7 Ways to Simplify Your Creative Work Life
After we’ve detoxed our studio space we need to consider some ways to simplify our work lives to enable us to be more productive with the time we have available.
As passionate creatives we pour everything into building and growing our businesses. While this means we achieve a lot it can easily start taking over our lives leaving us with no time to ‘just be’.
Simplifying some of our systems will help to control this. When you run your own business, every day is full of tasks. Even if you are not making or creating, there are emails to answer, websites and shops to update, taxes to do, photos to take, not to mention marketing on Facebook, Twitter, networking events. It is never ending.
So how can we simplify all this?
Decide what is essential
Fulfilling orders is essential, checking your emails every 5 minutes isn’t. Consider which unnecessary activities add little value to your life and edit them from your working schedule. Many of them will be bad habits that you need to unlearn.
Set boundaries
Have a set amount of time per day that you will spend on your business then stick to it. Work with what you have: if you can only work evenings once the kids are in bed, then schedule your time within that. Set limits on what you are hoping to achieve in that time. Maybe work on 3 things off that to-do list instead of the 100 you would like to get done! This means letting go of the non-essential tasks and concentrating on the things that will propel your business forward.
Provide more information
If a big chunk of your time is spent answering emails, update your website of shop policies with some FAQs. If you regularly get the same questions it’s usually because that information can’t be found on your site. It won’t take long to set up a simple page on your blog or website and should make it easier for people to find the information they need before contacting you.
Get help
You don’t have to do everything for your business yourself, even if you are a one person business. Brainstorm ways you can get help from others. I’m working on this one myself by looking into getting an intern or assistant. Consider what tasks you would need them to do then take the time to find someone that fits with your company.
Consolidate your product range and services offered
If you offer a lot of different products or services, focus on what you love the most and are best at. Be honest with yourself and consider the core purpose of your business. If you have products that don’t fit with that it’s time to shelve them. It can be tempting to keep adding new products but simplifying your range can also help your target audience recognise what your strengths are.
Limit your to-do list
I once read that your daily to-dos should be able to fit on a post-it note. That advice has proved invaluable to me. I still have a mega-list but transfer a few things from that list to work on each day. This way I stay focused and don’t get overwhelmed.
Turn off technology
If you struggle to stay focused with daily distractions from phone calls, emails, social media convos, switch these off so you can concentrate. Constantly checking Twitter or emails is counterproductive. If you need to get some big tasks done, turn it off and you’ll be able to focus and get the work done faster.
How are you getting on with SIMPLIFYING your business so far? Have you started clearing out your workspace? I’d love to hear in the comments.
Some great advice here Isa. I have to look into implementing some of it, but one thing I already have planned for my own business is to streamline my product range and concentrate on the materials and techniques I like working with the most. However I still need to sell older stock and also have started selling materials I don’t want to use any more. I also have started (on a very small scale and as an experiment) to wholesale a few items. Getting away from the computer is definitely a good idea. You get more done and feel so much better for it. I like the idea of the post-it-note., though I try to limit the to-do lists now to a bare minimum and main things I want get done and leave the small things out.
Hi Helen, streamlining your product range is a great way to simplify your business. It can be a nightmare keeping up with too many types of products and limiting them can help your target market get to know your main strengths. Good luck.
Such sound advice as always! I’ve not managed to reinstall email on my mobile and do you know what, it’s been fab! I love that when I’m out and about and having mummy time etc I’m not able to check my email.
Thank you for yet another great post :)
You’re welcome Viv. It’s hard to not keep checking emails all the time especially when we are going about our days as Mums. I think subconsciously we feel as though we need to be checking in “just in case” we make a sale, get that new client etc BUT if you do get an email in this time, it’s not going anywhere. It took me a long time to learn that one!
Thank you Isa, I have just decided this morning I need to make some sort of timetable for my working week! I need to ensure I spend my time more productively if I am going to achieve half of what I want to do in the next few months. I am now going to sit and plan how I can do this as I really don’t want another week like this one, just meandering along & not achieving much!
I hope you have a fab weekend and thank you again for a great post.
Zoe
x
Thanks Zoe, A schedule is a great idea to help you set out your time better. Good luck with it!
Hi Isa-
Okay, this one hit home for me. After reading that tip about to do lists, I looked at mine to see what I had scheduled for today. The answer was 17 tasks, some of which had sub tasks within them. You’re right! There’s no way to reasonably finish that, so I can either charge full steam ahead and be disappointed at the end of the day, or I can take a moment now to make my list slightly more reasonable and then have a more satisfying work day. Peeling myself away from social media will be harder :) I work from home, alone, and so having my twitter feed open makes me feel as though I have a chattering group of coworkers one cubicle down. I wonder if I can strike some sort of balance?
I’m totally loving this series! Thank you for all your wonderful ideas.
-Adriana
I can’t believe your to-do list was so big! With regards to Twitter and social media, just turn it off. You won’t miss anything. Check in for a set amount of time when you’re having a break from work and then when the time is up, close it again. It’s the only way you can do it.
Thank you so much for this post!! Exactly what I needed as I start the new year with new ideas. I just organized my space and materials now I need to organize my mind and I love the post it note idea. I often find myself trying to do a little bit of 100 things that need to get done instead of focusing on a couple things and completing them!
Thanks again and have a great weekend!
Kelly
Thanks for your comment Kelly! I used to be like that too and would feel like I hadn’t accomplished anything. Now I focus on one thing at a time and it works!
I think you might have wrote this just for me! Thank you Isa for such clear & thoughtful tips. Lately I am feeling so overwhelmed and scattered….like I’m pedaling fast but my bike isn’t going anywhere. I really appreciate your insights. I officially have help starting tomorrow and am delegating some of my tasks.
Hoping that clears the way for more productivity.
I’m really loving this entire month and am finding that it is starting my year out with a fresh perspective.
xo
Cant believe I missed this post. Amazing advice as always, Isa. The number one thing I have done and seem to be doing well, is turning off technology . While it is handy, – well – its too handy .. so I literally keep my I-phone far away from me , I turn off the computer when not necessary .
Here’s to productivity :)
Really great post, thanks Isa – the postik note idea is genuis! x