Don’t Drop That Hobby — It Could Make You More Productive
Hobbies can be a double-edged sword. You’re always trying to carve out more time for them but then when you actually do them — you feel like you should be doing something else to stay productive. What’s the fun in that?
Well here’s some good news. Did you know that your favorite distraction could actually be boosting your productivity? It’s true – here’s a list of some popular hobbies that will build up your mind and muscles to help you get things done!
List-making: Yes! List making is a hobby. Organizing everything into lists is a great way to get all of your thoughts out. This will also prepare you for things you want to get done. As I mentioned in my book, “Listful Thinking” many celebrities reached their level of success by making lists. A few of these people include Richard Branson, Octavia Spencer, Bobby Flay, Heidi Klum, and Sandra Bullock!
Exercising: There are countless ways to get your body moving. Recently, a friend of mine was talking about how she wanted to start being healthy, but she didn’t know where to start. Starting small is the way to go, before you can move onto anything else.
If you live in a big city like I do, you’re already getting a ton of walking in! Some of my other personal favorites include hiking, swimming, and dancing. Physical activity releases endorphins in your brain which gives you that feel-good sensation.
Writing: Write, type, record– anything! Get your thoughts out of your head and express yourself for at least 10 minutes a day. Turn it into a book or just throw it away. Writing in your spare time is a perfect place to channel your energy. This will get your creative juices flowing. I’ve found that once you make a habit of something – even just writing an idea down once a day- it will become so much easier to do on demand.
Art: Whether it’s painting a picture, doodling on your notebook or sculpting some play-doh, creating something is one of the best ways to calm your mind. This is one of those hobbies that are great for thinking outside of the box and getting in touch with your creative side. *
Listening to music: Music can increase your productivity in two different ways. If you’re trying to clear your head, put together a relaxing playlist. If you’re trying to get motivated, knock out your to-do’s with an inspirational playlist.
Puzzles: Challenge your mind with a puzzle. This will put your brain to work and help you improve your problem solving skills. People who solve puzzles are more likely to creatively assess problems in their lives.
Meditation/Yoga: This is perfect for you if you are overstressed and desperately need a release. Practicing meditation and yoga will put your focus back in check, calm your nerves and clear your mind. It’s also important to pay attention when you’re doing one pose at a time. This is great practice for when you’re working on only one task at a time.
Reading: Reading is a great pastime to open yourself to new ideas and take you to new places. So pick up a new book or listen to a podcast! Read something you wouldn’t typically read and try out authors you’ve never heard of. This is the best way to sharpen your mind and learn new things. This will help you think quicker on your feet. Something we could all do when trying to be more efficient.
How does your hobby make you more productive?
Checklist for Going With the Flow
Recently, I talked about the nightmare of renovating and moving into a new apartment. Everything that could have gone wrong did. I have to admit, for a short period of time I let this consume me. It took me awhile to realize that I need to be able to learn to be more flexible and stay optimistic when things don’t go as planned.
So I made “go with the flow” my New Year’s Resolution. Unfortunately, “rolling with the punches” is much easier said than done, so I put together a checklist to help:
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ListProducer.com is Getting a Makeover
I can’t believe this blog is almost 4 years old. Yep – can you believe it? This April will mark 4 years since I took list-making to a whole new level! ListProducer.com has always had the same look and I loved it. But I think it’s time for a change…something new…something brighter and something better! So starting Monday — ListProducer.com will look different.
This original look is something that I threw together with a graphic designer friend but now that my book is out and I’m hoping to build this site into so much more – it’s time for a makeover! Yay! Oh wait — I hate change. It’s true – I have a really hard time switching gears when something has served me well. I was the kid who never wanted to switch teachers or desks at school.
Even though I’ve done great up until now with this site and my natural tendency is to say “it’s fine, why change it?” – it’s time to outsource and upgrade. I’m so thrilled that my path crossed with Cass McCory’s from Capra Strategy who is helping me with this redesign and transition. She’s also a list maker! And she totally gets me. So it was a much easier decision than usual.
Although redoing my website had been on my “want list” for quite some time it was one thing that I was putting off. If you’ve been doing the same — this checklist is for you! Cass wrote it up for us — in list form of course:
A Checklist for a Website Redesign
by Cass McCrory
Are you ready to have your website re-done professionally? Here are 5 tips to identify if you’re ready and what to do next…
1. Does your website impact your ability to make money in your business? The answer to this question is always yes, you just may not know HOW. When you work with a vendor they should be able to help you identify revenue streams from your website and suggest ways to optimize for the best result. If they can’t do that, they’re probably not the right vendor for you.
2. There’s a tipping point where your time is better spent doing what YOU do best rather than figuring out how to make your website do something you need it to do. A good rule of thumb: if you’re spending more than 10 hours on something and struggling it’s better to go to a pro – that 10 hours can make a big impact if you’re doing what you do best.
3. Question to ask your vendor: Can I edit it when you’re done? This is a really important question because you’ve been doing it on your own up to this point and you do not want your hands to be tied in updating your site moving forward. A reputable vendor will make sure that you can take it from here, and always be available as a back-up.
4. Another question for your vendor: When can we meet? Bigger agencies will work standard business hours, but if you’re just starting out and juggling a full-time job along with your passion project you may need someone that can talk live after-hours. Ask the question upfront. While email communication is great sometimes you need to talk live to effectively communicate what you want.
5. You get what you pay for. Can your cousin’s son create a new website for you? Yes. Yes, he probably can. But will it be a great website for you? It might be, and it might not be. Looking around at other websites that you like and inquiring about who did their work is a great place to start.
BONUS TIP: Are you looking for a fresh design, new logo, the works? Spend a few weeks thinking about your target audience and what will appeal to them – identify magazines they’d read, places they’d like to shop and what they’re striving for. Start a Pinterest board for inspiration and provide this to your vendor, it will really help them kick-off a design project on the right foot.