Tips To Staying Productive On Your Good and Bad Days

Have you ever been stuck in a creative rut with no means to an end, with no inspiration in sight? We fall into these holes much more often than we’d like to, but the good news is that we’re learning how to handle them and move forward.

In this blog we will discuss the things we like to do to help keep us on track in hopes to, in turn, help us stay productive. This blog is not necessarily focused on artists/small business owners, but it is written from our experiences as such. You can take this information and modify it to help you in your own life.

Follow A Daily Routine.

A daily routine is important for everyone to have for many, many reasons, but we’re only going to get in to a couple today. By having a schedule, you are able to make the most out of what(little) time you have so that you spend more time working and less time thinking about what you need to do. With a routine in place, you should always know what to expect next and if you’re not sure, just check your schedule! 

Everyone of course has different lifestyles, jobs, and obligations, so by following your own routine based upon your own needs and schedule, you’re able to be more productive in the end. You can modify your schedule as needed, but it’s important to create a routine and stick to it. 

Now it’s time for some honesty. Our routine is not very defined or set in stone because our day-to-day tasks and schedules constantly need to change. While we are thankful for the flexibility our lifestyle provides it does become easy for us to get overwhelmed by our schedule sometimes.

Make Lists.

Taking notes is an important and helpful way to remember and organize your thoughts so you don’t forget them.

Have you ever had an idea and then a million more pop into your head? You get overwhelmed and excited but are also scared to forget any of the important things you just thought of. It’s important to try to write them down as you think of them. We like to carry a pen and a notebook with us wherever we go so we can always jot down what we’re thinking. When we don’t have those available, our phone’s notes app works great.

We often think of ideas at random and then think about what it would take for us to make our ideas come to life. We try to always write down all of our tasks on a sheet of paper as we think of them so we don’t forget. We call this our “brain dump.” Then we organize the tasks in chronological order by deadline. This ensures we don’t skip any steps while staying on track and working towards completing our projects.

Disconnect.

At all times we have our phones glued to us. We wouldn’t want to miss an important phone call or headline, right? Scrolling or not, we’re always connected but sometimes it’s really nice to get a break. You’ve probably felt overwhelmed and maybe even hopeless for the future after scrolling social media at one point or another. 

It can leave us feeling drained and uninspired so we like to step away from our devices and just go be. We love being alone in a quiet space with nothing but supplies and time. Silence, solitude, and nothing to interrupt our thoughts. These are the times we create some of our best work. With out sounds to influence our thoughts or interrupt the flow of them. No calls taking us away from our work. Just pure productivity.

Make sure you have a dedicated time and/or space for the times when you can disconnect. We like to set aside about an hour each day to put down our devices and work without interruptions in our little “sacred space” which is just our workspace that is perfectly designed to fit our needs. We recommend you create your own area where you can disconnect as well. You are almost guaranteed to feel much more refreshed afterwards.

Another great practice is to not check your phone immediately when you wake up like we were, and you’re probably used to doing. Try plugging it in across the room and not checking it until you’ve stretched, had your breakfast, and gotten ready for the day. You’ll feel more energized and less anxious throughout the day, try it. 

Take a Shower.

We all know how refreshing and energizing a shower can feel. For many of us, our shower is a safe space for us to think and unwind. When you’re feeling a little foggy, take a break from your work and hop in the shower. Wash your face, sing a song, think about the future. Get ready for the day even if you have nowhere to go. I oftentimes stay in my pajamas which makes me more comfortable but that also means I’m always ready for a nap. (It’s not a bad thing to take a nap, but an all day nap is a bit unproductive.) When I get ready for the day, my body feels more alert and ready to go. Maybe you could try this next time your coffee isn’t enough to wake you up in the morning.

Don’t Force It If It Doesn’t Bring Joy.

This one might be a hard one to accept, but if what you’re creating, what you’re putting your time into is causing you stress, maybe it’s time to consider if it’s even worth doing. We’re not saying jump ship when ever waters are a little rough, but if you are not finding any joy in something you thought you would, it might be worth it to move on to better things.

Short story time:

Here’s a Monstera leaf keychain we made out of resin when we were using it.

Shortly after Sage & Oak first launched, we were creating so many cool products with resin. From necklaces to trinket dishes to coasters, we were making all that we could. It was fun for us to learn a new medium together that allowed for so much creativity until it just wasn’t fun anymore. Eventually this process became so frustrating to us because there was so much room for error that it didn’t feel like anything we were making was ever good enough. Nothing we made was ever “perfect” enough and it was hard to be less critical of ourselves when we’re doing everything we could to ensure that the resin cured properly. A simple mistake such as over-mixing, incorrect environmental temperature, too many additives, etc, could be detrimental. The resin took nearly 2 days to cure before we could even see our work so it was a very time-consuming process as well. We stopped using resin around a year ago or so for many reasons, but this, for those who are curious, is one of them. We stopped using resin because of the environmental impacts it can cause. It felt selfish to continue using resin knowing the harms and the risks so we quit. Quitting never really feels good, but it was a relief to lose all the weight of the pressure on our shoulders.

If what you’re doing is frustrating you too much, maybe it’s time to step back and reconsider. Sometimes quitting really may be the option, and that option is completely okay. You might not find what you’re meant to do right away but there is always still time to figure it out.

Accept That You Have More To Learn & Welcome Change.

There’s not a single person in the world who knows everything. There’s too much to be known for a single person to learn every fact about everything in their lifetime. There’s always room to learn more and grow. Our ideas and our thoughts are our own, but it’s still nice to leave room for outside influences.

