Stay out of the Snow Slump: Productivity Tips

Central Washington has been inundated with days of steady snowfall. While the snow is great for many of our agriculture-based businesses, it can wreak havoc on our creative entrepreneurs. 

We've gathered a few tips to stay productive and creative through the remaining winter months.

Set the alarm for an earlier time

Winter means darkness. When we wake up it's still dark, and oftentimes we're making dinner in darkness as well. It can be hard to keep your momentum and wake up at a decent time, but an early alarm just might  jumpstart your creativity. 

Levo League writer Courtney Miller reflected on the importance of starting your day early, and commented on author Laura Vanderkam's findings:

"Vanderkam realized that most of us waste a critical part of our day—our mornings. While we are snoozing, these industry leaders are nurturing their bodies, minds, families, and careers."

Plan it Out

Don't let your project list overwhelm you in one of the most lethargy-endusing months of the year. Utilize project management and organization tools to craft your day/week/month and effectively utilize your time.

Social media planning tools like HootSuite and TweetDeck can help you plan out your social strategy for the month, giving you the option to schedule posts on a range of social platforms. This allows you to dedicate a few hours to social content development, freeing up the rest of your week or month for creative endeavors. 

Project management programs like SmartSheet and HoneyBook allow you to record your projects, connect with clients and check items off of your to-do list in one easy-to-access location. 

For those in favor of traditional planners, daily planners from The Day Designer can be highly useful. Other favorites include the 56-week planner from Field Notes and the Freedom Journal.

Last but not least, HAVE FUN

Don't let the slush and the chill keep you from having fun when you're not working. Studies show that stepping away from your work and getting in some recreational time is beneficial to the creative mind. In an article by Psychology Today, Marc Beckoff relayed the importance of playing: 

"Play is a banquet for the brain, a smorgasbord for the senses, providing nourishment for body and spirit: sad then that as a society we seem to be starving ourselves of it."

Carve out some time to step away from your desk or studio space and meet new people, attend events and socialize with friends. We highly recommend it here at Catalyst. 

Keep it creative for the rest of our cold Central Washington winter!