Welcome to All the Tasks Fit to Print, my newsletter on all issues productivity-related for authors (and other solopreneurs)!

This is the final part of a three-part series on how to approach building new habits by learning what kind of mental framework you use to create a schedule.

The first post was an overview discussing “patterns vs. routines,” and I suggest you read that in order to understand what the heck I’m talking about!

Now it’s time to focus on what it means to be a “Routines Person”!

Routines are structured sequences of actions performed at specific times or within set intervals. They are often associated with discipline and regularity, providing a framework that dictates when certain activities should occur.

My ex-husband was a wonder of a “routine person.” As I mentioned in the post about patterns, he woke up at 6:45 am and headed out the door to work at 7:10 am every single workday so that he would arrive at his job a few minutes before it was time to clock in. He did not even really think about it: the alarm went off, he rolled out of bed, took a shower and got dressed, grabbed a coke (he detested coffee), and then left the house.

As a pattern person, I understood the sequence of events, but what floored me was the regimentation of his schedule to the clock. There was a time for everything throughout the week, including going to the club (by 10:00 pm on Friday night, RIP Barbarella’s Orlando *sobbing*) or doing laundry (Sunday evening).

Of course, there were alterations, such as social events, holidays, and sick days. He treated such things as the exceptions to his rules, and could roll with the punches when he needed to. But underneath the rare act of spontaneity was a routine tied to the clock. If he got lost in his day due to unexpected circumstances, he could look at the clock and know what he was supposed to be doing.

This was never more obvious than the (very few) times we went to the gym together. I would practice my pattern of variable workouts, depending on my mood and how my body was feeling. Sometimes I finished up in thirty minutes or less, but sometimes I felt compelled to run long (literally, on the treadmill) and would just keep going.

It drove Mike absolutely nuts.

For him, the gym was a one-hour-long activity. Whatever he did or didn’t do, it had to fit into that hour. If he got finished with a workout early, no he didn’t. He would just go do more working out until the hour was up. Then, when the clock ticked over, he was done. It was time for dinner. Time to go. What the fuck was I doing, still huffing and puffing on the damn treadmill????!? DINNER TIME! DINNER!!!!

We never got into a fight over things like that (our marriage was, overall, very amicable) but it stressed him out. I mean, I stressed him out in a lot of ways (sorry, baby, I never meant to!) but the fact that I could sleep through three alarms in the morning and then take an hour to make coffee was a confounding mystery he could not comprehend. To him, my schedule was less a pattern and more random chaos.   

Such is the mind of a “routines person,” who finds their productivity groove in hitting the mark on the clock or the schedule to the second.

I think the majority of popular productivity gurus are people who thrive on routines. Those are the ones who give advice about managing your calendar down to the half hour and preach about “get up every morning at 5:00 AM and hit the gym first thing!” Given that our modern world does run by the clock, they are primed to succeed within that kind of structure.

Yet, many of them still have trouble setting up a new routine or creating a long-lasting habit.

Routines, even moreso than patterns, are habits in and of themselves. So, let’s say you want to start a morning workout regimen and you decide to wake up an hour earlier in order to do it. Structurally, this sounds like a perfect solution—but the problem is, your routine is already set to wake up at your usual time. Pushing that back means breaking the existing routine first, and people tend to underestimate how hard that it is.

Unfortunately, the atomic habit technique is not the best solution here. Moving your wake up time earlier and earlier by ten minutes every week sounds like a perfect approach, but your “routines” brain will just see chaos and disorder since you aren’t waking up at your “normal” time anymore, or any regular time at all. Ref. “Random chaos.”

I have found that “routines people” tend to work better with a blunt force attack. They need to break it to remake it. That is, instead of doing everything the same but adding in a workout, re-organize your entire morning. It’s a reprogramming approach to habit forming, where you break the old routine completely to replace it with a new one.

For example, let’s assume your standing routine is: alarm at 6:00 AM, shower, make coffee by 6:30 AM, get dressed, drink coffee and pack lunch, be out the door by 7:10 AM.

To create a new habit, you need to mess this up completely. You might think that just waking up an hour earlier to get the workout in first thing is the ideal plan, but it will not succeed for you long term, I    guarantee it. Why?

Because your brain will treat the change as a disruption, not a new habit.

Instead, mess the whole thing up, I mean all of it, top to bottom: alarm at 5:00 AM, workout, make coffee while packing lunch, shower, dress, drink coffee, be out the door by 7:05 AM.

It might look like minor shifts, but your brain will treat it as if it is being reprogrammed. It’s completely new territory that needs to be figured out, and that little bit of confusion is just the push your brain needs to establish a new routine with new habits. It won’t be easy, unfortunately. You’ll be surprised at how hard it is to flip the shower and coffee making order of things! But once it takes, it will be set in stone.

Blunt-force reprogramming works for people who prefer routines because it still gives them the time-defined structure they need. Trying to soft-shoe it (or atomic-habits it) is why they so often fail to create long-lasting habits on the back of current routines.

The most important point here is that once you understand how your brain works, you can use other hacks to supplement your routine in order to optimize your productivity.

As mentioned earlier, the atomic habits technique is not a great one for people who like routines. The incremental approach to change rarely works.

However, time blocking is a great way for people to introduce a little bit of flexibility into their routines, which they might need whether they like or not! It’s especially useful for tasks that have a lot of variables that can impact the timing of the work being done.

The pomodoro method is good match for people who prefer routines, as you can structure the work sprints around how much time you have to spend on the activity. Combining time blocking with the pomodoro technique is a “killer app” for routines people, keeping their tasks marching along to the clock.

Routines people really thrive with calendaring their schedule, especially using task apps like Todoist or more feature-rich project management apps like Trello, Asana, and Monday. Even a good old fashioned spreadsheet can prove invaluable for tracking your time and schedule.

The major “con” with routines is allowing them to become fossilized and brittle, or give you a false sense of security. The threat of changing a routine might seem so overwhelming that you just never get around to changing anything, which will inevitably lead to intellectual and psychological stagnation. If you start to find yourself being superstitious about your routine, or irrationally angry when it gets interrupted, it is time to step back and check whether that routine is really making your live better or not.

Also, being held captive by your routine can put a burden on your relationships and your overall well-being by not allowing space for spontaneity and flexibility. Sometimes you really do need to break the routine and just go to the park with your family!

Routines are fantastic ways to maximize your productivity, so if your brain likes to live by the clock, consider consciously developing your routines to fit your goals and aspirations!

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

Find KimBoo: Notes • Bluesky • Tumblr • Facebook • House of York

Support Keely!!! 🐶: Ko-fi • PayPal

This is the second part of a three-part series on how to approach building new habits by learning what kind of mental framework you use to create a schedule.

The first post was an overview discussing “pattern vs. routine,” and I suggest you read that in order to understand what the heck I’m talking about!

Now it’s time to focus on what it means to be a “Pattern Person”!

A Pattern is a series of tasks performed in a particular sequence or order but is not anchored to a specific time schedule.

I joke a lot with people that I never get up at the same time in the morning.

My alarms go off as scheduled (yes, I have more than one—look, I’m not a morning person, okay???), but whether I roll out of bed at 5:55 am or 6:15 am or 6:59 am is a crap shoot. However, once I am on my feet, my pattern is set: use restroom, get dressed, walk dog, meditate, make coffee, exercise, drink coffee, get ready for work (this part may or may not include a shower, getting dressed to go out, packing up my briefcase, or just firing up the big-rig in my home office). Occasionally I will drink the coffee before the exercising, because I’m a rebel.

Is this pattern completed by 8:00 am? Or 10:00 am? Yes.

Since it’s not a routine I have to get done by a very specific time, how I go through the pattern is variable. Some days I don’t feel good (getting old sucks!) so I make tea, not coffee, then after I do ten minutes of gentle stretches, I sit around reading fanfic for an hour.

Look, if it was possible for me to get out of bed every morning like a robot at exactly 6:05 am, I would have started doing that in my 20s when it would have been useful. But I don’t, because I can’t.

My brain does not work that way, no matter how much I’ve tried to train it. My ex-husband could do that, though, and I always marveled at his ability to wake up at 6:45 am and be headed out the door to work at 7:10 am. You could set your watch by that. Wild! (More about that, and him, in the next post on routines!)

When I want to start new habits—the exercising portion of my morning pattern is new, for instance—I slide them into an existing pattern but I don’t force myself to set a time (“I’ll exercise between 7:30 and 8:30 am every morning!”) or a time frame (“I’ll exercise for exactly 20 minutes!”). Will I do ten minutes on the rebounder or spend it doing yoga? Will I do twenty minutes of strength training? Will I lie on the ground practicing deep breathing exercises? YES.

The “pattern” approach allows my brain the flexibility and leeway it craves while providing my life structure and habits that are good for me. Trying to force myself to stick to constrained, tightly structured routine just means the habit will fail out the gate.

On the other hand, it has made my life in the modern world of by-the-clock, to-the-minute timekeeping a misery.

