10 Productivity approaches to explore to get the work done and make time for life.
You Ain’t Gotta Go To Work, Work, Work, Work
But, as the song goes, you gotta put in the work. I love the idea of work, intellectually. It’s really interesting. We all have to do it. We (almost) all assign a lot of value in our lives to our “work product” or how we contribute to the world. Some of us “go to work” to feed our families. Some of us go to work because we’re driven to make a difference. Most of us, are striving to a little bit of both. We have crazy busy lives AND a lot of stuff (hopefully) that fills our cup outside of work. But, most weeks it feels like there is WAY (LIKE WAY) too much to get done and many of us find ourselves sitting there on Friday frustrated that our efforts fell short of our ambitions.
How In The World Do We Get It All Done?
Good. Me too. I know my purpose. I know why I work. It’s to provide for my family, make the world a better place and move us all forward. I’m working towards a goal of being financially independent, of having the ability to do what I want, when I want and with people that have meaning to me. But, man…some weeks just feel like I’m riding in a literally dumpster as it careens down the hill on fire. Does this sounds like you? If so, this question is for you. How can we do both? Do big, meaningful work AND live a rich full lives outside of work; filled with friends, family, community.
Ever Heard of Parkinson’s Law?
It’s this theory penned by a humorist named Cyril Northcote Parkinson, which essentially says “Hey dummy. There’s a reason that you get to the end of your day/week/month feeling like a failure. The work will just expand to fill up your life if you don’t have a system in place.” Parkinson’s Law was first used to explain why bureacracies get bigger, But, it’s also super helpful as a way of thinking about loads of different types of work, including PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY.
So, if you find yourself on the struggle bus, In part, you have this asshole’s theory to thank for it. But, you also need to take a hard look in the mirror and realize that it’s on you too and not some dude from the 50’s.
Ready To Make Some Productivity Changes?
You and me both friend. A few months ago, I started a journey to casually investigate some of the things that others are doing to get more productivity out of their weeks AND I started experimenting with some of these same approaches myself. So, let’s commit to some things.
We can and will take control of our work weeks.
We WILL prioritize our lives outside of work more
We SHALL commit to understanding the difference between busy work and meaningful work.
We are committed and open to loving/respecting ourselves enough to figure out what works best for us.
And yes….we will be open to trying new shit. That chid mind is the only way to embrace these new approaches (because some will be hard).
10 Approaches to Productivity That Might Save Your Week
Okay! With the above commitments in hand, here are some solid approaches that you can use in our company, with. your team and in your personal life to end more weeks better than you started them. I’ve learned some productivity lessons the hard way from being self-employed and a business owner for nearly 20 years.
Really Understand Your Week: David Baker of Punctuation.com said it best. “There are three kinds of days in your week. “Get Shit Off Your Plate” days, “Create High Value” days and “Live in Context” Days. Know that each of these will need regular attention, but know which ones help you create the kind of momentum you need. 🙄
Set Reasonable Expectations/Goals: Just trust me on this one. There is mental and emotional momentum you generate when you finish things. And the opposite occurs when you end the week with a massive to do list still intact. Remember, part of this game is getting good at work so you don’t take it home and into your personal time (which is vitally important). 🎯
Prioritize “Crucial” Stuff: Remember those “Create High Value” days? Know what’s important to get done and what’s not and make the priorities just that. In our shop, we call them “crucial results”. Simply put, they are the things that fall into one of two categories: Getting them done either generates big results and momentum (ex: “If we can ship this proposal, we’ll be in the running for that major account.”) OR prevents bad things from happening (ex: “If I don’t get this product launched by Wednesday, we’re going to miss the big announcement date.”). 💥
Time Block or Else: Listen. If you’re not protecting creative time, strategic time or deep work time, then that’s on you. Some stuff just simply requires you to unplug and stay laser focused. I practice time blocking regularly for important stuff, but I also time block banks of “nothing on the calendar” time to batch the things that roll into my view that I do need to deal with just not in the moment. Here’s a great article on time blocking for you from our friends at todoist. ⏲️
