6 ways to stop wasting time and start working for real
July 15, 2013 Time Management
If you're starting out in the creative business or as an independent artist, you might be under the impression that inspiration just hits you out of the blue and you're gonna do real creative work when that happens. Yeah, that's great. But really now, do you really think that's how it works?
There's no way you're going to get started on that new project while checking your Facebook notifications or while you're out with friends. You're gonna need to sit down at your desk and work for real. No Facebook, no emails, no nothing. I know it sounds a bit harsh, but if you want to get things done, this is the way.
You probably feel like there's no time for that, don't you? You're always way too busy to even think about taking some time to work on your awesome creative project. Well, truth is you do have the time. You just don't know how to use it right yet. So, to get you started on training your time management skills, here's a list of awesomely useful tips:
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Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. Figure what's going to help you more in completing your evil master plans. Whatever they're about, I'm sure they're more important than the latest episode of Game of Thrones. So, make a list, decide what's really important and stick to that.
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Write stuff down. Whether it's your cool new business idea or a list of things you need to do around the house, it's better to write it all down as soon as possible. Not only will you remember them, but you'll also get them off the top of your mind and concentrate on your tasks.
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Minimize distractions. Turn off notifications, e-mail alerts, phones or anything that might distract you. You really don't want people calling right when you've finally got in the zone.
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Get working on the most important projects first. That way you're gonna be most focused while working on it and you're going to put your best efforts into it. It's really as easy as that.
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Break big projects into small tasks. You're going to feel your project is endless if you plan on doing it all at once. So, break it into smaller chunks to watch progress easier and make it seem easier to complete.
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Watch where your time goes. You can see where your time is going by keeping track of it with UpYourTime. That way you know what takes up most of your time and if you're using your time efficiently or not. Our cool app lets you count hours spent on each project using the task timer.
That should be enough to get you started.
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