Dysfunctional Planner

I was in a rut, gardening rut, housekeeper rut ( as in, I can’t keep my house looking nice ha ha) cooking rut, creative rut! Reading rut and don’t get me started on my writing rut.

What will improve my productivity?

I had to think about all the ruts I was stuck in and if I could improve them easily? I do believe in small goals as I am easily distracted and overwhelmed.

It was a tiktok that made me focus.

I have two accounts so I can separate my book and home loves with my gardening. It’s great. I feel like I need to separate these things. I follow a few arty people who inspire me and came accross an artist who was using this method called the Artists Way by Julia Cameron. Which I had bought a few years ago and never finished because I got stuck on chapter 8.

This book was written 30 years ago but like most people my age, the 90s only feel like ten years ago.

It is all about self belief and creativity, she does mention God a lot but then says God can be anything you need her to be, which I quite liked.

Chapter 8 made me pause in my tracks, I have just got through a lot but my biggest issue is that you are required to write 3 pages of fluid thought every morning, your morning pages.

This helps you get creative and I literally could not pick up a pen to even try.

I failed before I began.

So I started, this is week two and I forgot a few days but I don’t think of them as failures, just delays. So I am focused on writing, this helps you be more creative it also focuses a lot on self belief which I didn’t expect. So I am starting the process and it seems to be working. Do I feel more creative no but she says I have to focus and after twelve weeks it will become a habit.

So I get up. Shower, drink some water, look after Frank. Get Gavin a cup of coffee. My garden walks which often include a bit of grounding! And the make my self a large mug of tea and sit down to write my morning pages before I start work.

How to boost your productivity?

I think we focus on work when we talk about productivity, but actually it’s just about our lives, feeling productive so we can relax later on. I am a last minute women. I love a deadline. I also have a lot on in my life, so I love my evenings and weekends for relaxing.

I can only achieve this if I feeling motivated to do so and that generally happens when I get up.

So now I get up early. I’m never gonna be someone who can get up at 5 am but 6 o’clock 6:30 if I am awake when I get up, and if I need more sleep, then I’ll sleep, but I generally I’m always up before 7:30 now. This may not seem early to most people but I am not a morning person. My bed is my favourite place. I love to sleep and dream!

I had motivation to get up early and the main reason is I had to water the garden and I want to make sure that I get to do that.

My garden is my haven.

I get to spend time outside. Early mornings at the allotment check it over, water my plants and see if anything new had come through and then I’ll go to my greenhouse do the same, in the rockery and then I checked my dahlias at the front which are now starting to flower, which is really incredible

I know, I’m very lucky to have all these spaces, it’s nice to find quiet moment to appreciate them. And what I’ve learned about myself. that I have way more energy in the morning when I do in the evening.

So in order to boost my productivity I need to do it when I have the energy and not force myself.

This habit is only helped by the sun, so I know when winter comes I will enjoy longer lay ins. We like to get up early even on a weekend. Walk down to our local coffee shop before the heat or rain hits! Gavin is getting stronger every day so it nice to explore his energy levels. If it has rained the day before and I don’t have to water the garden then we will walk to the coffee shop before work. I still have time to write my pages but we spend the morning chatting and planning.

I am never going to truly change but I can become more productive!

Small steps, small goals and small changes. I think things will change when we are not living in a house full of boxes. When we will have storage and places for all our crap. I will always be messy and forgetful that won’t change, that’s just me. But I can get up early and tidy the kitchen, mop the floors, water the plants. I can get up early and read my book for an hour on the weekend before I have to start my day!

You will laugh when you see the list of garden jobs I have to do but that’s okay I like planning, writing lists, ticking off most of them. Planning is a motivator and doing is productive but achieving is so rewarding.

I am not out of any of my ruts yet.

So baby steps.

I am looking forward to trying, the journey and the gratitude.Tell the people in your life that you love them, and check your stool it may save your life!