Try Monk Mode: Have trouble with focus? Try to be like a monk. Monk mode is a period of enhanced focus, discipline, and productivity where you eliminate as many distractions as you can and commit yourself to completing a goal. It’s good for task management, but it’s an even better life practice that can be applied to lots of things. But, you have to create the right environment. I enjoyed this productivity read from Jeroen V on Medium. It helped me better understand what monk mode is and how it’s an approach to life (and not just a productivity hack). 🧘🏼
Eliminate Distractions: Need to do some deep work or some focused work? Why the hell do you bring all the distractions of modern day work and life with you? That’s simply cray cray. Turn off the phone (or at least put it in do not disturb). Put do not disturb setting on you laptop. Find a distraction free place to get that work done (remember those workspaces? Way better than your home office or a coffee shop for deep work). Silence the chimes, pushes, pings, etc. Every time you pause to look, read, listen etc you throw yourself off your game and get nothing done. 🦗
Explore The Pomodoro Technique: If you are looking for a smart way to bang out a bunch of smaller tasks within a timeframe and normally have a lot of open ended tasks that could take forever if you let them, try the Pomodoro Technique. It’s an approach where you break tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks with dedicated short timeframes. Think of it like a “mini-sprint” with breaks. Here’s a good read on how to implement this. Promodor = Productivity 🏃🏾♀️
Take Breaks: Yes. Take breaks. Pomodoro says so. 😊 Take a 10 minute break for every hour of focused work you put in. Change your scenery when you find yourself being unfocused or stuck (walk anyone?). Breaks also serve up a bonus…build in an automatic water bottle chugging 30-second session into your break to make sure you stay hydrated all day. For me, every time I use the bathroom, I take a 30-second pit stop at the water fountain. Non-negotiable. #HydrateorDie
Wrangle Your Meetings: Listen. I’m collaborative. I love meetings with others. I think they are super valuable for creativity/innovation. At the same time, I know people who literally don’t ever get out of their chairs b/c they are in an endless stream of meetings (that’s not right or healthy). If meetings make your list of “things that I think get in the way of me doing great work”, then do something about it. Can you cut a meeting time in half with a more focused agenda? Are there meetings that aren’t 100% critical that you be there for? Delete. Can you restructure how your team meets overall to tap into some extra “productivity” time? I bet you can. It is 100% worth examining.. Here’s a good resource on the topic (with some sobering stats). 🛑
Reward Yourself: When you accomplish something big, reward yourself in some small way. Maybe share a win with colleagues (we have a #winning channel in our work cooperative for people to do just that). Treat yourself to a bevvy or that break I was talking about before is a proper reward for productivity. 🎁
BONUS (We just couldn’t resist)! Delegate (Responsibly): In our design firm, Period Three, we used to get these awful referrals from one of our “partners”. They’d send over work to us that they had already passed on. It wasn’t a good client or a good fit for them and those referrals ended up (surprise surprise) being trash for us too. Don’t be them. If you’re going to delegate tasks (and you 100%, absolutely have to to get anything done), be a responsible delegator. This could be a whole other blog post, but here are some quick tips. 🏎️
Don’t be a “drive-by delegator”: Deliver clearly communicated tasks, with specific deadlines and understood expectations for success. Don’t just “drive by” and drop some shit on a team member.
Delegate Strategically: If there are things on your plate that you’re not good at? Give them to people who are? Don’t just hand out trash to someone else. Leverage your teams skills to get more done together.
Delegate For The Right Reasons: Don’t give someone something because you don’t want to do it. Put on your big boy/girl pants and do the hard stuff too.
If you’ve made it to the bottom of this list…you have now “invested” 15 minutes of your precious time into bettering yourself and your work week. Now….go put one or more of these ideas into practice to start generating an ROI.
Want Some More Productivity Convo?
Looking for a little more? Check out this great episode on the Communal podcast where Greg and Gene dig into how we structure our weeks to avoid going insane. It’s a really good (and candid) conversation.
