Creating Structure

[Michelle]

I work independently at home a lot. My work basically entails vocal practice, self-discovery and keeping myself in shape.

But there are times when I do not work at home. Like when I teach during two afternoons per week or when I have my own lessons at school.

Then there are performances which come up now and again ...

Anyway ... I have a hard time structuring my time because every day there seems to be something new or different about my schedule.

How do you independents handle this? Do you ruthlessly block off sections of your time each day to complete your alone work?

Your thoughts are much appreciated.

[joshbickford]

I saw Alex Mondossion describe the perfect way to get things done. It works masterfully.

Put together blocks of 50 minutes, perhaps 2 or 3 a day. In that block of 50 minutes you do nothing but the things that bring you income. Work solely on that, no phone calls, tv, internet, chores, bills, errands--nothing but income producing work. He said that three 50 minute session of that a day will seem like forever, and he was right!

I also prefer to put the things I must get done on a yellow pad of paper, and cross it off as I get it done. Prepare the list the night before, and if you don't get something done, cross it off and add it to tomorrow.

These two tips have made me more productive than any other tips I have ever received.

[MGJ]

Hi Michelle... first thing... I really like your website. It's something new that I haven't seen before about singers. Pretty cool. On your question... I love chaos. I know others don't and thats cool... but it works best for me and helps bring out the spontaneity and creativity I need. I've tried the whole structure thing, and it's just not in my nature. The more chaotic, the more I thrive... I guess it's the whole spontaneity thing I love the most.

[Michelle]

Thank you both for your replies.

Put together blocks of 50 minutes, perhaps 2 or 3 a day. In that block of 50 minutes you do nothing but the things that bring you income.

Well, I am happy to find out there are other people who think working 3 concentrated hours a day is A LOT!


MGJ

I appreciate your comment on my website! The thing is: until now, I've basically done what I want, when I want. Talent has gotten me far. Just now, I think the point has come where I have to (and want to) become more structured and disciplined. I guess I feel it is the only way for me to go further ...

[MGJ]

I hear what your saying... you got to do whats calling you. Good luck!

[Hugh Hollowell]

I find that just as work will expand to fill the allotted amount of time, so will goofing off. In other words, I find I have to create or impose structure, such as scheduling off-site meetings, making appointments, and so on, so that all of my time is not self-directed, otherwise it is easier to rationalize that you will have plenty of time to do it this afternoon, or after the kids go to bed, or... you get the point.

[ReallyGoodIdeas]

I'm struggling with this myself. I work from home, see clients for EFT sessions, and do Project Management training and consulting, often offsite, but also update my website and develop EFT self-learning stuff. Also running my own business I need to the books, my tax etc. I'm finding these days that I just forget to do things. A list is good, but I travel around and leave the list at home, and those tasks don't get there. I've almost forgotten meetings this last week!

I've been thinking that I need to start each week by building up a plan for the week. Things will happen to change that, but at least I can start the week knowing what's coming up.
I use Outlook calendar for obvious stuff like meetings and appointments, but I was thinking I'll block out chunks of time to do the other things in. Like write documents, and update the website etc. The structure idea is what I feel I need at the moment. So Monday 9am will always have an entry that says 9-9.30 - sort out calendar for this week(unless I'm doing training on Monday!)!

Then if I take a booking, I need to move the other chunk of work rather than just forget it.

my 2c worth anyway.
joy to you
Hazel

[SamBeaven]

I use Dave Seah's Emergent Task Planner to help block off time. It's really good for visualizing what you've got in a day and helps to impose the kind of structure Hugh Hollowell talks about above.

It's kind of like Timeboxing really.

[Michelle]

Thanks for all your replies.

The solution I came up with is this:

Since my days vary each week, I created 5 different possible daily structures based upon how much time for "alone work" (practicing and studying) I have in a day. I've been using them for two days now, tweaking here and there where necessary. They have worked wonderfully! The best part though - I feel so much better about myself. I don't really know why except that I feel more deserving of being called "hard working".

[Andrew Brunelle]

I am not sure structure is the answer. Structure can be very rigid, like a box, and if you want to think outside the box (the box being too crowded and limiting anyway), I find that having an unstructured day is the pinnacle of human existence. I am not being sarcastic, this is just the way I feel. I am guided by intuition, moving from this to that, that to this. I maintain a blog, which I write in when I feel like it, and then I write in a journal when it feels right, I do my taxes when I feel like it, you get the idea. It opens me up to opportunities I otherwise would be oblivious to because I have a five o'clock yoga session