NickVenturella.com 10-16-16

NickVenturella.com | GrowLoop.com | NickVmusic.net

Here we are. It’s the middle of October. I was just reflecting back on the last month and a half, and I’m not exactly sure where it went.The kids started back at school in September and my family’s schedule has been in overdrive since.However, given all the busyness, I’ve found myself more productive than prior to the crazy schedules. Do you ever feel that way when you’re busy? It’s kind of an odd thing.They say, if you need something done, give it to a busy person.Essentially meaning that someone who is busy has to be highly productive to get it all done. Likely that busy person is organized enough that s/he can figure out a way to carve out some extra time for your project.In pondering why I’ve been more productive as I’ve gotten busier I think it has something to do with necessity. Like failure is not an option.Specifically, if I have more things in my schedule that are important and considered a priority, then I have to find a way to get them done.Or, another way to state this is, I’m being relied upon more. Thus, I have a responsibility -- because these added events and obligations are priorities -- that I have to be accountable. No excuses.That’s not to say that I’m not accountable when I’m less busy, but if the events and obligations at those less busy times are just for me (when there really aren’t too many others, if any relying me) then it’s easier to go through the motions or even procrastinate.A couple things I discovered that may help you too.As I’ve gotten busier I’ve been force to create new routines.  Being forced into new routines has required me to be very thoughtful and intentional about how I approach my time each day.By being intentional with my day, my new routine is helping me predict and be proactive with when I will get certain things done throughout the day. Knowing what’s coming up next helps my mind subconsciously prepare for the next thing. Then I’m laser focused on what has to get done during the allotted time because I know once that time is up I have to move on to something else.For me, journaling is a fundamental step in my ability to attack each day. There’s something about putting actual pen to paper (not just typing your thoughts).And I’m not just talking about writing out “to-do†lists. I’m talking about writing whatever comes to mind during the time that I have to write (I recommend in the morning. It set the tone for your whole day).The benefit is, you get out on the page whatever is on your mind.  This frees up mind space for other things throughout the day. Plus, it kick-starts my subconscious into working all day. Lately, since I’ve been writing more diligently, I’ve been finding that moments of inspiration hit more often and I’m grabbing my journal throughout the day to jot down new song ideas, blog topics and other half-baked creative thoughts.All this energizes me and seems to push me through each day. Then all of a sudden the day is done. Then the next morning I write and reflect on some of what happened the previous day, and pretty soon, if you look back at your writing, you see that you’ve accomplished a whole lot in a fairly short amount of time.If you’re feeling like you could use a little mental breathing room, I recommend writing daily. You may just find that 15 minutes of daily writing helps create some mental organization out what feels like a chaotic schedule.Thank you for your time and attention. Nick Venturella nickventurella.comgrowloop.comnickvmusic.net