5 ways to be more (realistically) productive at work

Jun 25, 2020 | 2 comments

Hi! Hello! How are you all doing? I’ve not been putting a lot of effort into my blog for the past couple years which I am actually super sad about. Afterall this is where it all started when I pubilshed my very first post back in 2015! I’ve been thinking about picking back up on writing so many times, but with the rise of short-form content (hello TikTok, Shorts and Reels) it’s just harder to have time for it all these days. As much as I love creating snappy little styling reels I do also miss long-form and slower content, and I’m secretly hoping that we’ll start seeing a slow shift back to that in the near future. I mean, am I the only one feeling super fatigued by the AMOUNT of content out there some times? Everything is so high speed; similar to our consumption habits. I know everyone seems to love TikTok, I’ve given it a go myself and I do kind of like it too, but man. From a content creator perspective (even not just that, from a social media user perspective too), I’m so tired of feeling like you have to be “in it” and that you need to be onboard with all the newest social media trends alive to keep up. Anyway… moan over.

I wanted to check in here with a bit of a life update (for those of you old-school enough to enjoy the written format) as I feel like we’ve not chatted in ages!

 

(Trigger warning: infertility)

One major thing I have been considering openeing up about for a while is infertility and how this has been affecting our lives for the past 2 years. I’ve been going back and forth about sharing this for so long because well, it’s private and intimate and while I do like keeping things real on here some things are just better kept private. Having said that I’ve felt so incredibly alone in this whole process, and actually, after deciding to just be honest about it I’m amazed of how many other people we meet are actually going through the same. According to WHO 1 in 6 people are affected by infertility on a global scale, so really this is something we should talk way more about, yet there seems to be a lot of shame and taboo evolving around it. It’s something you always think happens to the next person and it’s never something I pictured would happen to me. But as this article states “infertility does not discriminate”, and it can happen to anyone.

As you know if you’ve followed me for some time we were blessed with a beautiful daughter back in 2020. When we decided we wanted children at the time, it didn’t take long from making that decision until I actually had a positive pregnancy test in my hands. Not long after that we felt ready to expand the family again, but as it turns out fate had other plans for us. It took a long time for us to even feel sure and ready to become parents the first time around, but once we did (it’s true what everyone always tells you) there was nothing else we rather wanted. That was it. Wanting to experience it all again so bad and then not being able to conceive has been no less than heartbreaking. At some point it becomes part of your life – you kind of get used to the fact that it’s just not happening. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but we were ultimately left with no other option (if we ever wanted more kids) than to go through IVF. I’m currently on my second round of IVF after one unsuccesful attempt back in fall 2023. Full of hormones and super (!) tired, but feeling okay despite it all. Having spring around the corner and generally experiencing lighter days at the moment helps a lot.

I’m very grateful for where we are and what we have, please know that. So we will have to see what the future brings. I just wanted to open up about this so that maybe if you’re going through the same thing; please know that you’re not alone and I know exactly how you feel <3 And maybe also so you guys know why I might be a little absent sometimes. 

I know there’s too much focus on constantly being more productive and achieve more but spending less time. And even though I generally try to avoid this way of thinking, I don’t see anything wrong with optimizing our daily work and structures, so that in the end you’ll actually save some time and some energy; time and energy you don’t necessarily have to spend on doing more work, but that you can use on exactly what you find suitable. And still reach our deadlines.

With home renos, a baby on the way, a stylist course and other big changes in my life this year, I have to admit that I’ve had trouble reaching my goals and daily to-do lists in a long time. But about a month ago I decided to go through my daily routines, to evaluate how I spend my time so I will better be able to reach all my deadlines without getting stressed out. This can be incredibly hard when you’re self-employed; there is always a half-finished assignment waiting for you somewhere. But you can learn to build a daily structure that works for you, and helps you work more focused while at work – not to mention put it down when the workday is over. Learn to commit to the workday ending at some point, instead of always feeling like you have to work more. You need the breaks! If you’d like to dive deeper into my thoughts on being self-employed after reading this post, you can check out some of my older posts in that category right HERE.