About The Author:
Greg Hilton is the cofounder and managing partner for SOCO, SOCO is a thriving platform and community focused on supporting creators, indie workers and entrepreneurs just like you. He’s an avid outdoorsman, creator and storyteller. He’s also been self-employed and a business owner for nearly two decades and has worked with hundreds of solos, creators and entrepreneurs to help them lead better and more meaningful lives.
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A Commentary On Time Management, Productivity and Work/Life Balance
Let’s Talk About Dishes
How do you load the dishwasher? No really? Are you a “let it pile up and I’ll tackle it all at once” kinda human or a “that dish just landed and I’m coming in hot” kinda person? Or maybe you’re the “Just what I need, when I need it” weirdo. I’m sort of obsessed with ways to get more out of myself, my day and (of course) my work. I think it’s a healthy reverence. My friends and family use “obsession” (whatevs).
If you hang around SOCO long enough, you’ll inevitably see me hovering over the dishwasher rearranging mugs and glasses and bowls in the eternal search for the “optimized wash”
ps: In case you were wondering, there’s a scientifically-backed approach to doing it well – thank you American Cleaning Institute. 😎
pss: Yes. Hannah Lee and I are working on a team member handbook on how to optimize dishwashing as one of our core values. 🙌🏾
What The Hell Are You Talking About, Greg?
Well friend. Washing dishes is a corollary for your work (or your life or both):
It’s a daily routine (for most of us)
It can feel never ending (you run it and 10 minutes later they’re baaaaack!)
If you don’t tend to them, they pile up and can create a lot of stress and not just for you (don’t believe me? Read this).
They suck! Like, who raises their hand for dishes??? But, you just have to do it (kind of like work for most of us).
And finally…there are a like hundred different ways to getting them done!
So, Why Are You Creating Dishwasher Distress?
Here goes. The actual dishes are ALL THE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE. 💥
Your work commitments. Your social relationships. Your family needs. Your personal time. Your mom (that you haven’t called back in weeks). If you need to spend time on it, then it’s a “dish”. And you need to take care of each one (eventually). But every bloody week, the dishes pile up and you can never seem to get around to all of them.
What needs to go in right now? What can wait? Are the plates more important than the mugs? Do some need to be washed by hand because they are delicate or breakable? How many minutes should I spend standing over this sink before I go postal (I can’t be the only one)?
My point is this. It’s all gotta get done. So, the real question is what’s important to you and how do you handle things when when the “shit” piles up?
6 Things We Can Learn About “Balance” From Dishes
There’s Always Dirty Work: We all want to do the high value work that’s strategic and high value. But, you’re fooling yourself if you think you can avoid the dirty work all the time. In fact, sometimes leadership is more about showing than telling. So, lead by example and get your hands dirty. 🧼
Take Pleasure In Small Wins/Steps/Efforts: Struggling with an overwhelming task? Start small. Wash a dish. And then another. And then another. Small wins can have a profound impact on your well-being. Take baby steps towards your goal and before you know it…”the dishes are done man…”. 😂
Find Purpose In All Things: Washing dishes, taking out the trash, cleaning out your inbox, decluttering your workspace, reviewing your spending…whatever the mundane task…it does serve a purpose. Assign value to the outcome and transcend the monotony of the task. For me (at home), washing the dishes is one way that I say “I love you” to my partner. I wash the dishes (at night mostly) so that when she wakes up, she’ll come into a clean(er) kitchen. That reduces her stress and that’s a good thing. 💪🏽
Know Your Priorities: Know When Something Is A Priority (And When It Isn’t). We can’t get it all done. Stop trying. Really. So, life is really about choosing where to invest your time and in what. Take a hard look at where you spend your time and what efforts will help you create the most momentum. Those small tasks can consume your day, but ask yourself if they’re moving the needle or not. If they aren’t, maybe the dishes can wait another day. 🎯
Reward Yourself: Listen. Carrots always work better than sticks. So, if you have to get through some hard stuff (or a hard day/week), know it’s going to suck and set aside some time to reward yourself with something related to emotional, mental or physical wellness. Hard = A Reward. Listen…there’s a reason people plan their vacations in advance. 🏖️
Ask For Help: Sometimes, life can get overwhelming. Being entrepreneurial sometimes feels like you’re the “capitan”, the first mate and everyone else on the deck of the ship. Know when to ask for help and Surround yourself with people who can offer emotional support, practical help, and guidance when needed. 🆘
Looking for a little more?