Because I’m a pattern person, getting to a job on time has been hell for me my whole entire life. I got fired from one of my first jobs because I was always showing up in a 20 minute window: up to ten minutes early to ten minutes late. I can’t even argue with the firing, because I was, after all, not showing up at the time I was supposed to clock in. I would have fired me too! I was not a good employee, no matter how well I did the rest of my job.

It was the only time I’ve ever been fired (shame is real, y’all) but it was not the last time I struggled to hit that clock-in time. You can’t avoid tracking time completely (at least, I have not found a way to do that!), but “good pattern hygiene” is knowing roughly how long a pattern might take.

My morning routine averages between two and three hours, so I generally allow for three hours to get it all in. If I finish up in two hours, that’s bonus time I can use to get started on a project early or even just sit around drinking coffee and petting my dog. On the rare day my pattern has been interrupted, I can make the call on whether to return to it and finish it up or simply move on. I’m comfortable with that because patterns are meant to be flexible, as long as I am mindful of the interruption becoming its own habit—which might simply mean I need to adjust or re-arrange the pattern.

Ironically, it has made me super aware of time, because I have to put so much effort into not being late for appointments or events. Other people can just willy-nilly fly through the world showing up on time without thinking much about it, but I have given myself anxiety attacks just trying to make a movie time at the theater. My punctuality is legendary and also entirely forced!

Learning how to work with my brain, though, means that in general I know to approach things like appointments and deadlines with a wide-open schedule, which means that instead of being strict with myself (“leave the house at 8:10 am exactly!”) I know to hedge my bets (“leave the house sometime before 8:05; 8:15 at the latest”). I also try to keep meetings to a minimum, because of the stress I feel about punctuality.

The best part is that knowing this is how my brain works has made major parts of my life stress free. I have certain patterns that repeat daily or weekly and that’s how things get done.

When a pattern gets disrupted, as it did recently when I took on a part-time remote job, I often have to fiddle with it for a few weeks to get it nailed down. Should the job be done before or after creative writing time? Before or after lunch? In two-hour sprints, or four hours at a go? Fortunately I had the flexibility to figure all that out.

Also, once you understand how your brain works, you can use other hacks in addition to your pattern or routine to help you succeed.

I find atomic habits work really well for pattern people, because we are not assigning a time to the task. If we are fitting exercising into our pattern, it doesn’t matter what exercises we do or even how long they take. We can build up the atoms of a habit piece by piece, and not worry about whether it filled the 15 minute time slot assigned to it or not.

Time blocking also works well for pattern people, as we prefer the flexibility to decide how exactly to fill that time on an as-needed basis. For me, when I set time aside for fiction writing, which story I work on is variable, and what I do (fresh words, editing, research) is also variable.

Pomodoro is less effective for pattern people, because it is all about timing, even if it is not tied to a specific hour on the clock. For me, pomodoro always falls on the sword of feeling inspired/motivated to keep working. I know that the whole point is to build in breaks so we don’t burn out or get completely distracted, but what works better for me is a goal: a set amount of words (if writing); going through one box; cleaning one room. It might take ten minutes or an hour, but I don’t care about that.

The major “con” with patterns is that if they get truncated or interrupted too many times, they fall apart. If I try to set a morning pattern to include exercising, but exercising is always the first thing I cut when I’m running up against the clock, then that’s not a pattern, that is wishful thinking. At that point, it is time for me to sit down and consider what my pattern is focused on, and what I’m actually trying to accomplish.

I’m comfortable with the fact that sometimes the answers to questions about my priorities and schedule are not immediately clear, as they would be for people who work better using routines tied to a clock (they have their own problems,). I rely on the fact that I can adjust time spans to fit my day and my mood, rather than crashing and burning trying to railroad over my own inclinations.

Do you like having a bit of waffling-about built into your schedule? Then working in patterns might be the best approach for you!

Coming up next week: Routine Living!

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

Find KimBoo: Notes • Bluesky • Tumblr • Facebook • House of York

Support Keely!!! 🐶: Ko-fi • PayPal

This is the first of a three-part series on the topics of habits, routines, and patterns, and how you can figure out the best system for your brain!

As we crack open a new year, a lot of people are asking me about setting habits and creating productive schedules to help them achieve their goals.

No one enjoys answering my first question, though: “What hasn’t worked for you in the past?”

Because the answer is usually “all of that.”

Sometimes, what a person needs is just some simple fine tuning to their schedule, or carving out space in their routine for a new habit. If that works for you, great!

Unfortunately, for most of us, the actual solution requires a bit more excavation. Just having an optimized schedule is not the end goal, because it needs to be based on priorities and projects which are clearly defined. If your schedule is full of meetings but you aren’t sure which meeting is important and which isn’t, then the problem is not that your schedule is full of meetings.

The problem is that you are cramming your schedule full of meetings out of a misplaced sense of urgency, because you don’t know what is critical for your goals versus what is just busy work. The way to solve this is to put the calendar down (let go! Let goooooo!!!!) and review your plans in light of your priorities, both personal and professional. Once you have those nailed down, you can create a schedule that works for you instead of against you.

Tip Jar!

Habits are a bit trickier, though. We all want better habits, but we’ve tried so many times to start new, healthy habits that we are hard-pressed to believe that we can succeed this time. Hoping and wishing won’t cut it.

There are a lot of hacks for creating habits, and some of them work, some of the time.

The most popular is probably the “atomic habits” method, where you break the process down into small steps (atoms) and slowly introduce them over time until you’ve built up a whole new habit. This takes the form of putting out your running shoes every night for a week; then getting up in the morning and putting on the running shoes for a week; then walking out the front door for five minutes for a week; then actually starting to go for runs. Specific steps and time spans are variable, but you get the point: you are lowering resistance to the habit by giving yourself small, actionable, achievable goals that you build up over time.

Another popular one is “make it easy,” whereby you lower the resistance by constructing a situation that is simple to enter into. Keep the guitar you want to learn out to play on the couch in the living room, or buy a set of weights to keep in your bedroom instead of signing up for a gym membership, or download a language app you can play throughout the day instead of saving up to pay for expensive classes.

One aspect I point to a lot is that nothing exists in a vacuum, including your habits. You might think that stopping by the gym on your way home is introducing something new into “unused” space in your life, but according to your brain, that space is already filled with the “commuting, getting home, and crashing on the couch until dinnertime” habit. You might not consider that a habit, but your brain definitely does! That is a habit and you are not just modifying it a bit (“crashing on the back porch instead of the couch”) but obliterating it.

New habits have a hell of a time writing over old habits. In that light, you can see why it makes sense that by the second or third week of your shiny new habit, it crashes and burns.

What to do? More of the same?

My advice is to start at the beginning: your brain.

Ask yourself if you are you a “routine” person or a “pattern” person?

You might think they are the same thing or that any difference between them doesn’t matter—after all, your goal is to just start a new habit, right? However, I believe that when you are considering habits you want to incorporate into your life, you need to understand how each approach contributes to behavior formation and maintenance, and (more importantly) which approach works best for your brain.

I know you think I’m talking in synonyms, but they are actually fundamentally different:

• Routines are structured sequences of actions performed at specific times or within set intervals. They are often associated with discipline and regularity, providing a framework that dictates when certain activities should occur. This time-based nature of routines can be both a strength and a limitation; while routines offer predictability and a sense of order, they can also become rigid, potentially stifling spontaneity or creativity if the routine becomes too prescriptive or demanding.

• Patterns are about engaging in a series of tasks in a particular sequence or order instead of being anchored to a specific time schedule. This allows for variability and adaptability, focusing on the flow of activities rather than on the time on a clock. Patterns encourage a mindset where the emphasis is on the relationship and connection between tasks, fostering a fluidity that can accommodate changes and interruptions more easily than fixed routines. On the other hand, they can become too flexible and fall apart if the underlying sequence is disrupted too often.

By understanding the distinction between the two, and their strengths and weaknesses, you can better tailor your approach to habit-building, recognizing when a routine is necessary for discipline and when a pattern can provide the freedom to explore and adapt.

Follow up posts:

• Patterns: Pros vs. Cons

• Routines: Pros vs. Cons

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

Find KimBoo: Notes • Bluesky • Tumblr • Facebook • House of York

Support Keely!!! 🐶: Ko-fi • PayPal

Subscribe now

I have totally failed at launching a productivity coaching business.

I want to stress that this is not a rant post, or a whiny post, or a pity post! I actually find the whole thing hilarious, and it falls under the “do as I say, not as I do” umbrella.

And, importantly, I still do productivity coaching for writers!

I am very good at helping authors figure out the what, how, and when of what they want to accomplish. It’s more like a 1:1 mastermind, and I’ve been told that I am “the cure for analysis paralysis!”

But is it a successful business model for me?

No. No, it’s not.

Alas.

See, here’s the thing: most people, and especially creative people like writers and artists, do not like being told to do things.

