How to Get Something Done

That you've been putting off...and off...and off.

Photo by insung yoon on Unsplash

What Are You Waiting For?

I’ve struggled for a long time feeling that savoring my free time as a Self-Unemployed Creative Person™ is the most awesome luxury. It is! But the gift can sometimes become a curse…especially when it turns into a great excuse to be lazy. Sure, I enjoy my downtime AND I’ve been very productive over the years, but it was all so random. Especially lately, feeling like I deserved my free time. And I was simply wasting it.

I knew I could be doing more of the things I really wanted to be doing, but I just couldn’t find the motivation.

Until I discovered a super simple life hack.

We all have things we wish we had time to do, right? What is it for you? Is it painting? Writing a book? Exercising? Keeping in better touch with your friends? Learning photography?

And regardless of how badly we may actually want to do them, we find that it is incredibly challenging to start. There are several reasons for why we put things off. At the top of the list for me, is a fear of the end result being less than awesome. Why even try if it’s going to come out ho-hum, or maybe even bad.

I can save myself from future disappointment by not ever starting.

Or I could be brave…

I can allow myself to not be great right from the start, knowing that I will improve over time. It will also be easier to edit something that’s already written, for example, than editing something that’s simply in your head.

But I can’t shake the feeling that I really, really, really want to get started.

So what’s my super simple life hack? I can honestly say that it’s changed my perspective on my life right from the get-go.

I made a schedule.

That may sound super silly to you. Or you might be saying that you don’t have any free time to schedule anything.

But let me tell you straight: If there’s something you want to accomplish, making space in your schedule for it (however small) will bring you joy and a creative spark, as you are finally doing something you’ve been thinking about for so long.

I use Google Calendar (it’s FREE!) and block out chunks of my day with the specific activities I want to do…especially the ones that I haven’t been able to start, until now. Then I use alarms on my phone to remind me when it’s time to move on to the next thing on the list.

I go to bed knowing exactly what I’m doing tomorrow. And I wake up and don’t have to figure out what to do. It brings direction and purpose to my days.

I’m choosing to take control of my life. Rather than letting my life control me. (You’ve been hearing me say this for about a year now!) And now I’m offering you a simple way to starting doing the same thing, to whatever degree you’re able.

Have you ever heard the verse, “Without vision, the people perish”? I’ve heard that to mean, “Without vision, people will wander.” I’ve been wandering…and craving direction. And I’m finally giving it to myself, and I can’t believe how it’s already changed my life for the better.

I’d love to hear what you begin working on, and how this simple little trick works for you. Good luck!! ❤️