If you’re running the social media or marketing campaigns for your church, then you know that you have a lot going on. Sometimes you have so much going on that it can become overwhelming and make you want to crawl back into bed and hide under the covers. If this is you, don’t worry. I’ve got three quick hacks to help you get your day off to a productive start and tackle whatever the world throws at you.
Don’t Check Email or Social Media
Various reports say that most people check their cell phones when they first wake up, often before even getting out of bed. However, when you check your email or social media to begin your day, you let social media and email set your agenda, rather than prioritizing what needs to be done. Getting sucked in to emails and your social media feeds first thing in the morning can cause you to lose focus, which diminishes your productivity.
Instead, set aside a specific time later in the day to tackle these tasks, and be sure to give yourself a time limit so you don’t go overboard. Knowing that you will have time to look at your feeds later can give you the peace of mind you need to start a productive day off on the right foot.
Take on the “Creator” Mindset
There are two mindsets that you can adopt in the morning: a consumer or a creator. The consumer mindset asks, “What content can I consume today?” You may start out with good intentions of being productive but can quickly digress into consuming pop-culture and other non-critical information.
Conversely, the creator mindset is one that is intent on creating. The creator mindset asks “What can I create today?” When you adopt this mindset you are gearing your mind up to be productive and to create throughout the day.
Remember, you cannot create when you are caught up in consuming. To get yourself into the creator mindset, start your day off by finding a single task and completing it. Even something as simple as making your bed can give you a sense of accomplishment and jump start a productive day.
I personally think that a great way to encourage the creator mindset is to write every morning. The method I prefer is to wake up and write 500 words without stopping. No editing, no second guessing, just write constantly until you reach 500 words. You’ll be surprised how easily writing will come to you after just a few weeks of doing this.
Pick 3-5 “Must-Do” Tasks
My to-do list currently has more than 100 tasks in it, and there’s no way I can do them all in one day. If I looked at my list throughout the day I would be overwhelmed with everything going on in my life. Because you are reading this, I’m sure you are in a similar situation.
To help alleviate the stress of an overloaded to-do list, start of each morning by scanning through your list. Then, identify the top three to five tasks that must get done that day. Create a new, shorter to-do list for these “must-do” items and display it prominently on your desk to help you stay focused throughout the day when things start to get hectic.
Don’t allow yourself to check social media or work on other tasks until your “must-dos” are completed. This allows you to improve your productivity by ensuring that you are focusing on what matters most and not getting distracted by less important tasks.
If your day starts chaotically, that is a choice that you made. You have to choose to have a focused, productive day. No one else can choose that for you. However, implementing the hacks I’ve listed here can help get you started in the right direction.
Everyone is different, so what works for me or for your co-worker may not work for you, and vice versa. Don’t be afraid to try different methods and adapt other people’s systems until you find the right mix that works best for you. With a little practice and motivation, you can have a productive day, every day.