Do you have problems being productive?

I’m amazed when I surf through blogs and see the amount of projects some people are able to accomplish.  Here are some suggestions to boost your productivity and squeeze more into your day.

• Get up earlier and start working.  Author Nikki Arana http://www.nikkiarana.com/ and I emailed back and forth a few years ago, and I learned that she is up before the birds, sitting in front of her computer writing.  By the time her husband and family are up, she’s put in 3-4 hours of undisturbed work time.  This doesn’t work for everyone, but you can see the dedication she has for her writing. 
• Keep a list of your projects.  I keep my list on iGoogle.com,  but you can keep yours anywhere that works for you.  I find that by really limiting my list, I stay more focused.  I will not let myself add a new project to the list until something that is already on the list is completed and crossed off.  This really seems to work for me.
• Prepare ahead.  During the last year of my mother’s life, I spent a lot of time by her side.  I had prepared ziplock bags ahead of time.  Each bag had precut pieces for one scrappy Bear’s Paw quilt block.  I made sure I always had a bag with me, and
• inside the bag I would tuck a smaller ziplock bag with a few pins, needle, thread, thimble and  scissors.  Whenever I visited mom, at home, in the hospital or later in her hospice room, I could sit and sew while we talked.  Whenever I’d finish a block, she wanted to touch it, look at it, and rub it on her cheek.   That is a special quilt for me now that mom is gone.
• Establish goals for yourself.  I wanted to force myself to try new things and be more productive, so last fall I decided to do the Block-of-the-month calendar.  That decision has forced me to produce something new every month for one year. While it’s been stressful at times, it has also helped me complete something every 30 days. 
• Don’t watch television without something to do on your lap.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a sewing or knitting project or a laptop computer… if you’re going to sit in front of the T.V., multi-task!
• Keep your main sewing area neat and tidy.  Do as I say, not as I do.  If mine were neater, I would get more done.  Trust me. 

How do you stay productive?  Share your ideas with us by leaving a comment below.

Published by Caron Mosey at Michigan Quilts! 2010