🙀How do you do it all?
Now the eagle-eyed of you might notice that this email looks a little different. That is because I have had to swap my Sunday chat to another site as the one I was using is shutting down. Thank you, Mr Musk. 🤣
The question I get asked the most on social media and from people who reply to these emails is how I manage to do so much. For those that don’t know, I am a full-time teacher with my own tutoring company, a parent to three children and a writer.
So how do I fit this all in and sleep and eat? That is what I am about to tell you.
First, I don’t remember hardly anything, this gives me the creative energy to think about stories and articles, but more importantly, it gives me the mental freedom to be present when my family is around.
I do this by recording all the random thoughts that come into my head on my Apple notes; sometimes, it’s a sentence, and sometimes it is an article or the headline for an article.
Then between 8 and 10 pm, I process these notes, which form the basis of articles. I also write in these two hours and publish anything complete. The one thing I have stopped is a publishing schedule. I will publish it when I am ready.
These are not the only productivity tools I rely on to help me manage my workload. I also use items we all have; a to-do list and my calendar. Everything goes on these, so I don’t have to remember them.
The last technique I use is a zero inbox system. Nothing is saved in my inbox. Instead, I deal with everything that comes in, in one sitting. Articles I want to read are sent to a folder for reading later, appointments are added to my calendar and tasks to my list.
These techniques, along with a dedicated day to do all the admin for my business and planning for my teaching, hitting a focus time to concentrate on just that, helps me stay productive while still enjoying my family time.
If you need more convincing that systems can help productivity and reduce stress, since introducing this system in my life, I have dropped my resting heart rate in a month by three points.
Tell me about your productivity hacks. As with all these systems, it is about adapting them to your life.
As we will not be together next week, as I am not sending an email, can I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
Stay safe and warm.
Sam 😊
Personal picture of the week
Quote of the week
"You are hurt the moment you believe yourself to be." — Epictetus
Books I'm reading
The Devil You Know: Stories of Human Cruelty and Compassion - Gwen Adshead and Eileen Horne.
Build a Second Brain - Tiago Forte
I actually finished the last book this week and it was everything I hoped it would be. If you are looking to start your own knowledge system I can’t recommend this enough. Check out my full review here.
Articles this week
Easy Lessons from Teaching that all Writers Could Learn From.
And finally
I will never ask you to pay to receive these ramblings, but if you would like to help buy a poor writer a coffee please click here. Thank you in advance.