Ever wanted a crash course in productivity? Try writing a whole novel in 30 days…!
That’s right, folks, we’ve done it again! If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you’ll know that I recently completed my ninth successful year of the National Novel Writing Month! That means I wrote a 50,000-word novel in the month of November… on top of working in my corporate job, running my business, and moving to a new city. Suffice it to say that November was a busy month. I really needed to maximize my productivity whenever possible, while still maintaining my sanity.
So how did I do it? Here are three simple tips that kept me going, and will help you improve your productivity!
Energy Management is Key for Productivity
Here’s an important lesson that all productive people need to learn: you have different types of energy, and they should not be treated the same. For example, at the end of a long day of work, you might be mentally tired but not physically tired. While vegging out on the couch might sound restful, it’s unfortunately recharging your physical energy – which isn’t why you’re feeling tired.
Throughout your daily routine, keep track of what kinds of energy you’re feeling at different times. I personally learned that while my physical energy tends to fade throughout the day, I get a boost of creative energy right before bed, which is when I did most of my writing. On the other hand, my mental energy tends to peak mid-morning and late afternoon. If it helps, try tracking your energy levels every few hours for a couple of days to get a sense of your natural rhythms. The important thing is to work with whatever cadence makes sense for you.
Experiment to Find the Right Fit
Committing to any habit, practice, or project is a personal endeavour. Take the time to try out different methods and see what works best for you. (Are you sensing a theme here?) Here are a few examples:
- Struggling to stay focused? Try timer apps like Forest to keep you off your phone, or moving to a different room in your home for a change of scenery (or even facing a different direction).
- Working on a fitness goal at home? Try online classes, YouTube videos, or listening to podcasts while you work out. If you love consistency, try doing something similar every day; if you love variety, be sure to shake things up so you don’t get bored.
- Trying to write a novel during quarantine? Try online writing meetups (wasn’t for me this year), word sprints (my savior), or specific incentives for intermediate goals like a particular word count (this can work for literally anything!).
The important thing here is to give yourself some grace. If whatever you’ve tried first doesn’t work for you, that doesn’t mean the goal is a failure. (And it definitely doesn’t mean anything about you as person!) It just means you need a different approach to stay productive.
Habit Over Motivation
No matter how motivated you feel to start a project, over time, that initial enthusiasm will fade. Not for lack of trying, of course! But emotions change, priorities shift, and distractions abound. So when it comes to sticking to a goal for a longer period of time (weeks, months, or more), it’s important to let your autopilot lighten the load.
As humans with overloaded minds, we tend to rely to our automatic programming whenever we can to make things easier. This often means reverting to old routines – that is, the ones you had before you started working on this new goal! Instead, I recommend “installing” your new project into your regular routine. Over time, your “muscle memory” will begin to take over. The more consistent of a routine you have (i.e. every day, every Sunday, etc.), the easier it will be for your new habits to become second nature. Obviously this works better over long periods of time. This technique helps me stay on track with my fitness routine – I now feel weird on mornings when I don’t work out, because it just feels like a natural part of my day now!
What are your best tips to boost your productivity and stay on track toward your goals? Share your thoughts in the comments!
