Creative Time Management Part 3: “Creative Flow”

October 3, 2008

This is the third article in a four part series where I have been sharing insights that have turned us from free floating creative types to efficient and organized free-floating creative types! (Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt.3, Pt.4)

CREATIVE FLOW
The goal is to achieve that “almost effortless, yet highly focused state of consciousness” (Mark McGuinness) we get when we are “in the zone.” It’s the times when you have worked for several hours and didn’t realize it.

Keys:

  • Creating “zones of silence” by choosing several hours per day that are free of e-mail, TV, radio, cell phone, land line, etc. (unless it helps you get in the zone, such as music).
  • Creating large chunks of time to focus on the work you choose to do and then protect that time vigilantly!
  • Develop a routine of the above and schedule these times when you are “at your best” (for example we have found that 8:00-11:00AM are great production hours if we decide the day before what to dive right into when we get to work).

Part 4: “Creative Lifestyle”
There is no shortage of time management resources…just do a search on Amazon.com and you will be overwhelmed! These ideas are a mix of things that have worked for us at Timbuktoons, “Eat That Frog” by Brian Tracy, “Time Management for Creative People” by Mark McGuinness, “Do It Tomorrow” by Mark Forster and a host of other tips and tricks from the world of personal productivity!

3 Responses

  1. Curtis Ray

    October 4th, 2008

    Thanks for that tip on using my time in the morning. I noticed that I have scheduled some weekly meetings in the morning. I should move those to the afternoon and use the morning for my “Zone of silence”.

  2. Timbuktoonblog » Blog Archive » Creative Time Management Part 2: “Creative Organization”

    November 4th, 2008

    [...] floating creative types to efficient and organized free-floating creative types! (Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt.3, [...]

  3. Timbuktoonblog » Blog Archive » Creative Time Management Part 1: “Creative Procrastination”

    November 4th, 2008

    [...] floating creative types to efficient and organized free-floating creative types! (Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt.3, [...]

Leave a Reply