Jeg ved der er alt for meget fokus på, at vi hele tiden skal være mere produktive, lave mere på den halve tid. Og selvom jeg grundlæggende synes denne tankegang er way off, så synes jeg ikke der er noget i vejen med, at optimere vores arbejde og den måde vi strukturerer vores hverdag på. Sådan at vi I sidste ende faktisk sparer noget tid og nogle kræfter; overskudstid som vi ikke nødvendigvis behøver bruge på, at arbejde mere eller hårdere, men tid som vi kan bruge til lige præcis dét vi synes. Samtidig med, at vi når vores deadlines.

Med hus-renovering, baby på vej, stylist uddannelse samt udarbejdelse af mit eget kursus og andre store omvæltninger i mit liv dette år, så må jeg indrømme jeg i lang tid ikke har nået min lange to-do liste. Men for en måneds tid siden besluttede jeg mig for, at gennemgå mine daglige rutiner, og tage et kig på hvordan jeg bedre kan nå det jeg rent faktisk sætter mig for uden at blive stresset. Det er især noget, der somme tider kan være svært som selvstændig; for du er reelt set aldrig færdig med dit arbejde. Der ligger altid en ny eller halv-færdig opgave og venter på dig et eller andet sted. Men du kan lære, at opbygge en daglig struktur der fungerer for dig, og som hjælper dig med at arbejde koncentreret når du arbejder – og ikke mindst lægge det fra dig igen med god samvittighed, og lære at holde fri. Lære at tage de pauser du har brug for. Du kan desuden kaste et nærmere kig på mine andre indlæg om livet som selvstændig lige HER.

1 Start with a realistic to-do list

It all starts with not having a to-do list that is too long for you to handle. Don’t set yourself up for that kind of failure to begin with; it’s only going to feed your guilt when you don’t reach your goals, which can lead to stress and burnouts. Investigate if you could maybe use some extra help from the outside to finish your work on time, or try diving into some of my following tips to see if they can help you optimise your workday and time. I usually make a weekly to-do list for the following week on Fridays or Sundays. Then I know what’s coming and then I get more peace of mind to be present when I’m not working. I also make sure to plot in some “air” between my daily assignments, just so I have time to handle anything unexpected, work ahead on other assignments – or simply finish the day early if that’s what I need. I like making my to-do lists in a physical notebook but this is of course individual. I personally just like the analogue element of having the book laid out in front of me on my desk, so I can see how far I’ve come and so I can check off the assignments as I go. And so I can close it when the workday is over.

Det hele starter med ikke, at have en for lang to-do liste på forhånd. Lad være med, at sætte dig selv op til fiasko; det vil blot fodre den konstante dårlige samvittighed du har over, ikke at når det du gerne vil, hvilket kan føre til endnu mere stress eller udbrændthed. Undersøg eventuelt om du har brug for hjælp udefra til dit arbejde, eller prøv og se om nogle af de følgende tips måske kan hjælpe dig med at optimere din tid, så du alligevel når det du har sat dig for. Jeg laver som regel en to-do liste for den kommende uge om fredagen eller søndagen. Så har jeg ro i hovedet, fordi jeg ved hvad der venter mig. Jeg sørger desuden for, at lave lidt luft på listen hver dag, så jeg enten kan arbejde lidt forud på nogle af de næstkommende dages opgaver, eller så jeg har tid til at tage mig af eventuelle uforudsete ting. Eller holde tidligt fri, hvis det er dét jeg har brug for. Min to-do list skriver jeg i en fysisk notesbog, og det er lidt en smagssag tror jeg. Jeg kan bare godt lide at den ligger foran mit tastatur på mit skrivebord så jeg hele tiden kan se den, at jeg kan strege opgaverne ud med en kuglepen som jeg når dem, og så jeg kan smække den i når arbejdsdagen er omme.

2 Use an electronic calendar

I use my outlook calendar very effectively, and this is one of those things I’ve recently changed a bit for myself. I’ve made several different categories like private appointments, deadlines, when (and what) to post on social media, work meetings etc. I’ve also scheduled time to interact with my followers twice a day. I know this part gets a bit nerdy, but if you work as a content creator yourself or maybe you have the responsibility for the social media channels at your work, then this could be a real game-changer for you. The interaction with my audience is super important; I want my audience (you) to feel included, seen and heard, I want them to know how much I appreciate them and I enjoy “hanging out” with them. I have learned so much from you guys too! So this time is really important to me. I have scheduled 2×45 mins every day for this interaction, the first one when I start my workday and the other one before I finish and turn off my computer. That way I can let go of feeling like I constantly have to check my phone, but at the same time I’m still available – just within a more structured timeframe. This makes it easier for me to put my phone down, and be present when I’m hanging out with friends and family. Last but not least I’ve connected my Outlook mail and calendar with my phone, and I’ve set up notification reminders (with sound) only for specific tasks during the day so I wont forget. But again, not on everything because I don’t want my phone to constantly be an element of distraction and noise, especially not when the workday has ended.

