. . . by using systems.

*Mic drop*

As a hybrid creative (some refer to our species as multipassionate), my mind is in all places at once because I’m in love with life and all that it has to offer.

Compiling blog ideas, posting #amwriting tweets, scheduling pins, completing my WIP for Camp NaNoWriMo . . . the list goes beyond the infinities within the infinities.

But how do I consolidate all these tasks into seven days in a week, let alone twenty-four hours in a day? No sleep. Just kidding.

By applying systems. (And no sleep. Not a good thing. I’m working on it, okay?)

Room for What Matters

Three major ways systems help you benefit from your creative life is by letting YOU:

• Be the captain of your life. You run your day instead of the day running you.
• Spend less time and energy on trivialities to apply your limited resources on priorities.
• Shine through. The tasks only you can do can be done by the brilliantly one-of-a-kind you.

The purpose of systems is to create focus on the things that matter while taking care of everyday tasks.

Most of us have had that moment in the middle of the year when we think, “Where have the days gone?” And looking back, all we see are the daily activities that swallow up our time when we let ’em. Eat. Sleep. Work. Repeat.

There’s nothing wrong with these, but allowing ’em to push our creative life to the side is no longer acceptable! As creatives, the world needs our art. Earth without art is eh. We are the bringers of beauty, the flesh and muscle to the rigid bones. Our creativity matters.

So which parts of our lives should we apply systems to? Consider these 6 areas:

Morning Routine

Since mornings hold so much potential, a set action list is helpful in catching the greatest benefits early on. This is especially important for those of us who are night owls. Like me. When I get up in the morning, my brain needs at least one full hour to reboot. If I wait for my mind to go into function mode before starting my day, that’s an hour wasted, never to return again.

But with a morning routine, muscle memory takes over. Make the bed, wash up, put clothes on, gather my bag, eat breakfast, then go go go! By the time I’m in the driver’s seat, I can confidently say that I’m clean, dressed, fed, and ready to face whatever’s ahead.

• Example: Kristel Kayser from Coffee Break and Chocolate Cake shares her ten-step morning routine that paves her way to a successful day.

Evening Routine

Succeeding in the day starts the night before. Think about these two scenarios. In the first, you come home from work, scarf down dinner, brush your teeth, then conk out for the day. In the second, you come home, prepare dinner while setting aside a portion for tomorrow’s lunch, wash your face, brush your teeth, prepare your outfit for tomorrow, then turn down the lights to get a good night’s rest.

In which scenario will you be able to leave the following morning with more time to spare? The second one, of course! Yes, you may be tired from all the awesomeness you produced that day. But if you have a system in place, like in the morning routine, muscle memory will take over. Your future self will thank your past self, and you could spend less time rushing in the morning and more time enjoying.

• Example: Aby Garvey from Simplify 101 shares helpful tips on what to include in your evening routine to ensure a smooth-going morning.

Daily Tasks

Everyone has their go-to method for remembering what needs to get done and tracking their progress. Well-known strategies include to-do lists, time blocking, batching, the Pomodoro Technique, and the Bullet Journal (my fave!) to name a few.

Think about how you operate on a daily basis, what makes you tick. Then mix and match the strategies that best fit your lifestyle and personality. If you find that you get easily distracted, the Pomodoro Technique might be the first tactic you’ll try out. If your mind overflows with ideas and needs a way to catch all of them, the Bullet Journal might be your next experiment. Embrace you awesomeness by setting up a system that drives you to succeed.

• Example: Kim from Tiny Ray of Sunshine has a collection of Bullet Journal tips as well as valuable thoughts on simplifying to ease our daily living.

Communications

E-mail, written correspondence, phone calls, appointments. All four can benefit from a system.

Rather than having a million programs, stick to one that works with your lifestyle. If one doesn’t jive, be sure to delete it before moving on to the next one. If you can use one system for two areas (such as Google programs for phone calls and appointments), even better! Streamlining the way you communicate can make the world of difference between being overwhelmed and being able to sleep at night.

• Example: Although Michael Hyatt‘s e-mail system may seem scary (click the link to see what I mean!), his system will change the way you interact through correspondence.

Creative Projects

No, I am not saying to systematize your artistic creation (though if this works for you, then by all means!). What I am saying is to stick to tools and a filing system that works for you so that whenever you need to access something, you’ll already know where to find ’em.

For writers, this could be Scrivener, Google Docs, filing cabinets. For dancers, this can be planners with tabs for choreography notes and bag organizers for equipment. Have a place for everything so that everything can be found in its place. No need to run around hunting for ’em. 🙂

• Example: Joseph Michael of Learn Scrivener Fast highlights some of the features that make Scrivener a must-have for a writer’s toolbox.

Personal Belongings

Such as important documents, clothes, office supplies. Again, a place for everything, and everything in its place. This takes the guesswork out of your creative zone and meal times. You can focus on putting your best work out there if you already know where the printer paper, the cheese grater, and the stapler are without having to scavenge for ’em.

• Example: Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus from The Minimalists have spot on advice about the easiest way to organize your stuff and transforming your space through a packing party.

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Caveat:

Do NOT attempt to apply all the systems to all areas of your life all at once.

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I know, you’re an amazing human being. BUT I want you to succeed. Success is not achieved overnight. The marathon is completed by placing one foot in front of the other and not by a single leap from starting line to finish.

So choose one area to focus on for the week. Decide what you believe would work best by considering your nature, lifestyle, and intentions. Then implement that one system to that one area. Give it time to stick.

At the end of the week, reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Maintain whatever worked, but adjust those that didn’t so you could experiment again on the next round. Once you feel that that particular system is becoming second nature, apply a new system into a different area.

And there you have it.

>> Systems.

*Mic drop*