Welcome to A’Muse’ Me Monday. The link up, and prompt can be found at the end of this post.
Creative types can become overrun with ideas. This isn’t a bad thing unless we turn multiple ideas into multiple projects. If we try to juggle too many at one time, we may find them crashing down on our heads. Here are six quick tips to better manage the projects in our lives:
1. Realize the difference between projects and tasks. Projects have several steps to accomplish before the overall project is complete. A task is a single step item. For example: refinishing a chair (project) has several steps to complete whereas emptying the dishwasher is a stand alone task.
2. Understand various areas of our lives have their own projects: writing, photography, needlework, home decorating…if we have multiple projects going in each area, we can quickly become overwhelmed and shut down.
3. Limit your current project list. Choose one or two projects to work on in the different categories. Collect the rest of the ideas to implement at a different time. Write down enough to know what to work on later.
In some cases, like writing for example, it’s wise to vary the project type. You could work on a novel while outlining a nonfiction book. Or write one novel while editing another.
4. Categorize the different projects. Do you need to work on the project daily? Weekly? Monthly? Is it mental or physical in nature? Knowing the type of project, and how often you need or can work on it, will better help you schedule time for it.
5. Break down each project into tasks. This will keep each project from becoming overwhelming, and give you clear direction when you actually work on the project. You will accomplish more during your focused work time with a task list then if you try to ‘wing it’.
6. Schedule focused work times. These time slots need to make sense. Let’s say your mind is the clearest first thing in the morning. Schedule mental type projects first thing in the morning. Then you can schedule physical type projects later in the day when you mind isn’t as sharp.
During your focused work time, only work on the project you’ve chosen for that time slot. Ignore distractions if possible. If a great idea pops up, write it down, and get back to the task at hand.
Bonus Tip: Perhaps the best tip is to give it all to the Lord. Ask him to bless your project whether it’s something for your family, or something that will reach many people.
There isn’t anything profound about these tips, but following them will help you drill down, focus in, and finish your projects. A huge list of unfinished projects will weigh you down. But a focused plan, and crossing projects off as complete, will boost your momentum, and your productivity will naturally increase.
Muse:
n. a source of inspiration; a poet.
v. to reflect or ponder; to gaze thoughtfully.
Mondays are perfect for finding inspiration as writers, artists, musicians…creatives. And who doesn’t like to reflect, ponder, and muse about life, and all it encompasses? That’s what A ‘Muse’ Me Mondays are all about. It’s a place to link up your thoughts on writing, music, and creativity. Share something that has inspired you: a novel, a song, an art piece. You can link to reviews of books or music. Anything related to writing (or reading), music, and creativity is welcome.
I’ll add a prompt or ‘muse’ each week. If it inspires you in some way, feel free to come back later in the week. You can share in the comments, by linking to your related post, or on the Facebook page.
PROMPT: She twirled a lock of hair.
Use it to spark a poem, a song, a scene in a novel, a painting…what comes to mind when you think of Spring?
Linking here:
