of the most important lessons I’ve learned about writing, focus, and getting stuff done. I hope they’re helpful for you too.
Sort your sleep
Everything is too difficult when you’re not sleeping, and life stutters along between miserable and just managing.
If you want to be productive you have to sleep properly. I knew this already, you know too, it but good sleep eluded me. I’ve struggled on and off with insomnia for years.
Finding Solutions Focused Hypnotherapy has turned it around for me. Sorting my sleep has made the biggest and most fundamental shift in my productivity. Now I’m sleeping properly, I’m happier, more positive, and have so much more energy to get everything done. Which brings me on to the next one.
Manage your energy, not your time
I’m doing a lot more writing these days, for clients and for myself. While theoretically there are say, seven hours a day where I could be writing, I can’t write for seven hours a day. Well, I could, but it would be a grind.
I’ve worked out that I can write really well - firing on all cylinders, pretty much ‘do it in one take’ kind of writing for about three hours a day. One of those hours is probably before 8 am. So I schedule my time accordingly.
Breaks, exercise, moving around, switching tasks help keep my energy and productivity up.
Likewise I love the one-to-one coaching and workshops, but they take a particular kind of energy. There are enough hours in a day to do two half day workshops, but I’d never schedule that in because I wouldn’t do the second one well enough.
Break it down
I’ve come to appreciate the importance of all the different writing stages, the thinking, the splurge it all out, the editing, the polishing. These take different kinds of energy, and mean you can fit in more than you think. (In much the same way you can eat a huge meal, and feel you can’t possibly eat another thing, then someone offers you pudding, and suddenly you think, oh yes I can!)
So it’s possible to do a couple of hours of good writing, half an hour of first draft messy planning, an hour of editing (weirdly sometimes easier when you’re less energetic because you notice when things are hard to understand), and half an hour of polishing on different writing projects without feeling horribly tired at the end of it.
Time spent walking and thinking also counts. Ideas and connections fall into place when you’re away from the screen and moving.
Group tasks
Save up your admin tasks and do them in batches. Answering emails, finance, invoicing. Too much focus switching dents productivity, so do it in blocks. There are times in the week when the mundanity of admin is just what I feel like doing, so I save it for those times.
Focus on how you want to feel
My Xelo planner has really helped me get stuff done. Its simple format with a focus on positive change is invaluable for someone like me, working on her own. It was writing ‘sort sleep’ in the ‘what would make you feel fulfilled this time next week? How will you achieve it?’ that got me to finally find someone to help.
I plan my weeks and review them weekly. I plan each day and make sure I’ve got everything off the list, or moved it on before I go home. It means stuff gets done.
Find your work family
Although I’m a solo business owner now, renting desk space at the Forge has made me feel part of a family. I found working from home quite difficult, and working in cafes a bit awkward. I work better with familiar people working around me, and appreciate cups of tea, chats, and laughing with the lovely Forge crew. Having a workspace makes me feel more grounded, so I am more productive.
Find experts to help
Just because I’m a solo business owner, it doesn’t mean I can and should do everything myself. I’ve sought help from people better equipped to do some things than I am. Like getting a new website. Thanks Lizzie Everard!
Self awareness
The key to productivity for me has been really focusing on the kind of work I most want to do, and creating the conditions where I can do that most easily. What works for you? I’d love to know.
Oh and if you want to know more about the sleep therapy, drop me a line and I’ll put you in touch.