Which most personal coaches know, to be honest. There is a fine line between being bossy and being a coach, and the best coaches walk the razor’s edge of making their clients think that all their plans are their own ideas.

(They are wrong.)

I can softball too, but not for long. At some point, I usually get to the stage of saying “if you fail to do the work, then you are working to fail.”

And whew people do not like hearing that!

But! I don’t think it is an issue of them being lazy, or not wanting to put the effort in.

Usually these are the same people who work incredibly hard from morning to night, doing things like being parents, caretakers, business owners, students, authors, artists, and community members. Yet, with so many of them, we get to a stage where I have to point out that they are continuing to not do the thing they swear on their own grave that they want to do.

So what is really the problem, here?

This might be due to a perfectionist drive, or insecurity, or fear of success. Maybe all of the above!

More often, though, my clients feel immobilized because they believe they have to know how to do the thing correctly first. Why? Because they believe at an almost superstitious level that doing it correctly in the proscribed way will insulate them from failure.

But here is the hard truth which is my job to deliver to them: doing the thing is more important than doing it correctly.

This is, of course, not always true. I want a surgeon to do correct surgery, for instance. I prefer that people drive their cars correctly in the proper lanes and obeying the traffic laws. Please I beg!!!!

But when it comes to personal goals, and especially creative goals,  there is rarely just one path to success. Even when two people have very similar aspirations, the steps they each need to take can be wildly different.

There are many ways to be an athlete; there are many ways to be an author; there are many ways to paint a picture.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a deep-seated human drive to discover how to do something “the correct way,” believing that finding that correct way will make everything easier and make them more successful. It’s why how-to books, YouTube channels, and short vids are so damn popular. You can tell we are a predator species because we are always relentlessly hunting down instructions.

Sure, some of us vibe with winging it, and six or seven times out of ten that works for us. (Guilty as charged!) But when the process, or the bookshelves, break down, we retreat to our corner and hope to gods that someone on reddit solved our problem first.

Tip jar!

Yet, for all that we want to do things correctly and we want clear-cut instructions on how to do that, the vast majority of people simply do not enjoy being ordered around (unless they do, which is an entirely different topic for an entirely different blog! LOL!).

Industry and, by extension, capitalism have been trying to corral us for centuries. But don’t forget that military organizations got there first: follow orders, wear the proper uniform, do your time, don’t talk back. But it’s not easy, which is why boot camp has such a reputation for brutality: the goal is to break down the recruit and build them into an obedient soldier who follows orders without question. That goes against the natural instinct of the majority of humans, which is why the breaking-down part is so crucial to the process.

It is this clash of competing desires that results in a quandary: “tell me how to do something correctly but don’t tell me to do it.”

When I work with clients, I’m often in the awkward position of suggesting the exact opposite: telling them to DO SOMETHING while also telling them that there is no one, single, most correct way to do it.   

Instead, they hold out for better instructions, or perfect weather, or the most high-end tools. Often, they turn the whole experience on its head: “I’ll start painting after I’ve learned everything about technique and bought all the best, most expensive materials.”

Learning technique and using top-grade materials will help you become a better painter, absolutely true! But first ya’ gotta paint some shit.

When I started podcasting I was super concerned about sounding professional. I wanted the best equipment I could afford, I tried to learn everything about sound editing/processing, I fussed over all the details. Regardless of all that effort, my early podcasts were not very good, and I was so defeated! Yet nowadays I think I do a pretty good job podcasting both on my own shows and as a guest on other people’s. The reason for that is not that I upgraded to high-end equipment or better cover art, it’s because I’ve been doing this for going on six+ years—not consistently, and not always well, but persistently.

Take any podcaster or vlogger you like and go back to their early work, and you’ll see a similar arc. They improved over time by getting more comfortable doing the work and becoming more familiar with what works for them in that format. Read the early work of your favorite author and you will probably be amazed at how much worse it is than what they produced later in their careers.

You can read every book out there on how to write a novel and listen to every podcast that exists on how to be a better writer, but the only way that you will actually accomplish either goal is to sit down and write.

In the end, my advice to my clients is always the same: worry less about doing everything perfectly and just do the work.

I never offer short cuts or sure things. There is no guarantee of success based on a formula on “how to do it BEST.” Just the same old advice, often repeated and rarely heeded: Do the work.

But people don’t like being told to do it.

Which is why I’m a failed productivity coach. 🤣

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a (failed!) holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

Find KimBoo: Notes • Bluesky • Tumblr • Facebook • House of York

Support Keely!!! 🐶: Ko-fi • PayPal

Subscribe now

Running a business solo is one of the hardest things to do, and I have to keep reminding myself of that fact. I also have to keep reminding my productivity clients of that fact, too.

Clients often come to me when they are in a bind and/or feeling overwhelmed by everything they have to do. They ask me to give them THE solution—the one app or system or day planner that will make it all easy.

Sadly, there isn’t one. I don’t care what all the productivity vloggers on YouTube claim! There are very few situations where one single productivity tool will fit all of your needs.

That’s because, as a business owner, you are managing multiple projects, not a single one.

This is something a lot of solopreneurs forget, because we get into the weeds of “managing the business” and forget that our business actually consists of multiple projects that are all very different. For most people, those projects roughly break down like this:

• Production (including development)

• Inventory   

• Distribution

• Administration/Business management (aka “the business side”)

• Marketing

Each of these projects have very different needs, and those needs will be very different depending on your industry/field. “Production” for authors and artists looks very different from “production” for a clothing manufacturer, so while as an author my production tools are notion.io and the scrivener app, my friend who produces skorts of women hikers needs a seamstress for design and prototyping along with an actual manufacturing facility. She might also benefit from a project management tool like Asana, to help her with managing a lot of different products, production time frames, and stake holders.

But for administration/business needs like bookkeeping? We can both use apps like Quickbooks or Zoho Books.

There are very few tools you can use to track and update all of those projects concurrently in one place, but it’s possible using something like Asana or Notion.

Before you decide which tools and apps to use, though, you need to figure out how your brain works!

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This is so crucial. Some people work well with nested folders, for instance, while others shove every single document onto their desktop (”flat” storage). An organizational system is only as good as you use it! Creating a beautiful database in notion is awesome until you never actually open it up because it is too overwhelming.

Here is a simple exercise to get a peak inside your own brain: Sit back and think about how you organize a space you use regularly, like your kitchen or a hobby area. Really consider where things are stored, what you keep close at hand, how you actually use the space.

Make this a no judgment zone, though! If you use flat storage systems because you have ADHD and need everything to be in your line of sight, that’s fine! Doesn’t matter if other people find your system “messy” or “too strict” or whatever—it’s your system.

For instance, it is obvious when organizing your kitchen cabinets to think, “store all the spices together!” But in my kitchen there is the spice cabinet and then there is the spice shelf. The spice shelf is a separate area near the stove containing the top ten (or so) spices/flavorings I use regularly.

What we can learn from this is that since I like keeping the majority of stuff out of sight while easily accessible and organized, I dislike clutter and prefer clear countertops. However, I value convenience and efficiency highly, so I need things I use a lot close at hand or I get frustrated while doing The Thing by constantly taking them out and putting them up. Hence, a spice shelf.

For me, that means I have “storage areas” for my digital files, while also having “current projects” folders where the things I am actively working on live.

As you figure out how your brain works, you might realize that you need separate solutions for organizing your digital assets and assorted files than you need for tracking and advertising than you use for bookkeeping. Alternatively, maybe you need it all in one place where it is all together and not scattered around. That choice depends on how your brain works!

You should also try out different tools and processes and use what works. Too often people get wrapped up in doing something the “correct” way, but the only thing that matters is if the system works for you. I have one friend who still does all her bookkeeping in excel, despite a plethora of bookkeeping apps on the market. She’s comfortable with that, and it works. That’s good enough!

Finally, approach this whole process in stages. Don’t try to organize everything all at once, no matter how tempting. That is a great way to drive yourself into overwhelm and burnout. Pick a single pain point and fix that, then move on to the next pain point and fix that.

Popular apps for organizing all of this are Notion, Asana, Trello, Obsidian, Evernote, OneNote, and the good old fashioned spreadsheet. Whichever app you try out, start small and expect to have a bit of a learning curve.

Remember that you are managing multiple projects, so start small with one thing in one project and work out from there!

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

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Anyone who has burned out fears it.

Too often it is thought of as something similar to fatigue—you worked too hard, and now you’re tired! Unfortunately, burn out is much more complicated than that. Burnout is so psychologically impactful that it affects our overall health, sometimes with long-lasting consequences.

If you burned out once, you know how all-encompassing it is and how much it can derail your entire life, not just your career/creative/hobby goals. And yes, you can experience burnout with a hobby just as much as you can in a job or with your creative practice. It’s an equal opportunity scourge!

Often, I get clients coming to me who want to re-engage with their projects but are wary of spending too much effort on focused work. They’ve experienced burnout and they are (rightfully!) skittish about going through it again. They are looking for time management techniques to keep them from overworking to the point of crashing.

