Productive Procrastination - Slacking off effectively
This is my second stab at writing this blog, because a technical error caused the entire first draft to be lost in the ether, never to be regained. Anyway, this week I’m tackling the thing that led me to put off writing this blog the first time: procrastination. No matter how much I think I’ve kicked the habit, I slip right back into it and end up procrastinating all over again. Now though, I try to do it productively and this week, while procrastinating writing the blog, I did a number of the things discussed below.
1 - Joining Slack Groups
Slack is an instant messaging platform often used by businesses as a way to chat about things and share files in an informal yet fast way. I’ve used and set up Slack groups for projects I’ve worked on and they’re a great way of staying connected but also working. Recently, I joined a Slack group set up by a creative studio in London and it’s a way to procrastinate while hearing about potential opportunities.
As a sole trader, I love having access to these groups as they are a great way of coming up with ideas, sharing knowledge and generally connecting with people in the industry. They can also allow for the sharing of ideas and getting feedback which is something that freelancers can sometimes struggle with.
The benefit of Slack groups is that, unlike Facebook or LinkedIn groups, you can set ‘channels’ that are dedicated to one topic, so while you could theoretically have hundreds of members, you’ll find the information you need in the dedicated channel. Over the years I’ve found some fantastic insights into the industry through Slack group chats.
2 - CreativeMornings
For anyone who follows me on social media, you’ll have seen me sharing my love for CreativeMornings. This is a global breakfast series where cities around the world all come together on the last Friday of every month to discuss a theme. The theme is the same everywhere, but the speaker and their take on it differs. What’s better is that each global chapter records their events and puts them online. This means there is a huge database of interesting and creative talks available.
During the live events, CreativeMornings is a way to procrastinate just before sitting down to get stuck into work and a great procrastination method. When the events are physical, you can spend some time networking, and when you’re procrastinating you can watch the videos back and leave with a new perception of an idea or theme.
For people in the creative industry, they are a great opportunity to learn about your local creative scene and there are occasionally chances for you to introduce yourself on the stage and say what you do. I’ve done this a few times and it’s always been an incredibly rewarding and productive procrastination from starting work.
3 - General admin
Okay so while this is something that I procrastinate doing, admin is also something that’s a great productive procrastination. There’s always something to be done: whether it’s answering an email, drafting up an invoice or filling out a spreadsheet. I know and appreciate that there are apps and software available for invoicing and book-balancing but I like doing my spreadsheets manually. That’s because I like to take this time to allow my mind meander from the menial task at hand.
Whenever I’m stuck on a project or wondering what to do next, I open up my spreadsheet and fill it out for that week/month/year (I’m joking about the year). It’s a way to get something done that needed to be done, while also giving myself a break from wracking my brain about an idea that just isn’t coming to me.
I tell myself that if I’m browsing the internet as a way to avoid doing something, to do some general admin bits and at least be productively mindless. This won’t work for everyone, but for me it’s a great way to allow myself the time and space to procrastinate while coming up with ideas.
4 - Getting a coffee
This applies to both making coffee and getting a coffee with someone. There is a huge amount of benefit in taking time out and away from what you’re doing to have a wander mentally and physically - even if it’s just to the kitchen. Taking the time away from the screen is great for our eyes, backs and everything else really.
I thoroughly enjoy grabbing a coffee with other creatives and just chatting away. It’s a great way to spitball ideas, catch up and build relationships. I’ve often found my best client relationships have come from having short chats over coffee. Sometimes the chats are about coffee, too.
Nonetheless, getting a coffee or tea is a productive way of taking a minute to refresh and recaffeinate. For me, my afternoon coffee is something I really look forward to and some of my best ideas come from this time. Nowadays, I take my coffee break to call someone and have a bit of a catch-up which often leads to new ideas. And if it doesn’t, then who cares? I got to have a conversation with someone.
5 - Reading newsletters
For this I mean newsletters from studios, agencies, creatives. Newsletters that are relevant to what you do, what you want to do, and things you’re interested in and looking for opportunities to avail of. I subscribe to newsletters by people who do similar work to me, to get some ideas about my own content. I also subscribe to newsletters that talk about the tech industry or current trends so that I can keep up to date without scrolling endlessly through social media.
I also subscribe to newsletters by publishers, as they sometimes offer downloadable ebooks at reduced rates, or other perks that are reserved for subscribers. This is often the case with studios who provide templates for use or similar. It can be a great way to download a library of resources, or see what someone was up to.
It’s also a way to hear about collaborations or opportunities that could be worthwhile. Sometimes, it’s just to learn a bit more about a person/brand/business. If you’re a freelancer, reading newsletters about agencies or studios you’d like to work with gives you more insight into what they’re like and what they might be looking for.
Did you know that I’ve started a newsletter? You can read the April 2020 edition and then subscribe if you like it. As ever, if you have any ideas you want to discuss, just get in touch.