Check out this great episode on the Communal podcast where Greg and Gene answer listener questions on work/life balance, leadership and remaining your authentic self. It’s a good one.
About The Author:
Greg Hilton is the cofounder and managing partner for SOCO, SOCO is a thriving platform and community focused on supporting creators, indie workers and entrepreneurs just like you. He’s an avid outdoorsman, creator and storyteller.
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As 2021 comes to a close, we can again say, “what a year.”
The challenges were real, folks. It was a roller coaster ride in more ways than one. And while it’s easy to focus on the lows, we want to highlight the good things that happened around the SOCO community.
It’s a bit of a “family tradition” around here. Once a month, we have #winningwednesdays which we use as a time for members to share the awesome stuff in their life (business or personal). And once a year, we ask them to tell us what they’re most proud of over the last 12-months.
The answers cover a broad spectrum of accomplishments. But the common theme is this: these folks did incredible things over the past year, like freelance copywriter Cat Treme, who kept her business going (and thriving) while caregiving for her parents.
Or Mary Cate Spires, who wrote a book that’s scheduled for publishing in 2022. We love to see our folks be recognized for their hard work.
Others, like Amanda Goforth and Jeremy Tong, landed new jobs (working remotely at SOCO 🙌) with companies they’re really excited about.
And SOCO’s own Whitney Balish blew through her reading goal of 60 books (“I’m sorry, did you say 60”)? And read 78 books as of the publishing of this article (her highest total ever).
Yours truly (Ben Culbreth), quit the 9-to-5 life to become a full-time freelance writer.
These are just a few examples of what members are up to. From building new companies to leading non-profits, we’ve got a pretty amazing group of people who call this community home.
We don’t like to talk about ourselves too much, but we’d be remiss, not to mention a few things we’re proud of.
First, we welcomed two new team members; the aforementioned super reader, Whitney Balish, who’s leading our sales and business development efforts, and Hannah Lee, who manages operations and makes sure the workspaces work the way they’re supposed to.
For the first time since SOCO 80808 opened, we participated in Vista Lights and welcomed more than 1,000 people to our humble abode in one evening.
We invested blood, sweat, and maybe a few tears into the GrowCo Growth Summit and continued to fulfill one of our values by supporting the entrepreneurial community.
At 80808, we made some home improvements by enclosing offices to give members a better experience to do their best work. In addition, we upgraded seating at both locations and added outdoor lighting. In short, we have the best work infrastructure in the city (Seriously, it’s really awesome).
And gave back; SOCO members lead the way by donating more jackets and coats, which will keep local students warm this winter than any other group participating. We have Dawn Dawson-House to thank for getting us involved.
It’s been a long year. But we’ve battled through a pandemic and many other things, and we’re still here. We’ll continue to support the good people who choose to be part of SOCO. We’ll tell powerful stories and hopefully offer the advice and insight that will make you better at what you do and a better human.
Nothing in life is a given. Not for one second do we take for granted the opportunity we have to serve people who are doing work that is changing our city and the world. Whatever 2022 throws our way, we’re ready. And we hope you’ll be right there beside us.
I’m a paid advertising and digital marketing guru who likes craft beer, video games, and playing music. I used to play in metal bands, and I’m looking forward to teaching my kids how to play when they get old enough. I’m always looking to expand my knowledge, and I’m always on the hunt for delicious food and craft brews.
Cool! We have a few questions…
What jobs did you have before you landed where you are today?
Salad Maker at The German Gasthaus
Supervisor at Taco Bell
Supervisor at UPS
Supervisor at Gamestop
Route Manager at Trugreen
Marketing Bitch at VOLT Lighting (Where I started my internet journey)
Various Agencies
Various Startups
What do you wish outsiders knew about your industry?