However, the problem is usually not solely about time management. That’s part of it, sure, but burnout is far more complex than that. Technically, “burnout” is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress.

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Rather than just resulting from working long hours, burnout can come from multiple directions such as:

• An excessive workload: This is what we think causes burnout. An overwhelming volume of work, forcing us to handle more tasks than one can manage, especially without sufficient resources or support. Intensity and pressure to maintain constant high-energy and highly demanding work along with tight deadlines can lead to chronic stress.

• Lack of Control: We don’t think about this enough, but a lack of autonomy can lead to frustration and stress. Little to no input in decision-making and/or a lack of control over work-related activities, resources, and environments can push anyone to a breaking point.

• Unclear Performance Expectations: If the target is always moving, you exhaust yourself trying to keep track of it and keep with it. The ambiguity of unclear objectives, expectations, or performance criteria can leave you uncertain and anxious. Make that a long term situation, and burnout is guaranteed.

• Work Environment: Whether you work in your home or at a business location, the environment around you feeds into your mental wellbeing. Dysfunctional    relationship dynamics are not limited to the home-front, either, since toxic relationships can exist with colleagues or managers. Bullying isn’t just a schoolyard phenomenon, and has driven many people from an otherwise great job. Feeling isolated or unsupported within the work environment creates stress and uncertainty too.

• Lack of recognition or appreciation: Yeah, we all sneer at “participation trophies” but too often that swings too far in the other direction, where hard work and commitment are taken for granted. Lack of acknowledgment for achievements or hard work creates resentment, which builds over time into rage and despondency.

• Mismatched values/ethical misalignment: Working in an environment or for a company/client that conflicts with your personal values/ethics creates “moral injury,” whereby a person experiences a betrayal of self-perception (“would a good person support this terrible thing? How can I be a good person if I do?”). This can lead to shame and self-loathing, which leads directly to burnout.

• Monotony and Lack of Variety: This is a big one for me, since if I get bored I can quickly become self-destructive. Repetitive tasks and stagnation in a role feed into feelings of helplessness. Variety and intellectual stimulation are critical for engagement. “An idle mind is the devil’s playground” and in this case, the devil is burnout.

• Lack of support: This can take the form of team members not holding up their end of the project, a supervisor or client not providing guidance or feedback, or colleagues failing to back you up in difficult situations. It also includes family and friends failing to help you and support you in your goals. This all leads to frustration, of course, but also leads to feelings of isolation and overwhelm.

Which all means that dialing in your calendar and time blocks and pomodoro sprints might not actually prevent burnout. I’m sorry.

But the good news is, the more you know, the better prepared you will be to fix problems before they burn you from the inside out. When you get down to the core reason for burnout, it’s not “overworking” it is a lack of balance in your emotional landscape. Feelings of despair, isolation, frustration, and fear take over, unbalance your psychological well being, and crash you into a huge wall of burnout.

Which means that the solution to preventing burnout is to create emotional balance, but it can be hard to achieve if you are trying to solve the wrong problem.

The first thing I do is have my client sit down and go over that list, above. Do any of those issues resonate with you? You don’t have to tick all the boxes; if one or two of them apply, they can lead to burnout whether you are working 20 hours or 80.

Once you know what you are dealing with, you can create countermeasures. In some situations, you might not be able to solve the issue completely (lack of control and monotony affect a lot of people with office jobs, for instance) but being aware of them is crucial. Only when you know what the actual problems are can you find the level to create balance and prevent yourself from hitting burnout.

Are you stressed because you're tired from overworking? Or are you fatigued because the work is monotonous? Or are you depressed due to a feeling of moral/ethical misalignment?

If you're feeling tired, then rest. Powering through it will just lead to burnout.

If the monotony is dragging you down, set aside time to do some freestyle dance or art or, heck, improv comedy classes! Don’t feed the burnout monster by just sitting around channel surfing or doom scrolling, which are entirely too passive to engage your brain (they feel active, but that’s the dopamine talking).

If a moral/ethical misalignment is squeezing your organs but you are not in a position to remove yourself from the situation, make time for activities that help recenter yourself in your beliefs and/or ethics (prayer, yoga, volunteer work). Focusing on your quandary through complaining about it endlessly or wallowing in self-pity is not a proactive way to address your sense of disconnect.

Burnout is a multifaceted phenomenon that transcends fatigue from overworking. Its roots can be traced to a variety of issues, so understanding those stressors is the first step toward effective burnout prevention. Practicing holistic productivity safeguards your mental, emotional, and physical well-being by identifying and addressing the specific problems affecting you in order to create a balanced life!

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

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The directions we get as children, as adults, as students, and as employees is that when we encounter a stumbling block is to sit down, figure out the problem, and solve it. We’re told to “power through” and “crack the case” and “persevere!”

Sometimes, that is necessary. In medical emergencies or criminal investigations, for instance, hammering at the problem until a solution is cracked can save lives.

Most of the time, though, the consequences are not so dire. For many writers and artists, it is actually counterproductive to focus exclusively on the problem in front of you.

In my experience as a productivity coach, people tend to fall into one of two categories: the people who need to hit the “stop” button and focus exclusively on a problem until it is solves; and the people who thrive on what I call “flywheel energy.”

Flywheel: A rotating mass used to maintain the speed of a machine within certain limits while the machine receives or releases energy at a varying rate, or as a form of energy storage.

There are, as with everything, shades of gray to that dichotomy. I don’t mean for it be used as an absolute measure. What I want people to think about is how their own energy gets used on creative projects.

I have flywheel energy, which is why I have multiple stories going at any one time. When I hit a roadblock (or worse, a writer’s block) on one story, I just shift over to work on a different one.

I have been lectured numerous times that what I should do is buckle down and work harder on the story having a problem. Don’t let Resistance win! Power through! Keep at it until you vanquish your foe!!!! (or similar motivational aphorisms.)

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On rare occasions, that has worked for me. Most of the time, though, stopping to solve the problem means stopping everything. The problem doesn’t get solved and nothing else gets done either. Once I force my writing flywheel to become stationary, the energy it held constant falls apart.

I have learned the hard way that no matter the reason, when I stop writing, I stop writing. I don’t write fiction, I don’t write non-fiction, I don’t write blog posts, I don’t write anything at all. The problem I was having goes into stasis, remaining untouched until some happy accident kicks the flywheel back into motion.

People who don’t have much flywheel energy, or whose flywheels are focused on other things, can and do simply stop whatever they are doing to solve the problem they are confronted with. In fact, for most people, it’s almost a compulsion. They cannot do anything else until the problem is resolved! At its most positive, this motivation solves a lot of problems! At its worst, it locks people into a situation they cannot fix and traps them there indefinitely.

Having flywheel energy means that it is more important to keep the flywheel going than to stop and focus on a thorny problem. This can lead to squirrel syndrome (SQUIRREL!) if not directed well, whereby a person just runs from project to project and never circles back around to resolve issues. They just keep looking for a new project to distract them from problems.

Healthy flywheel energy is about balancing existing projects, problems, and new ideas. Writers like me always have five or more stories in the hopper, even if a few of them have not been actively worked on in a long time (Rogues, my SF space opera, has seen no progress in years, even if I’m thinking about it regularly and always putting it on my short list of current projects—it’s got problems, and I will happily talk your ear off for hours about it because it is often on my mind).

If you feel yourself sinking into the mire of a dreaded fire swamp filled with RoUS, consider your own approach to problems: are you compelled to power through, or do you tend to find better solutions if you redirect your energies for a little while? Maybe your flywheel just needs to keep spinning.

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

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The inspiration for the concept of holistic productivity originated in a book I wrote, Rise to the Task, based on conversations with my friend over coffee and frustration.

We are both authors and small business owners, and we were overwhelmed by the trials of trying to stay on top of all of our projects. As a former project manager, I knew there was a better way to organize what we were doing, but most planners on the market fell short of what we really needed.

Half the systems we found tried to create that elusive “work/life balance” (as if work isn't a part of living?). The other half focused on the productivity grind of hustle culture (do more! Do it all! Do it all now!!!!). Almost all of them centered their approach to productivity around the calendar, which for most project managers is only brought into the mix later in planning after you know what actually needs to be done.

However, the core problem is that our work, as writers and entrepreneurs, is too integrated into every aspect of our lives to cleanly isolate it from things like walking the dog and chores and family vacations. We needed a more holistic approach.

I realized that most people don't understand what project management really is, and believed that it was only useful for work projects, specifically. I knew that the five simple steps of project management can be applied to every aspect of life to better integrate all of our goals and commitments in a more holistic way.

Why should you care about project management?

