Writing Productivity Hacks for the Rest of 2021

Writing Productivity Hacks I'm Trying Out for the Rest of 2021

As the end of 2021 grows ever nearer, so does one of my completely arbitrary deadlines (chosen only because I like the idea of having something done by the close of the year). I've successfully managed to put away Marie/Elise and I'm excited to be moving back to The Pirates of Sissa, though with less than a few months left to go, I have been wondering how in the world I'm going to be able to complete the plotting and rewrite of this book, given that it's one of the larger projects on my table. It's not that I don't know what to write. I think productivity might be the issue here.

So, naturally, I turned to trusty ol' Youtube to find some productivity tips (because who doesn't get motivated to be productive when watching productivity videos?) and was able to find these helfpul videos:

• The Best Productivity Hacks of All Time by Ali Abdaal
• 10 Top Tips for *Healthy* Productivity by Lavendaire
• how to be productive when working from home by Mariana's Corner

Based on these three videos, and with some personalized tweaking, here are some of the productivity hacks, tips, and habits that I will be calling upon for the rest of this long and perilous year.

 

Productivity Hack #1: Highlighting

Highlighting is basically choosing one thing that you really want to accomplish in a day - and if you can manage to complete that one task, then you'll be satisfied even if you don't do anything else. It's sort of like setting a minimum for yourself. One of the reasons I like this one so much is because it's something that I've been doing for a long time myself, only with 3 minimum daily tasks instead of 1. 

I would tell myself that if I did absolutely nothing else but those three tasks, then I'd be satisfied with my productivity for the day. And the reason that I chose 3 is because it allows you to balance things out a bit. One of the goals was work-related, another was personal (calling up a friend, reading for half an hour, etc.), and a third was home-related (cleaning/organizing my workspace, room, etc.). 

This worked for a while, but even three tasks can be a lot to handle when you're just not feeling up to much of anything at all. That's why this idea of highlighting feels like something I'd love to try out.

Productivity Hack #2: Time Blocking / Scheduling

So, I'm not a big fan of this one. Blocking out my time never seems to work. I guess my brain changes gears too quickly and too frequently to hold down any kind of preconceived schedule, or maybe I just haven't figured out the key to this particular productivity technique just yet. Either way, this wasn't one I was planning on adding to my list. The only reason I did add it to my list, though, is because of something that was mentioned in that first Youtube video.

Abdaal mentioned that when he blocked out his time/calendar, even if he didn't want to do whatever he had blocked in later on, he would at least have a default that was defined, so that he always knew what he could be doing at any point in time. I'd never considered it this way, so that caught my interest.

I like the idea of having a default option, but I'm still not too happy with time blocking, because it simply doesn't seem to work for me (historically speaking). So, instead of blocking out my time for the whole week, what I decided to do was simply create a calendar and, on each day, plan out the highlight (see prev. section) for that day. That way, my highlight was the default option for those days, and I know what I should be working on, even if I don't get it done or decide to do something else.

Not quite sure how well this will work, since this creates a bit of pressure for me to stick to the default and get it done (it being the highlight and all), but I'm willing to give it a go! At the end of the day, the choice still reverts back to me, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Productivity Hack #3 - The Lowest Common Denominator 

I forgot the name of this hack (it's been at least 24 hours since I watched these videos), but the general idea is this: break your tasks down into the smallest possible units and use those instead of complex or multi-step tasks that will take longer to accomplish. For example, instead of saying "write and publish a short story", you could break that down into smaller tasks like:

• plot out a short story
• write a first draft of the short story
• revise the first draft of the short story
• edit the short story
• polish the final draft of the short story
• submit the short story to a literary magazine

I like this because it makes you feel more productive in that you'll be completing tasks quicker, and it'll feel like you're finishing more tasks than you would if your original goal was just "write and publish a short story". 

I'll definitely be utilizing this productivity tip to keep my momentum up!

Productivity Hack #4: Work from Home Etiquette

This one is more of a habit than a hack. It's something you should do all the time, especially if you're working from home like I currently am. Basically, you need to have a space dedicated to your work, whether that's a desk in your room or a space at your dining table, and you need to treat it as though it's an official office space. Ask yourself: Would you do this at the office? If the answer is no, then don't do it!

This means getting dressed in the morning instead of staying in your PJs. It also means keeping the area organized. One thing I like to do is clean up and organize my workspace at the end of the day. I did this at the office every evening before going home, and it's great to return to an office space that is clean and organized. I've made sure to keep doing that at home, too, and these are habits that I think will definitely continue to positively influence my productivity and motivation.

It also means having a little more self-discipline than you might have when in the comfort of your home. Don't take a nap in the middle of your work day! You probably wouldn't do that at work. 

At the same time, this goes for the boundaries that we st at work, too. Don't work over-time unless you really 100% need to. Don't sacrifice your lunch and/or snack break. Don't let yourself run on low energy or force yourself to work if you don't feel well. Take a sick day, take a week off, grab some Zs if necessary, and make sure you're looking after yourself first. 

I think these are positive and essential productivity habits to have when working from home, and they're the basic minimum that is required if I'm going to be productive in any way for the next few months.

 

Hopefully, I can use these productivity tips, hacks, and habits to finish the new draft of The Pirates of Sissa by the end of 2021 - or at the very least, get as close as possible!

 

SEPTEMBER EDIT: 

I started off really well for the first couple of days, but then I lost momentum. I think it was in part due to the fact that I tried to schedule my daily highlights in advance to see if I could at least have my "basic minimum" planned out for each day. Probably not a good idea. 

I did, however, get a lot done when I started working towards a deadline about halfway through September. A lot of productivity took place, and I was able to complete a manuscript! The only thing is, I think it has to be an externally-placed deadline - not something I set for myself. Moreover, it has to be something that will have consequences if I can't meet it. Not bad consequences, just not-getting-to-participate consequences. Does that make any sense? Let me know in the comments below! 

The goal for October is to try to relax for now, because I worked really hard in that second half of September. That being said, I will be trying to get back to my podcast again, so I'll still need to be productive. I wonder if the highlights method will work if I aim to do one episode a day?