We spend a lot of our “free” time filling our brains with more useful information. From learning ASL to practicing and learning other new art mediums, we are always trying to expand our knowledge. We know that taking the time to learn new things will not only help us along our business journey, but it is also really fun. There is always room for growth and improvement so when ever you’re feeling unmotivated, why not pop over to YouTube and learn that thing you’ve been wanting to learn but have been putting off. It gives you a break from your day-to-day work so you can come back to it later with fresh eyes.

When we say welcome change, we are suggesting you step out of your comfort zone to try something new. If something isn’t working, try something new. Don’t be afraid of how others will react. Do it for yourself. Let’s break this one down a bit and go back to our resin story. As we mentioned, we stopped using resin about a year ago for various reasons. When we made that decision, we were afraid of disappointing those who loved our products. We didn’t want anyone to stop supporting us if we no longer created what they were interested in. To us, it seemed like we were unprofessional and indecisive but in the end, we were just growing. We were nervous about how discontinuing resin would affect our business but we didn’t let our fear get in the way of making the decision that ultimately made us happier.

We all naturally tend to gravitate towards like-minded people but when we can surround ourself with people who are different from us, we allow ourselves to gain and share new perspectives. We are forced to rethink our own ideas when faced with integrating them with others in the world around us and from there, we can strengthen our ideas and our communities as we interact with more and more people.

Here is my workspace where all of Sage & Oak’s products are designed and created. All the storage bins help keep our materials super organized and handy.

Keep Your Space Clean And Organized.

This is the first thing we do when we are stuck in a creative rut. A lot of the time, we start to feel overwhelmed with our workspace is messy because there’s too much to be distracted by. One second I’ll be working on the blog, then I’ll turn around and notice the inventory all over the bed that I still haven’t counted. Eventually that feeling becomes overbearing and we start to shut down and lose all focus. Before that starts to happen, we try to take a break to tidy up. After all, there’s no better feeling than a freshly cleaned space.

As an artist, my workspace tends to pile up with notes, client logo mockups, calendars, planners, art supplies, scraps, and who knows what else. When I’m working, I allow myself to make all the mess I need and I don’t let the fear of an untidy space hold me back from putting my all into the things I create. Do the same for yourself. Allow yourself to make the mess because your best work comes from when you’re all in. Don’t forget that it’s okay if your idea of organized doesn’t necessarily look organized. Sometimes the best place for that stack of papers is right out on the top of your desk.

Oh yeah, can’t forget to mention one of the best parts of cleaning up- the treasures you’ll find! You can dig up old ideas you’ve long since forgotten about and you can come up with ways to build upon and strengthen them. You can find things that help inspire you to solve the problems you’ve been facing. 

Though taking a minute to clean up your space is refreshing, it is not a cure-all. Don’t get too caught up in organizing that it becomes productive procrastination. Make sure to manage your time wisely. Wouldn’t want to miss a deadline just because you felt like cleaning up. 

Take A Nap.

It sounds counterproductive, but sleeping literally refreshes the brain by sort of flushing out thoughts and toxins. Kind of creepy sounding, right? Scientists said it so it must be true. Plus there’s nothing in this world that beats a mid-day nap.

I find that staring at my computer for hours on end is surprisingly draining, especially when I have deadlines to meet, designs to create, and coding to type. This year I’m going to get better at allowing myself the time to nap when I feel it’s necessary. I spend so much of my days floating by like a ghost because I’m too tired to focus so instead of working or napping, I’ll just lay around instead. That’s not helpful or productive so I’m working on taking better care of myself and allowing myself what my body needs. You should always listen to your body and what it’s telling you.

If I spent less time napping and more time working, I would get more done, yeah, but at what cost? My sanity, my focus, my energy, my motivation, must I keep going?

When your body says take a nap, take a nap. It’s 2022 and this year we’re focusing more on ourselves and less on working our lives away. Who’s with us?

Our bikes in front of the mural painted by Kelley Booze for Project Jericho along the bike trail in Springfield, Ohio.

Get Some Fresh Air.

There’s hardly anything better for your physical and mental health than fresh air. 

Take some time out of each day to take a walk, no matter how far or long, and just spend some time outdoors. The air will help clear your head and you can let nature and the things around you inspire you. By putting away your phone, you’re able to see the smiling faces of those around you, hear the birds chirping in the sky above you, and feel the wind against your skin. You’re able to see, to hear, to feel, clearly, without clogging your senses with your screens.

We really enjoy going on bike rides and will oftentimes set out with the intentions of taking a break for some sunshine before we get back to work. Our city has so many beautiful bike trails near our home that we love venturing off to.

We like to carry bags around with us so we can pick up all the trash we see along the way. I guess it’s not fair to say “all” because unfortunately to some, the world is their trash can. We do what we can to pick up after them but it is a job much bigger than us. We also carry notebooks so we can jot down anything we feel inspired by. We write down notes and things we don’t want to forget and sometimes we sketch little pictures.

Whatever you do, just get out there. By yourself, with a friend, with your dog. On a bike or on foot. Every day or twice a week. Just get out there and notice all the possibility the world has to offer. I promise you’ll see a difference.

While this blog is not some magical cure-all to lack of motivation, it is a great guide to getting yourself back on track. We know just how detrimental wasted time can be and when you’re feeling unmotivated, you might as well just throw in the towel because sometimes our goals feel seemingly impossible. These ideas are all things we do in our own lives because they work for us. We hope sharing our ideas give you some your own ideas and that these tips stick with you while you think of ways you can stay productive and creative, in the good and the bad times, the slow and the busy times.

Life is too short to waste time wondering what more you could have done or where you could be. Make the most of the time you have and plant your own garden, grow it, become an expert, and the rest will come to you. Every new day is another chance at something amazing so make sure you are ready for it. 

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