The reason you get burnt out on so many different planners, to-do apps, and project management software is because they are not designed for everything you need to do. They are, more often than not, over-engineered. Yet, project management is a simple approach to task accomplishment. Sure, it can get very complicated, but contrary to what you’ve been led to believe, project management is a system that is so, so simple that I can sum it up for you right now, right here in five simple steps:

1. Initiation/Conception

2. Planning

3. Launch (Execution)

4. Monitoring (Control)

5. Completion (Closure)

REALLY! THAT’S IT!

The reason such a simple paradigm works so well for so many different kinds of projects across so many different kinds of industries is because the simplicity makes it FLEXIBLE. Projects in commercial building construction are very different from projects in software development. Each industry has its own standards, protocols, and requirements.

But the five steps of project management gives you the basic tools to manage all your projects across all your goals in ways that drive everything in the direction it needs to go!

Yet, there are all those online apps and to-do lists and expensive paper planners filled with complicated set ups that require as much time organizing and updating as it does to do the things you are trying to manage. It becomes a game of chasing your tail and thinking that the problem is not the tools you are using, but you.

I promise that you are not the problem.

5 steps, 1 million routes

I tell clients all the time that if the tool isn’t working for you, find the one that does. Do you like using post-it notes stuck to a wall kanban-style? Fine! Do you love spreadsheets or databases? Okay! Do you rely on the Yellow Legal Pad of Getting Things Done™? Great! Or maybe you really do love a specific to-do app? That’s fine too.

But the bigger problem with all of these tools is usually that you do not have a wide focus view of everything you have going on and how all those elements fit together.

The bigger solution is to incorporate the basic steps of project management first.

Applying project management holistically, across your work, hobbies, relationships, and goals is an idea I came up with a long time ago when I was working 1:1 with colleagues and clients. They were mostly solopreneurs who were all juggling a lot of different things. They knew they needed to organize their businesses, but every system they tried was too overwhelming and took too much time and energy to maintain.

I’m sure you’ve been through the same thing: You see all the alluring ads out there for Monday, Asana, Trello, MS Project, etcetera and wonder how they can help you. You sign up, play around with it for a bit, then go back to your simple calendar and task-lists because it feels like all those big programs took something simple and made it complicated.

Spoiler: THEY DID.

Most of those services are using a big basket approach to project management, but originally (and to this day) the secret to successful project management is in knowing your industry and, just as importantly, knowing how you work.

The popular tools you see out there have tried to distill everything down into categories and sections and timelines, trying to be all things to all people. Often, they are designed to be used by multiple people in teams of 5 to 500. That is great for those who need that kind of big basket approach, for these programs fail solopreneurs across a number of factors:

• They assume you are running one, maybe two projects;

• They seem to think that someone, likely you, has the time to be the full-time project manager for your life;

• They fail to allow for the fact that personal life issues and projects can directly affect business projects;

• They are built around calendars and timelines, assuming that other people can pick up the slack for you when your family member gets sick or you want to take a vacation.

The Holistic Approach

Project management is a method which doesn’t try to tie you down to one tool or service. It’s a “meta tool” that gives you the tools to arrange everything you need to do in ways that fit your brain, lifestyle, and schedule. It is easy for one person to maintain for themselves, without spending several (or many) hours every week sorting out task lists, calendars, and priorities while leaving important elements of your personal life "on hold."

When I developed the Personal Projects Management method that I outline in Rise to the Task, I meant for it to be applied to all aspects of life. It might sound at first as if project management is directly opposed to the ideal of holistic productivity, but I argue instead that it is a critical component because it is flexible, adaptable, and customizable. Try it out!

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

Subscribe now

When we talk about what matters most to us, we're usually not referring to material possessions or fleeting pleasures. Instead, we mean the core aspects of our lives that shape who we truly are: parenthood, career, health, significant personal goals, faith communities—these are what I call the "guideposts" in my Personal Projects Management (PPM) method. These guideposts are the pillars that direct our decisions and highlight our priorities.

Understanding Your Guideposts

Guideposts are those major life projects that demand your time, energy, money, and love. They are intrinsic to your identity. But how do you identify these guideposts? It might seem intuitive, yet many of my clients struggle to articulate them and narrow them down.

First, recognize that your guideposts should be limited to three to six at any given time. This limitation isn't arbitrary; it's about managing your finite energy and focus. Trying to juggle more than six significant life projects usually leads to burnout which in turn leads to stagnation. Remember, the aim is to focus your energy, not to spread yourself too thin.

Why Limiting Your Guideposts Matters

Consider this: just because there are 24 hours in a day doesn't mean you have 24 hours of usable energy and focus. Daily responsibilities such as work, relationships, self-care, and rest consume those hours. Overloading your schedule makes it impossible to achieve any of your goals effectively.

To avoid this, start by acknowledging that attempting too many things is counter-productive. High achievers often fall into the trap of wanting to accomplish everything, but it's essential to prioritize and streamline.

Steps to Identify Your Guideposts

1. List Your Roles: Begin by listing the roles you play in your life. This concept, popularized by Stephen Covey in his famous book First Things First, helps in outlining your main areas of responsibility. Roles can include spouse, parent, friend, business owner, hobbyist, etc. and usually people will only have about five or so, but if you are super busy and have a lot of commitments, you might have up to ten. We’ll deal with that later in the process.

2. Define Your Goals: Nex, separately identify your major goals. For example, achieving peak physical fitness might be a significant personal goal even if it doesn't fit neatly into a defined role (yet!). Even if you don’t have a role for “fan” you should still put down having that killer cosplay ready for the next DragonCon! If it’s a goal, it goes on the list!

3. Combine Where Possible: Look for areas where roles and goals overlap and can be merged under a single guidepost. For instance, instead of listing each child as a separate guidepost, combine them under “parenthood.” Similarly, if you have multiple goals around income, investments, and paying off debts, consider a broader guidepost like “financial wellbeing.”

4. Prioritize: Once you have a consolidated list, rank them in order of importance. This helps in focusing on what truly matters most to you at any given time. Everyone hates this step because it is often impossible to rank things you love or have a strong commitment to hierarchically. Consider using a system that is not numerical, such as color coding. Anything that can suggest “priority” without having to compare or assign judgment values to them.

5. Trim the List: Cross out the less critical items, keeping only the top three to six guideposts. This step will be challenging but is crucial for maintaining focus and avoiding overwhelm! Remember, too, that nothing is written in stone. You can swap out guideposts or set one aside to circle around to when you have completed other goals.

Implementing Your Guideposts

With your guideposts identified and prioritized, the next step is implementation. This process brings clarity to your daily and long-term planning. By aligning your projects and tasks with your guideposts, you ensure that your efforts are directed towards what matters most! Honestly, once you get to this point, things usually fall into place and you can clearly identify what needs doing and when.

Practical Exercise

Putting it all together, if you're struggling to identify your guideposts, follow this simple exercise:

1. Identify Roles: List all the roles you play in life.

2. Identify Goals: Note your significant goals.

3. Merge: Combine roles and goals where it makes sense.

4. Prioritize: Rank them by importance.

5. Trim: Keep only the top three to six.

Implement these guideposts in your life and observe how they help your focus and productivity.

I'd love to hear about your experience with this process. Did it help you clarify your priorities? Do you have any questions or need further guidance? Share your thoughts and let's discuss!

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

Subscribe now

For many of us, childhood activities like piano or sports weren’t merely fun hobbies; they were viewed by our parents as potential gateways to future careers. They were trajectories for success.

During a conversation with a close friend, we talked about how these early lessons on “everything must have a trajectory!” shaped our ideas of success and productivity. Our mothers, products of their own generations, pushed us towards what they believed would lead to achievement, often sidelining our genuine interests because of societal norms or physical stereotypes. My friend, at just five years old, was steered away from ballet, which she loved, due to not having the “ideal” dancer’s physique. She actually did not want to become a ballerina, she simply loved dancing ballet. She was pushed into gymnastics instead.

By the time I was ten, I was discouraged from performing anything in public (theater, dance, debate) because I was considered “too big” (a.k.a. fat) to be competitive at it. This, despite the fact that Mother had previously encouraged me in theater arts for most of my younger childhood. Once it became clear that I was not going to be the pretty, willowy “leading lady” type of daughter, she decided it wasn’t worth my (or her) time.

Maybe she was right about my chances at leading lady stardom, but I would have loved becoming a character actor! Alas, that was not “upwardly mobile” enough for my mother to even consider.   

This early molding of our career paths mirrors today’s relentless productivity hustle: Push forward! Aim higher! Stay busy! Strive and hustle!!!

As a productivity coach to authors and other solopreneurs, I watch too many clients fighting through career paths not driven by passion but seen as logical or safe, the “practical choice” of career. This almost always results in a disconnection from their calling and/or passion, which are often demeaned as hobbies at best and “a waste of time” at worst.

We forget that not every passion needs to be monetized or viewed through the lens of career advancement. It’s about enriching our lives, not merely enhancing our resumes. The fact that many people have monetized their beloved hobbies has done a disservice to hobbies in general, in my opinion. Capitalistic hustle culture demands that we put a dollar amount on everything we do, no matter our impulse for doing it. It is the result is a corrosive equation: hobbies take time, and time is money, and money is more valuable than your happiness. I believe instead that we need to be allowed to enjoy doing something whether or not it is marketable.

