I just posted an article about how to deal with procrastination and writer’s block over on my creative writing blog. Perhaps the tips and techniques I unearthed during my research for that post would be of benefit to small business owners and freelancers?
Does that same self-punishing paradox, of wanting to make the best use of time while fretting torturously about wasting it, plague many crafters, workers and small business owners? I’d guess so, including myself. Procrastination is my middle name!
Alongside those creative writing tips, I have added a more business-time-management spin, with a few more resources I found for free download that are aimed at work-life balance for the busy, stretched solopreneur or SME executive. Note that there are many digital tools free online, but these examples here are all printable for hand writing in your plans, something I personally find is a refreshing and effective way to get motivated and creative.
This weekly planner from Sombras Blancas Design is such a find – I’m using it to visualise and plan the bigger picture, finding that it creates a link between my longer term goals and my daily task list.
The momentum planner by Productive Flourishing fills another essential gap in moving from goals to actions, with three separate versions for days, weeks and months. One of the most interesting strategies here is to realise the different levels of detail required for each time level, and to use action words (verbs) at the most immediate daily task level.
Finally, here’s another daily balancer but one with a difference and I think this is my favourite so far. From Investigative Designer, Dave Sri Seah, there is a distinctive emphasis on scheduling in relxation and recreation as well as work, all as part of your daily routines. Using coloured ‘balancing bubbles’ the whole thing is more fun, and that seems to be a key ingredient in work and in life – have fun!
Roberta McDonnell 