Jeg bruger min Outlook kalender flittigt, og det er bl.a. én af de ting jeg har optimeret for nyligt. Jeg har oprettet forskellige kategorier som private aftaler, deadlines, hvornår (og hvad) jeg skal poste på diverse sociale kanaler, arbejdsmøder m.m. Jeg har også sat tid af to gange om dagen til, at interagere med mine følgere. Jeg ved især den her del bliver lidt nørdet, men hvis du selv arbejder som content creator eller måske sidder med ansvaret for de sociale medier på dit job, så kan det her altså være noget af en game-changer. For mig er interaktionen super vigtigt; jeg vil gerne have mit publikum (dig) føler sig inkluderede, at de ved hvor meget jeg værdsætter dem, og så synes jeg den daglige kontakt er super hyggelig ikke mindst. Jeg lærer så meget af jer der følger med derude! Så denne tid er simpelthen så vigtig for mig. Jeg sætter ca. 45 min. af til det om morgenen som det første, og igen om eftermiddagen inden jeg slukker min computer og holder fri. På den måde slipper jeg trangen til konstant, at skulle være “på” og tjekke min telefon, men samtidig er jeg jo stadig til rådighed – bare indenfor nogle lidt mere strukturerede rammer, som gør at jeg bedre kan lægge telefonen langt væk og være tilstede med familie og venner når arbejdsdagen er slut. Sidst men ikke mindst har jeg koblet min Outlook mail til min telefon, og sat notifikationer på udvalgte opgaver (med lyd på), så jeg ikke glemmer dem. Men kun på udvalgte ting, så min telefon ikke bimler i tide og utide, især når jeg holder fri.

3 Use electronic post-it’s

You can find several different versions of electronic post-its in your app store on your computer. I use something called “stickies” and “memos”. You can make several post-its and place them next to each other on your computer desktop. I like to write longterm goals for the year on these – but no important to-do’s or deadlines. I would rather plot these into my calendar, so I get a reminder when they’re due and so I won’t forget. The electronic post-its will also help you maintain a more tidy physical workspace, which (at least to me) helps me to work more focused.

Der findes nogle forskellige versioner i din app store på din computer. Jeg bruger noget der hedder “stickies” og “memos”. Her kan man lave flere post-its og placere dem ved siden af hinanden på computerens skrivebord. Jeg skriver gerne ting som langsigtede mål for året på disse – ingen vigtige deadlines eller lignende. Dem plotter jeg ind i min kalender, så jeg får en reminder og så jeg ikke glemmer dem i farten. I hvertfald bidrager de elektroniske post-its til et mere ryddeligt (fysisk) skrivebord, og det giver mig meget mere ro i sindet når jeg skal arbejde effektivt.

4 Work more focused with the Forest app

I’ve mentioned this app before, especially in terms of working “smarter not harder”. Forest is a simple app that helps you work more focused. You plant a tree and get “responsibility” for this tree within the timeframe of focused work you set for yourself, anything from 10 mins to 2 hours. If you choose to give up, the tree will die. It might sound a little bit odd but it works haha! If I’ve planned to edit a video and work on nothing else that morning, I’ll put the timer to for example 2 hours and put the phone down beside me. Everytime I feel an urge to pick up my phone (auto pilot you know, being someone who grew up in the digital age), all I see is how much time there’s left, the growth of the tree so far and little messages like “stop phubbing”, “hang in there” and “don’t look at me”. It’s really effective for those of us who spend a lot of hours on the phone daily especially through our jobs, and might have a tendency to unconsciously pick it up without any purpose, and before you know it you’re stuck in some sort of deep hole on Pinterest, and you’ve forgotten what you picked up your phone for in the first place – and you won’t finish the assignment you were in the middle of on time.

