Tips For The Unrelenting Creative: Let’s Talk About Productivity

silver macbook on brown wooden table

Hi everyone,

Happy Tuesday! My kids went back to school this week so I get to write this newsletter in silence. (Silence!) Do not underestimate the power and luxury of being able to tackle work without interruption, especially coming off the excitement of winter break. One thing that I truly appreciate every January is that I can get into a flow in work and life. With relatively few engagements during the month of January, I can usually schedule in some of my best, deep work and this year has been the same. I hope you’re able to settle into a work and life flow that makes you happy in the next few weeks and I hope you enjoy this week’s edition of the newsletter.

Tips

  • How To Improve Your Productivity: One of the biggest resolutions I see pop up in the new year is a commitment to be more productive in life. I have a love/hate relationship with productivity, mostly because when I try to be super productive, it just means that I’m trying to cram more into the short amount of time I have available. 

    Tip: Instead of working harder to be more productive, try working smarter. I have a list of “rules” that I use that help me remain as productive as possible at work. At the top of my list is this statement “Nobody is ever going to ask you to do less,” as a reminder that I can’t do my best work if I’m completely fried all the time. Josh Spector has an awesome set of tips that just may improve your productivity forever, check them out here.

    Related: This amazing podcast on productivity with David Perell and Tyler Cowen
  • How To Use Micro Habits To Impact Your Productivity: I tend to be an all or nothing type of person. I’ll go hard for sixteen weeks to train for a marathon, run the marathon, and then not run for three months. Like most habits, running takes consistent effort and a commitment to the work over long periods of time. With the go big or go home mentality, I often struggle to keep up with my lofty goals. 

    Tip: Focus on small incremental changes that you can stick with for the long haul and give yourself permission to stop your routine every once in awhile. For me, it’s the permission to occasionally fail that keeps me going when it comes to productivity. Check out this fantastic article that lists 25 small changes to improve your life to get started. 

    Related: Control What You Can Control
  • How To Thrive In The Creator Economy: If you are not trying to figure out how to translate what you do in real life as a creative onto the internet, you are behind the curve. The creator economy is booming and you deserve to have your work represented online. While there are a lot of people trying to say that they are experts in the field, the truth is that this field didn’t even exist ten years ago. The possibilities are limitless and the time is now to get started.

    Tip: The internet needs better content. Start exploring now, pick one part of the internet in which to focus upon, and start creating. I think the biggest challenge to getting started online is that we assume that the only way to make a splash is by creating dance videos on TikTok. There are way more ways to dip your toes into the water as a creative. Here is a great article that should give you a good perspective on the size of this space.

    Related: Defining Financial Stability

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Nate Zeisler is the Dean for Community Initiatives at the Colburn School in Los Angeles. He envisions a world where students majoring in the arts have a clear path to a sustainable career, where creative minds are empowered and inspired to rule the workforce, and where access to the arts is not just for the privileged few, but for all.

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