Stephen Covey’s classic productivity book First Things First advocates prioritizing roles that truly matter to you, a concept similar to my emphasis on guideposts in my Personal Projects Management method. Whether you call them roles or guideposts, though, they are more than just aspirations. They are beacons that align with our deepest values, irrespective of whether they fit into a traditional career trajectory or not.

Holistic productivity challenges us to rethink our approach to all parts of our lives—family, work, hobbies, education, wellness—to focus on our guideposts. It emphasizes balancing various aspects of life so you integrate personal passions with professional endeavors in a way that promotes overall well-being rather than just financial success or career advancement. It allows us to create a lifestyle where work and personal interests enhance and support each other, rather than existing in separate silos.

Here is my question for you: What trajectories are you pursuing, and do they truly align with what makes you fulfilled?

Maybe what you need are fewer trajectories, and instead focus on your values, hopes, and dreams. Stepping off the conventional path can lead to a more meaningful and enriching life, because holistic productivity isn’t just about achieving more, it’s about understanding which achievements are genuinely worth pursuing.

Embracing this philosophy means looking beyond traditional metrics of success to develop an understanding of what productivity really means, and defining success in your own terms. It not only nurtures creativity and passion but also fosters mental and emotional wellbeing, so that all your pursuits are sustainable over the long term.

The practice of holistic productivity helps us find balance in our varied roles—be they as professionals, parents, artists, or activists—to create a richer, more vibrant life for ourselves and everyone we love.

Read about the five pillars of holistic productivity here!

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

Subscribe now

It's time we redefine what productivity means beyond the traditional norms. Traditional productivity techniques focus heavily on maximizing efficiency—doing more, faster, and pushing harder. But what if I told you there's more to productivity than just ticking off tasks on your to-do list?

In my experience, particularly working with women and individuals outside of mainstream hustle culture, I've realized that the essence of real productivity isn't found in the number of completed tasks but in the fulfillment those tasks bring. My clients aren't just looking for hacks to manage their emails quicker; they're searching for ways to meaningfully engage with their work, hobbies, and families without feeling stretched too thin.

This brings me (as usual!) to the concept of holistic productivity, which is not about grinding yourself down but about creating a balanced, fulfilling life. It is based on the principles of understanding what truly matters—both in your professional and personal life—and aligning your efforts accordingly.

So, what's your real goal here? To get a lot done? Or to ensure that while you succeed in your set tasks, you don't lose sight of satisfaction, personal fulfillment, and wellness? Because holistic productivity isn't just a practice but a lifestyle that enhances your overall well-being and helps you maintain a sustainable pace without burnout.

Embracing holistic productivity means setting priorities that reflect your values, practicing mindfulness to make informed decisions, and being flexible enough to adapt to life's unpredictabilities while integrating all areas of your life harmoniously. It's about fitting life's puzzle pieces together in a way that makes sense to you and supports your overall happiness.

Imagine waking up every day feeling excited about the tasks ahead, not because you have a to-do list a mile long, but because each item on that list brings you closer to your goals and aligns with your values. That's the essence of holistic productivity!

One of the key elements of holistic productivity is understanding your personal rhythms and energy levels. Traditional productivity methods often ignore this, pushing you to work harder and longer, regardless of how you feel or extenuating issues like chronic health conditions or neurospicy brains. But when you tune into your body's natural rhythms, you can schedule your most demanding tasks during your peak energy times and reserve quieter periods for less intensive activities. This way, you're not just getting more done; you're doing it in a way that feels good and sustainable.

Another important aspect is setting boundaries. In the quest for productivity, it's easy to blur the lines between work and personal life, especially if you're working from home. Holistic productivity encourages clear boundaries to protect your time and energy. This might mean setting specific work hours, creating a dedicated workspace, or simply saying no to tasks and commitments that don't align with your vision.

Mindfulness also plays a crucial role in holistic productivity. By staying present and fully engaged with your tasks, you can improve your focus and reduce the mental clutter that often leads to stress and burnout. Simple practices like deep breathing, meditation, or even short breaks to clear your mind can make a significant difference in how productive and fulfilled you feel.

Flexibility is another cornerstone of holistic productivity. Life is unpredictable, and rigid schedules can leave you frustrated and overwhelmed when things don't go as planned. Embracing flexibility in your schedule and your plans allows you to adapt to changes without losing sight of your overall goals. Finding a balance between structure and spontaneity helps you stay on track while still enjoying the often unexpected twists and turns life can throw at you.

Creat a life that feels balanced, fulfilling, and aligned with your values by working smarter, not harder, and making sure that your efforts lead to meaningful progress in all areas of your life. So, take a step back from the hustle and grind, and start embracing a more holistic approach to productivity. Your well-being and happiness are worth it, my friend.

Read about the five pillars of holistic productivity here!

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

Subscribe now

In a late-night conversation, a friend and I revisited our childhood lessons and directions set for us by our very different yet eerily similar mothers. They were both women shaped by mid-twentieth century demands for female perfection, even if they responded differently to them.

The early choices they made for us—shaped by perceived career potentials rather than our interests—highlight a broader issue prevalent in today’s productivity-focused “hustle” culture: valuing the endpoint more than the journey by pushing us toward material achievements (money! Career! Upward mobility!) rather than what we cared about.

It took both me and my friend half a lifetime to realize that while we could do whatever we wanted (empowerment!), we were constantly pushing aside what we really wanted to do for what we were expected to do (obedience!). It’s a lesson we’re still unlearning.

But it has deeply impacted my work as a productivity coach. I emphasize a shift from rigid goal-setting to embracing a holistic vision of self-actualization through my Personal Projects Management (PPM) method.

The foundation of PPM is your guideposts, which are different from how people think about “goals.” They require you to consider not just the outcomes of your efforts, but why they matter deeply to you. This method is not about filling every hour with task-oriented productivity, but about ensuring each task is meaningful and aligns with your personal values and joys.

For example, think about the simple joy we get from our hobbies. Something like playing a banjo or cosplaying your favorite superhero is not about becoming rich and/or famous, but about the joy the activity itself gives you. Treating such passions as guideposts gives them the attention and respect they deserve, without the pressure of a “productivity.”

Moreover, by viewing activities like parenthood or hobbies through the lens of guideposts as opposed to goal-oriented trajectories, we focus on the experience rather than the outcome. This perspective allows us to live more fully in the present, appreciating each moment rather than just the milestones.

I challenge you to consider your guideposts: those roles and endeavors that define not just what you do, but who you are.

Strip away the goals temporarily. Does your current path still resonate with who you want to be, or is it merely a race toward an arbitrary finish line? In the same way my friend and I had to learn how to define ourselves outside of our mothers’ expectations for “perfect daughters,” consider who you are when you are not trying to be who (or what) other people believe you should be.

If you’re curious about PPM and wonder how it might help you discover holistic productivity in your life, check out my book Rise to the Task: Master Holistic Productivity with Personal Projects Management. It is a guidebook filled with simple explanations, advice, and worksheets on implementing the basic principles of holistic productivity!

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

Subscribe now

Time management in project management isn't just about clocking hours, it's about integrating time as a pivotal resource in your planning process. Rather than treating your calendar as a pair of shackles, consider it the same way you do money and work effort: important resources that help you accomplish your goals.

Spending a lot of money might help your business grow, if used for advertising, product development, or team members, but throwing as much of it as you can at the wall makes no sense. Time is no different. Understanding time as a resource helps harmonize all elements of your project’s tasks, ensuring that every hour “spent” contributes effectively toward your goals.

Example of Mismanaged Time

Consider the common task of writing a blog or social media post. Many people allocate a couple of hours per week to things like that without considering the actual resources it demands. Outside of the hour you’ve blocked on your calendar, the process involves multiple steps such as topic selection, research, drafting, editing, formatting, and publishing. Each of these steps consumes time and mental energy, which are often underestimated.

You end up spending three hours on something you thought would take you one, along with feeling mentally drained by the unexpected work and frustrated by the “wasted” time you did not account for.

This is why it is important to come at your calendar with the mentality of a project manager, knowing that tasks require multiple steps and should be parsed out over time in order to preserve energy and maximize efficiency.

Time is a resource! Budget accordingly!

Steps to Planning Your Time Effectively

• Break Down the Project: Start by delineating all the steps involved in your project. For instance, for writing a blog post list out each phase from brainstorming to publication. If you are bad at this, use Goblin Tools to do it for you (YAY technology!).

• Allocate Time for Each Step: Assign adequate time for each step, considering the mental and creative effort required. This might mean scheduling brainstorming in one block, drafting in another, and editing in a separate session.

• Schedule Flexibly: Allow flexibility in your schedule to accommodate the creative process and unexpected delays. This ensures that you’re not just filling time slots on your poor, overburdened calendar, but are genuinely advancing towards your project completion.