Denne app har jeg nævnt før, især i forbindelse med begrebet “work smarter not harder”. Forest er ganske simpelt en app der hjælper dig med, at arbejde mere koncentreret på diverse opgaver. Man planter et træ og får ligesom “ansvaret” for det her træ i den tidsperiode man sætter sig for, at arbejde koncentreret – alt fra 10 minutter til 2 timer af gangen. Overholder man ikke tidsrummet, så visner træet og forgår. Det lyder måske lidt skørt, men det virker faktisk meget godt haha! Hvis jeg fx har sat mig for, at denne formiddag skal jeg bare have redigeret den her video og intet andet, så sætter jeg timeren til fx 2 timer og lægger min telefon ved siden af mig. Hver gang jeg så kigger over på min telefon (sådan lidt per automatik, fordi det er en dårlig vane når man er vokset op i den digitale tidsalder) så ser jeg ikke andet end hvor lang tid der er tilbage, udviklingen af mit træ samt små beskeder som “stop phubbing”, “hang in there” og “don’t look at me!”. Yderst effektivt for de af os, der bruger mange timer om dagen med diverse telefon aktiviteter, og måske har en tendens til on/off at tage telefon i hånden uden at tænke over det, og inden man får set sig om er røget ned i et Pinterest hul – og har glemt alt om, hvorfor man egentlig samlede telefonen op til at starte med, og så får du ikke gjort det arbejde du egentlig var igang med færdigt til tiden.

5 Put your phone in “tech bed”

And speaking of putting the phone away – not only when you’re at work but also when you want to more present in real life – I wanted to share one last tip with you guys. I like to put my phone in “tech bed” when the working day is over. I know it might sound like I’m always mastering the art of going offline. I’m not always, I have to admit. But I will say I’ve become a lot more conscious about using my phone with intention instead of out of habit or restlessness. Again, that way I can focus on working more effectively or just be present in the moment when I’m social. If Morten and I want to go to the shore one evening to walk the dog, have an ice cream and just have a lovely time, I often leave my phone behind at home on the bedside table. That’s often my preferred “tech bed”, when I want to break free from feeling like checking my phone all the time. If we’ve gone to bed I sometimes leave it in the bathroom, so it’s too far away for me to reach it. 😉

That’s it for now – remember there are many ways to do this, and not everything will work for everyone. But try tweaking your daily routines to find a structure that works for you!

Og nu vi alligevel har været lidt inde på det her med, at lægge telefonen fra sig – ikke kun når man arbejde på diverse opgaver, men også når man skal være til stede i nuet, i den virkelige verden – så vil jeg lige dele et sidste tip med jer. Jeg lægger nemlig gerne min telefon i “tech bed” når arbejdsdagen er slut. Nu lyder det som om jeg altid er god til at lægge telefonen fra mig. Det er jeg ikke. Men jeg er blevet meget mere bevidst om hvornår og hvordan jeg bruger min telefon. Igen, så jeg får ro til at være til stede enten på arbejde eller når jeg er social. Hvis Morten og jeg gerne vil ned og gå ved vandet en aften med hunden, spise en is og bare hygge os, så lader jeg faktisk tit min telefon ligge hjemme på sengebordet. Det er iøvrigt ofte hér jeg lægger min telefon, når jeg gerne vil undgå trangen til at kigge på den. Er vi gået i seng, så ryger den ofte ud på badeværelset. Et sted hvor jeg ikke kan nå den, I ved 😉

Det var dét for denne omgang – husk på der er mange måder at gøre tingene på, og ikke alt fungerer for alle. Men prøv dig frem og se hvad der fungerer bedst for dig og din hverdag!

2 Comments

  1. Juliet

    Thank you for this helpful article! As a student, those past few months have been dedicated to online classes and autonomous work. And I definitely wasn’t used to so many distractions while working, whether it be phone or my family in the next room. I often ended up listening to my class with half an ear while checking Instagram or Pinterest. Now the holidays are nearer than ever, but I plan to try some of your pieces of advice for the last few days (especially the Forest app, very curious about it)! Xx Juliet

    Reply
  2. Anna

    At the beginning of lockdown I found mysterious packages were being delivered to me. It turned out that my sleep/wake cycle was so out that I was half waking at night and making purchases that I forgot about immediately. When I banished my phone from my bedroom at night, not only did I save money but I started to sleep much better too!!

    Reply

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