Manage Your Day-To-Day

“Are you spending your most productive hours solving other people’s problems instead of your own?” This book encourages you to take control of your time and creativity by rethinking your daily routines.

1. Align Your Work With Your Body’s Natural Rhythm

Our bodies follow natural cycles, known as circadian rhythms, which affect energy levels. We tend to be most alert and productive in the morning. Instead of wasting this peak time on emails, focus on tasks that require the most thought and creativity. Checking emails first thing benefits others rather than propelling our own priorities forward.

Mark McGuinness advises creating a routine that dedicates morning hours to personal project work, saving reactive tasks like emails for later. This ensures that our best energy is spent on meaningful accomplishments. Sleep and regular breaks further support these rhythms. Failing to rest adequately diminishes productivity and demands more effort to complete tasks.

• Studies show that most people need at least seven hours of sleep to focus effectively.
• Research highlights that mental performance drops after 90-minute stretches without taking a break.
• Responding to emails before addressing creative work prioritizes others’ demands over your goals.

2. Work Every Day to Build Momentum

Creativity thrives on routine, not waiting for inspiration. Consistency fosters ideas and diminishes the pressure of starting something new. Committing to work daily, even for half an hour, keeps your projects alive in your mind and allows inspiration to emerge from unexpected places.

Gretchen Rubin highlights that maintaining a daily creative practice helps surface fresh concepts naturally. When your work becomes part of your routine, even unrelated events can spark breakthroughs. This incremental progress ensures you stay on schedule and explore various angles without scrambling at the last minute.

• Seeing a new color palette in sneakers inspired a designer to refine their project.
• A writer who writes steadily daily avoids panic before deadlines.
• A musician practicing a little every day stumbles upon surprising melodies.

3. Train Your Mind to Resist Distractions

If you struggle with distractions, strengthen your willpower through small habits to train your self-control. Even flossing your teeth regularly builds discipline that translates into better focus at work. Erin Rooney Doland advocates replacing negative distractions with positive ones. When tempted by interruptions, shift your attention to small rewards after completing tasks.

The classic "marshmallow experiment" illustrates this approach: kids who distracted themselves by singing or imagining scenarios resisted eating a marshmallow longer, earning a bigger reward. Similarly, individuals who master small habits can wield greater focus when working through tedious duties.

• Flossing teaches discipline in mundane situations.
• A worker replaces workplace chit-chat with completing a challenging assignment, followed by a refreshing coffee break.
• Children who resisted eating marshmallows adapted strategies to succeed.

4. Focus on Just One Task at a Time

Trying to multitask decreases productivity and worsens outcomes. The more complex the tasks, the less likely we are to do them well simultaneously. When we multitask, our brains constantly switch contexts, leading to inefficiency and errors. Instead, designate focused blocks of time for specific tasks.

Dr. Christian Jarrett shares that focusing on one task is far more effective than multitasking. For instance, students who avoided distractions like texting read and absorbed material faster. Allocate technology-free “focus meetings” in your calendar to prioritize undisturbed moments for complex work.

• Reading while texting took students 25% longer than focusing solely on reading.
• Setting two-hour “focus meetings” on a calendar can limit interruptions.
• Juggling multiple creative ideas dilutes effort and muddles progress.

5. Be Intentional When Using Technology

Unchecked technology use steals time and energy. Many people check social media out of boredom, losing hours that could be used more constructively. Lori Deschene suggests engaging with technology purposefully. For example, log onto apps intentionally rather than as a reflex, and log out promptly to minimize rabbit holes.

Even the way we position ourselves while using technology matters. Shallow or erratic breathing while staring at a screen increases stress. Conscious practices like yoga can counteract these effects, helping you stay mindful in a tech-heavy world.

• Logging onto Facebook to share a post can end with scrolling aimlessly for 30 minutes.
• A study showed that people unconsciously hold their breath in front of screens.
• Practicing yoga helps counteract stress accumulated from screen time.

6. Don’t Let Devices Control You

Smartphones were made to serve us, not the other way around. James Victore recommends putting boundaries around device use, such as placing phones on airplane mode during meals or personal time. Turning off devices during work hours minimizes distractions and enables deeper focus.

Professor Dan Ariely proposes scheduling company-wide email deliveries during specific times to prevent constant interruptions. While workplaces are unlikely to adopt such policies overnight, individuals can create their own healthy tech boundaries during work and leisure hours.

• A design team leaves personal phones in a separate room during brainstorming sessions.
• Dining out with friends becomes meaningful by silencing notifications.
• Scheduling emails to send at 9 AM improves work-life balance.

7. Combat Creative Blocks by Doing Nothing

Sometimes, you just need to stop trying so hard. Stepping away to let your mind wander creates space for creativity to reignite. Thinking aimlessly enhances awareness and invites new ideas. Scott Belsky recommends scheduling “mind-wandering” periods to rediscover creative motivation.

Avoiding perfectionism is another way to overcome blocks. Waiting for flawless concepts may paralyze action. Elizabeth Grace Saunders encourages starting projects immediately, trusting that creativity will eventually unfold.

• Setting 15 minutes for quiet reflection uncovers fresh thoughts.
• Artists who accept messy beginnings find their groove faster.
• Perfectionists delaying drafts lose valuable preparation time.

8. Rest and Exercise Boost Creativity

Rest and physical activity recharge your mind and spark new ideas. Sleep dramatically improves the ability to connect concepts creatively, as discovered in Harvard studies. Similarly, exercise enhances brain activity – even short walks help generate insights. Scott McDowell suggests naps or brisk walks to encourage clarity.

Hobbies unrelated to work also nurture innovation. Activities like gardening provide an experimental outlet without external pressure, feeding both relaxation and inspiration.

• People who sleep adequately solve problems faster than those with sleep deficits.
• Biking outdoors sparks energy and imaginative problem-solving.
• A marketing manager gardening experiments with colors and textures.

9. Make Time for Playful Creativity

Playfulness without pressure cultivates imagination. Julia Cameron recommends silly practices like writing nonsense before starting actual projects to get ideas flowing. Unexpected joy can lead to meaningful discoveries.

Incorporating fun outside work keeps creativity alive. Todd Henry advocates hobbies that encourage exploration without expectations – gardening, painting, or tinkering. Such activities keep burnout at bay while enriching creative reserves.

• A sculptor builds clay figures with no intended purpose, leading to an art exhibit concept.
• Hobbyist gardeners stumble upon surprising design patterns for their flower beds.
• Writing playful rhymes unlocks hidden talents in poetry-writing.

Takeaways

1. Start every workday by tackling your most important personal task before checking emails.
2. Schedule daily dedicated time free from technology for focused work or mind-wandering.
3. Choose relaxation techniques like walking, yoga, or hobbies to nurture your creative resources.