Productivity is a topic that I’ve become super obsessed about. My interest started right around the time I had Jonas. As a new mom, I was constantly feeling like I was falling short of the mark: at home, at work, in my relationships and most importantly as a mom. Introducing a new baby to the mix of your life has a way of literally turning your life upside down and not always in the best ways! I’m a person that thrives on order and stability and with a kid, those targets were constantly moving. I remember feeling so much guilt after returning to work after maternity leave, that I started neglecting my health, my relationships, my business just so that I could come home and spend time with the baby. Sure, I wanted to be present and enjoy time with my son, but not at the expense of my mental health and everything else around me. As with all things in my life, it’s a work in progress. But I’ve implemented some habits that have helped boost my productivity, so that I CAN be spontaneous without neglecting the other important areas in my life.
- Daily Focus: You probably remember reading about the daily focus in my last post about the Passion Planner and stating it’s been a gamechanger in my life. Every day I make a written or mental to-do list of all the things I’d like to accomplish. However, I also take the opportunity to identify one (1) daily focus for that given day. In other words, what is the one thing I can cross off my to-do list that would make me feel the most productive or have the most impact? Once I can identify whatever that task is, I make that a top priority for the day. Once I know I’ve completed my daily focus, I feel less guilty about taking an unexpected break to enjoy some time with my family. For example, yesterday that one thing was finally taking down the Christmas tree and what a glorious feeling to cross that off the to-do list! Afterwards, I celebrated my small win by having a little karaoke / dance party with son.
- Rise and Shine: I was not always a morning person. In fact, I used to wake for work with only enough time to brush my teeth, get dressed, fix my hair and out the door I went, running consistently 15 minutes late every single day! But motherhood changed all that. I breastfed Jonas for over year, so everyday I would wake up extra early to not only breastfeed, but to pump before I went to work. And even though breastfeeding is a thing of the past, the habit I formed of waking up between 5-6AM every day continues and is one I’ve come to embrace. This is what I like to call my “power hour” – my most productive part of my day. This is the time I try to tackle my daily focus or anything else that requires my undivided attention (for example, I’m typing up this post at 6:22AM on a Saturday morning). On most days, my husband, son and even our two dogs are fast asleep and I relish the alone time without interruptions. Getting the important things out of the way before the sun is even out, opens up the rest of my day for infinite possibilities.
- Maximize your Productivity: Let’s face it, our energy levels ebb and flow. Somedays, we can power through almost anything and then there are days, where were just want to be plain ol’ lazy. So when I’m feeling particularly energized, my goal is to not only complete the tasks on my to-do list for the day, but the items on my “wish” list as well. This is where the Passion Planner comes in handy because at the start of every month, you have to look ahead and therefore, really think, about the things you’d like to realistically accomplish during that time period. The more I can cross-off my to-do list during these moments/ days of sudden energy, the further along I’ll be for the days where I feel less invigorated or just want a little down time to spend with my family. I don’t know about you, but I prefer the feeling of being ahead of the mark than always running behind it.
- Block Out Down Time: Up until recently, I had the bad habit of always overbooking my schedule. If there was a day that had nothing scheduled, I had to fill that time with things to do. Committing to things I really had no desire to do, only because I was free, is never a good reason – that leads to burnout and resentment! So I started being more intentional about my time off. If there’s a day I’m already out and about and doing things, then I rather add to those days than to spill activities into a day that is already free. Looking at my calendar this month, there are two Sundays in January that are completely free – and I intend to keep them that way! If the weather is nice, maybe we’ll wake up and head out on a day trip adventure. And if it’s not, maybe it’s a Netflix and Chill day (or more realistically, a Disney+ and chill day in my house). Blocked off time doesn’t mean we won’t be doing anything, it just means we don’t have to decide right now.
These days I’m feeling a lot more at peace and have found a system that allows me to be productive and still enjoy the occasional moment of spontaneity with my son/ husband, whether that be an impromptu walk to the park or a night of movies with a side a cuddles. I hope these tips have shed some light as to how I try to balance between productivity and creating space in my life for spontaneity (without the guilt of my early motherhood journey), so I can be the best mom to Jonas and the best version of me.