4.14.2012

what helps me be more productive

I just need to come right out and admit it. I'm pretty lazy. I'd rather sit on the couch and read a book than be productive. So I've found a few things that help me get my day started and increase my productivity.

  1. Get dressed as soon as I get out of bed. I don't usually take a shower until about 11 AM, and I used to just stay in my pajamas until then. But I've found that if I actually put some real clothes on, I don't feel so lazy, and I can actually get a few things done before baby naps and I shower.
  2. Have a short goal list. I used to make huge, long lists of things I needed to get done. I would take one look at it and get so discouraged. So I made a sticky note goal list. It's just a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper with 9 sticky notes on it. I write one goal on each sticky note. Some goals are fun (plan a baby blanket for my daughter) and some are not as fun (deep clean my laundry nook). But it feels so good to get something done, take the sticky note off, and throw it in the garbage!
  3. Be active. Whether it's walking with my mom in the morning, or doing Zumba or playing Just Dance on the Wii while baby naps in the morning, I find that when I do something active in the morning, I get more done the rest of the day.
  4. Have a schedule. For me it's a cleaning schedule. I do laundry on Thursday and Friday. I clean the bathrooms on Thursday. I weed the garden on Saturday. You get the picture. I also gave myself a day off. On Wednesday, my only chore is to go grocery shopping. I don't know why, but grocery shopping makes me exhausted by the time I get home (which is usually 10 AM). So I give myself the rest of the day to do what I want. I still do the dishes and all that, but I work on projects or read books. It gives me a day to look forward to, and I like that it's the middle of the week so it gives me a nice break in the middle of my cleaning.
  5. Do as much as I can while baby is awake. I know not everyone's baby is like mine, but my baby actually likes to watch me work. She especially loves laundry day. She hands me hangers while I hang up clothes. So I try to do as much cleaning as I can while she's awake, and that way I can have some downtime while she's napping.
What tips do you have that help you stay motivated and be productive? I'd love to hear them!


2 comments:

Diana said...

I love this post! That sticky note idea is kind of interesting, especially noting that the satisfaction comes mainly because you get to throw that note away.

I like your idea about getting dressed in the morning, no matter what. It does change things, huh?

Dianna said...

I like this. I think it is hard for stay-at-home moms to have the discipline to get things done. Schedules have really helped me too.