• Review and Adjust: Continuously review your schedule in relation to the project’s progress. Adjust as needed to optimize the use of time and other resources.

By treating time as a resource, you adopt a more holistic approach to your time, energy, and goals. This might feel like slacking, but in actually it improves your productivity and safeguards your energy, preventing burnout and enhancing overall project success!

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

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Ever wondered why most productivity advice feels lacking, and that no matter what “productivity system” you use, nothing seems to get you closer to your goals?

Traditional productivity systems often emphasize efficiency at the cost of personal well-being. However, through my work as a project manager for small businesses and extensive work with diverse clients, I've learned to focus on a different strategy: holistic productivity.

This approach isn’t just about getting things done. It’s about doing the right things in the right way, ensuring that your activities contribute not only to your career success but also to your personal fulfillment. The aim of holistic productivity is to craft a life where work, family, and personal interests coexist not just peacefully but synergistically.

The principles of holistic productivity are simple yet profound:

• Prioritization: Understand what’s crucial for you and give those areas the focus they deserve.

• Mindfulness: Stay aware of how you use your time and energy, ensuring your actions align with your deeper goals.

• Flexibility: Life throws curveballs, and the ability to adapt your goals and methods is key to maintaining balance.

• Sustainability: Adopt habits that you can sustain over the long haul, avoiding burnout and keeping your energy levels consistent.

• Integration: Find ways to blend various aspects of your life to enhance each area’s contribution to your overall well-being.

By incorporating these principles, holistic productivity transcends traditional productivity paradigms. Efficiency or “getting things done” is important for all of us, but the principles of holistic productivity put them in alignment with enriching your quality of life and finding satisfaction in everything you do.

In essence, holistic productivity equips you with the tools to not only achieve your goals but to enjoy the journey, ensuring that every step you take is as rewarding as the outcome.

This is the manifesto of a life well-lived, where success is measured not just by outcomes but by the joy and balance found in achieving them.

Moreover, holistic productivity fosters a sense of purpose that traditional productivity systems often overlook. It's not just about crossing items off a to-do list (although who doesn’t enjoy that?!?!???); it's about making meaningful progress in the areas of life that matter most to you. Whether it's advancing in your career, nurturing relationships, or pursuing passions, this methodology supports balancing all facets of life.

Holistic productivity recognizes that life is made up of many different priorities and demands, and it encourages an approach that respects personal limitations and celebrates small victories. It is about setting realistic expectations and meeting them through thoughtful planning and self-awareness. Practicing the principles of holistic productivity not only increases productivity in a conventional sense, but also enhances mental and emotional well-being.

Adopting a holistic approach to productivity can transform the way you work and live, leading to a more fulfilling, balanced, and successful life. It invites you to redefine what success means to you and helps you build a path towards achieving it that is as enjoyable as the destination itself.

Watch for my new book!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

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For nearly forty weeks now, I’ve been posting every Wednesday about productivity. That a little bit less than a whole year — the first “issue” of The Task Mistress went out on June 2nd!

*blinks in shock*

I don’t think too often about how the word count builds over time on projects like this. I am a productivity coach, so writing about productivity felt like part of the deal. I did not have any kind of goal such as “40 posts” or “40k words.” I planned to post weekly about productivity, and that’s what I did.

Admittedly, some of the content was repurposed from an older website, back when I was focused more on “trying to be a life coach” and less on “being a writer.”

When that focus irrevocably shifted in early 2023, I was left with some blog posts and a few ideas and an approach to productivity I did not want to completely abandon. After all, I still do productivity coaching! (Now, though, it is a component of my life as a writer, not something I do until I have time and money to write.)

That approach is what I call “holistic productivity.” It encompasses ideas I think have been missing, or only given lip service, from most discussions about productivity and task accomplishment. Namely, that our modern obsession with “jobs” and “inbox zero” and “hustle culture” is unhealthy and, just as importantly, unproductive in the long run.

I think I’ve done well in addressing these issues over the past year, honestly.

But everything has its season, and while I wrote the last few posts, I realized that it was time to both change focus a little and wrap up this project with bow.

Or, a book!

That’s right, I’m collecting all of these essays and turning them into a book!

Holistic Productivity: Essays on a New Vision for a Well Balanced Life will be released in June, 2024. Why June and not, say, tomorrow? Even with the bulk of the book already written (all those blog posts!) I still need to organize it, edit it, format it, and get a cover made, which means I need a bit of lead time.

I think this book will be a great match for my other productivity book, Rise to the Task: Master Holistic Productivity with Personal Projects Management. That is a very hands-on guide to using project management principles to create a well balanced life based on the principles of holistic productivity. This new book, on the other hand, is a more of a collection of advice, musings, and insights on the subject.

Coming soon!!!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help creative entrepreneurs find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

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One of the most popular recommendations for improving productivity is to use SMART goals. I cannot tell you how many meetings I sat through in my job in higher education that focused on teaching students this strategy. It's popular!

There is a good reason for its popularity, since it is actionable and easy to remember. It can be reduced to a simple checklist, or expanded out into a full project outline. It's versatile and customizable, which is something I look for in strategies like this.

However, it's not a cure-all, and it's not for everyone. If you tried the SMART goals technique and failed at it, I promise it is not you, it's them. "Them" in this case being the five criteria:

• Specific: What do I want to accomplish?

• Measurable: What does success look like?

• Achievable: Is this reasonable for me given time/energy/money constraints?

• Relevant: Why am I setting this goal?

• Time-bound: What's my time line/deadline to finish?

You can really dig down into the weeds with this criteria, and people do. The University of California has a SMART Goals guide for students that is thirteen pages long. THIRTEEN PAGES!!! It's a great guide, and someone spent a lot of time creating it. I salute them! But there are plenty of other options out there, and any simple online search with give you dozens of "SMART starter packs" to help you use this strategy.

But here's the thing: if you are feeling overwhelmed, then sitting down to answer five questions is a huge ask.

That's before you even get to digging down into thirteen pages of instructions on how to answer those questions. They look like simple questions on the surface, and people often start beating themselves up for not being able to answer them. Isn't that supposed to help?

It can, and it does, but only if you are in a place mentally and emotionally to confront the questions and the answers. Also, if you are in possession of a unique neurodivergent brain, you simply may not be able to work with the built-in constraints of the technique. Here are some reasons why SMART Goals might not be for you:

1. Rigidity vs. flexibility: SMART Goals emphasize specificity and measurability, which inherently demand a degree of rigidity. For many people, for example those with ADHD, rigid structures can be oppressive. Their creative and divergent thinking often thrives under more flexible conditions that allow for spontaneous changes in direction and interest, which rigid goal-setting might not be compatible with.

2. The challenge of deadlines: The 'T' in SMART demands that goals have a strict timeline and/or deadline. However, if you experience challenges with executive functioning, you might find strict timelines unrealistic and anxiety-inducing, which is the exact opposite effect we're looking for. Time perception, time blindness, and time management can be fundamentally different for many types of brains, and overly rigid timelines can lead to procrastination and feelings of failure instead of the desired-for accomplishment.

3. Linear progress vs. the winding way: SMART Goals, like most popular productivity strategies, are typically linear, assuming a steady progression towards an achievement. Yet, for many people, progress may not be linear but cyclical or sporadic, with bursts of progress followed by periods of distraction or rest. This is especially true for people with chronic health issues or mental health disorders! This inability to "always move forward" on a strict schedule can lead to disillusionment, frustration, and goal abandonment.

4. Overemphasis on results: The emphasis on "Measurable and Achievable" aspects might overshadow the value of process and personal growth, particularly for goals related to emotional, social, or cognitive development, which are harder to quantify but equally important. Neurodivergent individuals might find their strengths and progress in these areas aren't adequately captured or valued within the SMART framework.

5. Personalization: The one-size-fits-all approach of SMART Goals doesn’t always align with the personalized strategies that actual human beings use to manage their lives and work effectively. Personalized goal-setting that takes into account individual coping mechanisms, interests, and variability in health levels and mental well-being can often be more beneficial.

In short, there is no One Perfect Productivity System, something I tend to bang the drum about a lot. People need goal-setting and task-accomplishment methods which suit their unique cognitive processes and empower their personal approach to their goals.

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While I think people should find the productivity system that works best for them individually, that usually means cobbling together different techniques. For instance, I use both digital databases (to track tasks and organize projects) and hand-written to-do lists (because I love crossing things off! I love it! You can't take that away from me! I need my serotonin!!!).

This kind of mix-and-matching is easier to do than you might think. First, consider flexible goal setting and flex planning. Instead of rigid, time-bound objectives, flexible goals allow adjustments based on current capabilities, emotional state, and interest levels. This approach recognizes that productivity can vary and that goals may need to evolve. It might mean that your list of goals is more expansive than someone who can simply work on one project at a time, but if you helps you stay on target, then that is good enough.