Paid advertising isn’t a silver bullet that’ll save a failing business. Businesses themselves actually have the best advantage when it comes to creating the most successful campaigns.
What’s the #1 question clients or customers ask you?
“How much should I spend?”
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned the hard way?
Perfectionism is the enemy. I allowed perfectionism to hinder me to the point where I never released a product I could’ve back in 2013. My perfectionism caused me to never launch, and someone else ended up doing it and making a killing doing it.
What’s one book, podcast, series, or movie you’d recommend…and why?
I hate to sound cliché, but Dale Carnegie’s books have been the most impactful reads I’ve found.
What’s one way the SOCO community has shaped your life?
SOCO has shown me there is a community of like-minded, progressive people here. Being around people who have similar interests and all seem to be striving to live our best lives keeps me motivated.
What improvement do you hope to see in your own life in the next 12 months?
I’m hoping to finish building out my business. I’ve evolved it and changed my agency over the years, and I haven’t been able to really scale up as a result. I think I’m closer than ever before, but I want to get things in scale mode within the next year.
Ben Landers is a Husband, Dad, and Teacher. When he’s not teaching or creating resources online, he loves to get active through camping, hiking, kayaking, surfing, snowboarding, or any other outdoor pursuit that he can manage to squeeze in. He’s also pretty handy with a camera and loves making videos and documenting fun trips and daily life with his family.
Okay, so, who are you?
I’m a Hubs of 13 years and a Dad to 3 kiddos 6 and under. Our life is definitely a circus, but we usually salvage some beautiful moments in the chaos of it all. I’ve been teaching Physical Education to Elementary kids at River Springs Elementary going on 14 years. In 2014, I started a teacher resource website to help out PE teachers and create content and resources to push the profession forward.
Cool! We have a few questions…
What jobs did you have before you landed where you are today?
First Job: Landscaping company doing yard work
Worked 6 years for Mungo Homes installing Sprinkler systems in the Columbia heat
Worked at a summer camp as the Tech Guru and Weekly Highlight Video Creator
Currently taking a break from this to focus on other stuff
Phys Ed Teacher 2007 – present
Online Content Creator and Membership Site Founder for PE Teachers
What do you wish outsiders knew about your industry?
Honestly, I wish everyone realized how real the opportunity is to start a business creating content in almost any niche or area of interest that you are passionate about. I think lots of folks who are discontent with their work should start creating content about something they love and are passionate about and try to turn it into a business through creating resources or a membership. It’s definitely not easy work, but I would rather work 50 hours a week doing something I love than 30 hours a week doing something I hate.
What’s the #1 question clients or customers ask you?
They ask, “How do you find the time to do it all?” I usually answer with a few tips like focus on one thing, prioritize your tasks, and batch your time for different types of work. But in the end, everyone has the same amount of hours in each day—it’s just a question of finding a way to use them in the best way possible to achieve whatever you want to do with your life.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned the hard way?
It’s a marathon, not a sprint…Starting a business takes time to gain traction, and there are a lot of hard and long hours. In our microwave society, we want everything to be delivered in 2 days, but the truth is change is hard, and it takes time. Most people will give up on something before they’ve put in enough work to realize the outcome they were hoping to reach. I have to constantly remind myself of this when I get impatient with the way things are going or how long it’s taking to learn something new, develop a new resource or product, or push out a new initiative.
Another big perspective shift is learning to love the process, sometimes it’s the journey over the destination, and if you can enjoy the journey more than the destination—you’ve pretty much figured out the best life hack there is.
What’s one book, podcast, series, or movie you’d recommend…and why?
My favorite Podcast is The Tim Ferris Show. It’s incredible. The most recent interview with Hugh Jackman is a great one to catch if you haven’t heard it; there are so many takeaways and valuable insights that he shared.
What’s one way the SOCO community has shaped your life?
For the first few years, I built my online business in coffee shops and the public library. But when I found SOCO, I was pumped to be able to have a sanctuary to get more focused on work with fewer distractions…unlimited beer and coffee had a slight impact on my decision as well :-). I enjoy the feeling of working in a place where there are so many other people working towards their goals and building something valuable as well—the hustle is contagious.
