Creativepreneur Tips: Creative Work Flow
A creative work flow doesn’t really sound all that enticing. It does include the word “work” in it after all. If, instead, you say something like “creative flow” people tend to think of finding their groove or getting into a certain rhythm with their projects.
It calls to mind images of someone in the zone. Nailing their assignment, breezing through their tasks and enjoying the overall process.
The reality is that even though no one wants to focus on something they think of as “work,” it’s unavoidable. No need to worry, though! The silver lining in all of this is that if your work flow is smooth enough, the work feels a lot less taxing and a lot more effortless. (Click to Tweet)
Last time when I scoured the internet for the best tips and tricks for creative hobbyists and biz owners I gathered up articles from some of the best a brightest creatives out there. Today is no different but instead getting surveying general advice I thought it would be more useful to focus on a specific topic.
Below you’ll find eight stellar articles on managing your creative work flow and systems. Each one gives advice on simplifying your work life and taking full control of your schedule. (Click to Tweet)
My Work Flow
I’ve relied on quite a few of these to evaluate my own creative work flow. September has been a slower month for this blog because I wanted to reassess where I was, where I wanted to go and how I wanted to make the most of the remaining days of 2016. Did you know there are less than 100 days left?!
I recently discussed with my subscribers the importance of maximizing the amount of time we have left. Time doesn’t slow down for anyone and instead of trying to fight against it I’d rather get my systems in check and take advantage of it. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or hobbyist I hope these tips will help you do the same!
6 Steps to Speed Up Your Blogs Workflow
Author: Allison from Wonderlass || Read the Post
Takeaways: I mentioned a few ways to streamline your content creation and this post by Allison gives even more killer pointers on the subject! I focused a lot on the content but she also gives great advice on how to get the images of the post together too.
I use a set of pre-made templates for all of my marketing collateral, post headers, social media images etc. Allison also stresses batching the resize process. Why do anything one at a time when you can knock several things out at once?
How to do a Systems Audit for Your Business
Author: Laura from Laura Simms || Read the Post
Takeaways: There are certain tasks that we do all of the time. For me, this includes, blogging, social media scheduling, collaborating with other creatives and a million tasks related to sharing, producing, and selling my artwork.
Laura advises that we time how long our tasks take and figure out what areas of our creative work flow can be improved. Some tasks can’t be outsourced or schedule in advance but some can.
When I reach out for collaborations or new interview subjects I have to do it. I can’t hand that off to someone else. I can, however, set up systems to make my life easier. I use canned email drafts for a variety of daily emails and I schedule social media on tools like Buffer and Hootsuite.
Using Trello as an Editorial Calendar
Author: Rosanna from byRosanna || Read the Post
Takeaways: Trello is something that I had heard good things about but had not tried myself. Lately, I’ve been testing it out and the visual element of having all your tasks in front of you instead of in a to-do list format is helpful.
Rosanna breaks down all the elements of Trello, like checklists, color-coded labels, and the flexible drag and drop feature. If you need some help getting used to the interface she also uses screen shots so you can follow along as you move around the platform. I currently use Trello more for project management than I do for my editorial calendar.
I’ve developed a pretty solid spreadsheet for my editorial calendar and if a system isn’t broken there is no reason to fix it! Let me know if you’d like to learn more about my editorial calendar in the comments!
How to Plan Your Week
Author: Rachel from The Haute Notes || Read the Post
Takeaways: We all know that planning is the key to success but do we actually then plan? Maybe. Some weeks I’ll have everything planned to the last detail and then other weeks the days get ahead of me and before I know it it’s already Friday! It happens to the best of us but Rachel has some valuable advice!
She advises batching the items on your to-do list and taking advantage of the weekend to get ready for the week. It’s really helpful when you make all those small decisions that eat up your day in advance.
The fewer decisions you have to make in real-time the better. (Click to Tweet) You’ll be able to free up your mind for important things like creating a content strategy or pitching a brand on a partnership.
Work Your Way: Creating a Work Schedule
Author: Shell from Kitty & Buck || Read the Post
Takeaways: Shell offers another alternative to Trello for organizing your life and blog. Here she details how she uses Google Calendar to keep her creative work flow in order. I used to use the very same format she describes so I can attest that it works!
One of the major bonuses I learned from her is using the “all day” section of the calendar as a modern to-do list. She automates the tasks so that they repeat every day until she crosses them off or “deletes” them from the list.
It’s a great way to keep on top of things. Plus, as long as you’re logged into google you can get alerts either via email or on your computer to let you know when your next scheduled event is coming up!
How to Stay Disciplined & Get a Massive Amount of Stuff Done
Author: Sarah Morgan from XOSarah || Read the Post
Takeaways: Sarah always has a fresh way getting straight to the point. In this post, she outlines her own daily routine and then highlights what helps her stay focused. A lot of it has to do with remembering why you’re doing it all.
Going from thinking “I have to share this post” to “I’m sharing this post so that others can learn XYZ” or “I’m tweeting this message because my readers will find it funny” or “I’m making this course so that I can share what I love” is significantly more motivating.
She also advises that you set alarms for tasks to light a fire under you to get it done in time and to even reward yourself among other things.
10 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Benefit by Setting ‘Work Hours’
Author: Krystal from Daily Femme || Read the Post
Takeaways: At this moment I don’t have actual work hours. My freelance and blog work is really flexible so some days I work until really late. More often than not I’ll work until the evening. Then I’ll take a break after my husband returns from the hospital, and then when he passes out I’ll stay up late to finish something.
I don’t have children to take care of so my inconsistent work schedule doesn’t impact anyone other than myself.
As time has gone on though I’ve realized that I need to set real work hours and Krystal makes a fantastic case for exactly why! You need that time to unwind and to connect with yourself and your loved ones without an agenda.
How to Automate & Simplify Your Creative Business
Author: Jamie from Spruce Rd || Read the Post
Takeaways: Jamie was also included in my last roundup and I trust her opinion on automation just as much as on branding. One of the major tips she gives out is turning your blog posts into newsletters.
You don’t have to be a blogger to get use out of that tid bit. She’s advocating that you use the content you create in multiple ways. In other words, stretch that dollar!
Turn a post into a newsletter, a tweet into a snap, an opt-in freebie into a course etc. Don’t just create something and then let it collect dust. I’ve been implementing this strategy for a while but I plan on double downing on it.
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How do you manage your creative work flow?