Productivity Toolbox: The Next Right Action

This was originally posted on Scoutie Girl earlier this year. I'm repeating it here because a) it's still relevant and b) I could bear to read it again. Feeling overwhelmed with a few tasks before me this morning, I pulled this tool out of my productivity toolbox and lo & behold, I got moving.

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The other day someone asked me how I managed to accomplish what I’ve accomplished these past several months. My answer? One action at a time.

Of course I used planning and productivity tools along the way, it’s what I do, but at the crux of getting things done lies a simple, powerful tool: the next right action.

You have a goal; you may have several. You want to make them happen, but you feel scattered or stymied and don’t know where to start. Stop, take a deep breath, and ask yourself: "What am I trying to do here? What’s my next action?"

Is it sending the email? Researching your local craft fair options (15 minutes is all it takes to get started!)? Maybe it’s putting the finishing touches on that painting or writing up the listing description.

Or, maybe it’s a massive brainstorming session to get all of those ideas out of your head and onto paper.

You don’t need to figure it all out now, just figure out what needs to be done next. Then do it.

Keep taking that next right action and I swear, without your even noticing it, things will get done.

I dare you to try it and see for yourself.

On productivity and play...

creative play with dandelion, before & after pics (created using GIMP)

Yesterday I spent the afternoon playing with images in GIMP, a free image manipulation program with features similar to Photoshop. I let go of must-do's and played, with no expectations.

I ended up:

~ stumbling upon an image, by digitally modifying one of my photos, that would be a perfect book jacket for a book, thus inspiring me to start researching its publication,

~ drafting a poster for a project that's brewing,

~ figuring out how to transform images in a new-to-me way, opening up many, many creative possibilities for new products,

~ designing two new greeting cards for the shop, with two more in draft state, and

~ experiencing a powerful wave of creative energy that I hadn't experienced in a while, motivating me to carry on with my creative biz.

Right brain play translated into new projects and a renewed energy to carry them through.

The moral of this story?

Unstructured, creative play can be just as valuable to productivity and business as goals and to-do lists.

Try it. You might be surprised at the results.