What improvement do you hope to see in your own life in the next 12 months?
As a PE Teacher, health and activity has always been one of my top priorities, but the whole quarantine situation with 3 kids has pretty much wrecked both me and my wife’s exercise habits…and most of our healthy routines we had in place before COVID. I’m hoping to get some of those routines back and build in some regular exercise, personal development, and mental health-focused times into my life over the next year.
Jada Willis is a business owner, podcaster, author, and HR professional. When she’s not helping small businesses create scalable HR processes, Jada is usually listening to a podcast or spending quality couch time with her wife. When COVID isn’t a thing, she travels, enjoys the spa, and other adventures. Jada is passionate about being a problem-solver and helping others succeed.
Cool! We have a few questions…
What jobs did you have before you landed where you are today?
I’ve been working in Human Resources in some way, shape, or form since 2001. I started as an HR Intern at Ponderosa Steakhouse working for chicken wings and mashed potatoes. I begged an HR Director for a chance to learn. By 18 years old, I had participated in sexual harassment investigations, attended corporate strategic planning meetings, and interviewed and hired managers in 3 different states. I didn’t receive any money, but the experience was priceless. The chicken wings were pretty good, too!
Prior to Willis HR, I have been a:
Human Resources Business Partner
Human Resources Manager
Recruiting Specialist
Target Store Manager
Server/Runner
Computer Lab Assistant
I believe that every experience has led to Willis HR, an opportunity to help small business owners reach the goals that have previously been unobtainable.
I have this passion for helping others. It’s what I’ll be doing for the rest of my life.
What do you wish outsiders knew about your job or industry?
Everyone should know that, without the right HR partner, a company of any size is like a boat without a rudder. At Willis HR, our team is typically providing guidance, stabilizing or implementing new processes, and chartering the path for growth. A business has the greatest chance of succeeding and reaching its people, purpose, and profit goals with relevant HR systems. HR can be much more than just payroll, benefits, and filing.
What’s the #1 question clients or customers ask you?
Initially, our clients usually want to know how an outsourced HR firm can really get to know their company quickly and customize HR solutions. (That’s actually one of our strengths)
Initially, our clients usually want to know how an outsourced HR firm can really get to know their company quickly and customize HR solutions. (That’s actually one of our strengths).
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned the hard way?
There are a few that I could list, but one worth sharing is that everyone isn’t a potential client. It’s okay to have an ideal client.
Our ideal client has a true desire for an HR partner, sees the value of their employees, and has less than 50 employees. We build partnerships with our clients, and that’s how real results occur. This is our sweet spot. But, it took a little while to get to the point where we weren’t working with clients that just wanted to check a box.
I have learned not to compromise my (our) values for money. We want to be a good fit for the right client. We even state on our website “We don’t say yes to every prospective client.” That’s one of the great perks of being an entrepreneur, the freedom to choose who you serve. As HR professionals, we terminate employees—it’s just the nature of our work. But, I naively didn’t think about the fact that I had to terminate clients. Ugh!
What’s one book, podcast, series, or movie you’d recommend…and why?
I’m going to say, “The Big Leap.” Once someone operates in their zone of genius, lookout. This book helped me realize what a zone of excellence and zone of genius really was for my company and myself. It was life-changing. My fulfillment level went up and revenue increased!
What’s one way the SOCO community has shaped your life?
SOCO was the community that I searched Columbia for. A space to be a game-changing entrepreneur with vulnerabilities, mistakes, and insecurities. The members are insanely smart, generous, down-to-earth, and truly embrace others in the community. I’m thankful to be a part of it.
What improvement do you hope to see in your own life in the next 12 months?
I have learned that when I am taking care of myself and refilling my cup in the ways I need most, I am a better HR, leader, wife, daughter, friend, and stranger. I am structuring my morning routine and self-care to be able to fully make a positive impact on the lives I get to interact with on a daily basis.