Flexplanning, as I've talked about in the past, gives you leeway in your schedule to work on your goals as your energy and focus allows, rather than trapping you into a tight, unforgiving schedule.

Consider having process-oriented goals, or what I call "recipe goals." These are focused on the process of doing the thing, and allowing for variations in accomplishing it. If you are cooking a dish you are looking forward to eating, you still enjoy the act of putting all the ingredients together, and adding your own flair to the recipe (for instance, I always add more garlic than called for!). Shifting you focus from outcome to process encourages enjoying the journey and learning from it, putting the focus on personal growth and learning, which can be more motivating and less pressure-inducing than strictly measurable outcomes.

Chunking down tasks into basic steps helps a lot, but people often don't do this because they don't feel like they need to, or they simply find it too overwhelming. However it is a great approach as it allows for taking things one step at a time, with each small achievement providing motivation for the next. If you just don't see how to break something down, use apps like Goblin.tools to do it for you.

Look, if you don't have executive function skills, store bought is fine!

Finally, think outside the usual "productivity goals" box and use visual goal mapping. For many, a visual representation of goals and the paths to achieve them can be more engaging and less daunting than lists or written plans. Mind maps, vision boards, or even video playlists can offer a more intuitive and less linear way to organize and pursue goals.

You might find that SMART Goals are useful in specific settings, such as school or work, but unhelpful otherwise. You might decide to trash can the whole concept. That's fine! Either way, think carefully about why SMART Goals are not working for you, as the answer to that question will lead you to the solution you need and will use.

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a holistic productivity coach for creatives. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help people find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

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Welcome back to my backstory! This is the final part of a five-part series explaining how I got where I am today as an author and productivity expert. The rocky road continues…

When we left off in part four (insert dramatic intro montage!) I had applied project management principles to start the long, slow slog of post-breakdown recovery and recuperation. I got divorced, started grad school, and published a novel! I was on my way!

…sorta. While my amazing progress was undeniable, forces were at work that put some of my goals into question. I was at the proverbial fork in the road.

…making a choice, far from representing some kind of defeat, becomes an affirmation. ~ Oliver Burkeman

In his book 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, journalist Oliver Burkeman goes into a philosophical deep dive about what it means to choose one option over another, whether on a menu at dinner or on a partner to start a family with. Making a choice of one thing leaves others on the table, and sometimes that decision is very, very difficult.

One of the reasons I bring this up is because I often deal with clients who really are trying to “do it all.” Sometimes they get away with doing most of “all” at least for a while, but often it is just a way for them to flagellate themselves over their perceived shortcomings right up until everything falls apart.

Making the choices of who we are and what we do is a large part of Personal Projects Management, to be honest.

As Seth Godin says, “People like us do things like this.” That requires committing to “things like this,” even if that choice leaves other very good options unrealized. Whether those are personal decisions like how to raise your child or business decisions such as how to expand your services, committing to the path is often an emotionally fraught course of action. Using the principles of project management might help you understand the bigger picture of what that decision is requiring of you, but that doesn’t mean the choice will be easy to make.

The most infamous fork in the road I faced was in the spring of 2012, when I was suffering from whooping cough.

Pertussis is a dangerous bacteria that infects the respiratory track, and in the era before vaccines was a significant cause of childhood deaths (even now, 1 in 100 children who catch it die). In adults like me, a severe case can lead to paroxysms (rapid, violent coughing fits) which in turn can lead to broken ribs or, in my case, an injured spine. The disease is often called “the three month cough” but in my experience was so much more than that.

My symptoms hit at the start of January, right at the beginning art of my final semester of grad school, and I injured my back on the 17th of that month. It was a Tuesday. I’ll never forget that day because it was the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt in my entire life, requiring nearly three days before I was able to even walk around the house instead of crawling.

Unfortunately, it was just the painful start of my whooping cough ordeal. The impact it took on my life was that I was severely sick and in pain for six weeks, followed by six whole months of incremental recovery before I returned to a status of being somewhat healthy. Even then, deep breathing remained difficult and my back injury persisted, and as I mentioned earlier, I walked with a cane for several years after that.

A significant difficulty of living with whooping cough (aside from being bedridden with violent coughing fits) is that when you can’t breathe, you can’t think. Brains need oxygen and when that is difficult to supply adequately, cognition is severely impacted. I could tell that my brain was not functioning even close to 100%, more like 60% on better days.

Which leads us back to the choice I had to make in the spring of 2012:

1. Finish grad school with a master’s degree and a slightly dinged GPA;

2. Finish writing the book my publisher was waiting on.

Those look like fairly straight-forward decisions, but the repercussions were dire.

“Drop out of grad school with one semester to go” seems like the obviously bad choice, after all, I was so close to graduating! Then I would have a master’s degree and be employable! …well, maybe? I had no jobs lined up and waiting, though, and I knew the jobs I wanted most were hard to get. I figured focusing on graduating was committing to one to two years of unemployment/underemployment.

“Put off writing the book” seems like the obvious best decision, after all, I could just go back and finish it later! …well, sure, but it would delay publication by a year or more, resulting in a critical hit to my career as an author which was just then starting to swing up. I had just gotten my first four-figure check from my publisher! The iron was hot! Nothing is guaranteed in publishing fiction, of course, but chances were good that I would earn enough off my next book to live on, a dream most authors never realize at all.

What seems obvious on the surface is not really that clear cut when laid out like that, is it? Of course my original plan was to do both. Prior to catching whooping cough, doing both was feasible and was, in fact, what I had been doing: writing and publishing novels while completing grad school (and also holding down a part-time job on campus).

That era was over, through no fault of my own. I simply could not do that anymore, definitely in the short term and maybe even forever.

A decision had to be made.

I stayed in school and got my degree.

My GPA really did take a hit, and I remained underemployed for over a year just as I had anticipated, but I got that degree and I eventually got a professional job in higher-ed. (Not the job I wanted but eh, that’s a story for a different time!) And, as I also anticipated, the resulting 2+ years without writing or publishing crashed my nascent career as an author.

Nowadays I go back and armchair quarterback that endlessly (I am only human!), but in the heat of the moment and with my mental faculties already impaired, I did the best I could.

My point is that an underacknowledged part of making a plan is making choices. Sometimes a plan we expected to follow for a while gets derailed by random life happenings, like mine did. Sometimes we get down the track a-ways and decide it is not the direction we want to go.

The reason I felt confident enough to make that (at the time) monumental decision was because of how I used project management principles to understand the cost, effects, and results of those decisions.

Project management is not about making a list of things to do, nor is it about cramming your calendar full of tasks to accomplish. The core benefit of project management is that it gives you a clear picture of what you are doing and how it needs to be done. No single to-do list can provide that insight. My choices, good and bad, got me to where I am today with all those accomplishments under my belt.

And yes, finally, I am rebooting my authorial dreams!

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value. ~ Albert Einstein

I am a long way from that 2007 vision of my life as an endless, pointless, fetid swamp. I did not get where I am now because I used the perfect paper planner or the perfect task app or made the most beautiful bullet journal.

Honestly, the most important factor to my success has been the help and support I received from friends and family and, yes, my therapists!

But Personal Projects Management is a close second. Using that approach to my goals was critical to achieving as much as I have.

I want to stress that I am not unique or special when it comes to my time and talents. Like you, I’m good at some things and terrible at others. For instance, I had several advantages in my youth that played heavily in my later options (such has getting my B.A. degree in 1992), but I also suffer ongoing complex grief and PTSD due to my parents’ illnesses and early deaths which also directly led to me living at the poverty level for over a decade. I really enjoy public speaking but on the other hand I’m very introverted and prefer spending the majority of my time alone (and by “alone” I mean “me and my dog!”). I’ve done what I’ve done both because of and in spite of my background.

I am the first to admit that I’m not where I expected to be when I first decided to take charge of my life, but eh, I think that is not uncommon. Once you start a journey as big and all-encompassing as I have been on, it feels natural to shift the course around sometimes because of unexpected hurdles or changes in priorities. In my case it was a lot of both.

Yet, I have arrived at a point where I have a lot to live for. Not just dreams for the future, but also my dog, my friends, the stories I’m writing, my love of dancing, and last but not least: my job as The Task Mistress. It’s a business and comes with the usual stress and work of being a solopreneur, but I’m excited by the idea that I can provide people with the tools that helped me so much during so many hard times.

This is the final installment my back story, which I’ve shared in this newsletter over several updates. I hope it’s told you something about my approach to “productivity” and given you food for thought. Please comment, I’d love to hear what you think!

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a productivity coach for authors and solopreneurs. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help people find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

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Welcome back to my backstory! This is the fourth part of a five-part series explaining how I got where I am today as an author and productivity expert. The rocky road continues…

In the prior episode along this journey, I finally started to instigate some change in myself! Wooo hoooo!!!! *jazz hands*

I put my project management experience to use by figuring out the three most critical projects I was facing:

• Fix brain

• Resolve marriage

• Get out of poverty

All of which were perfectly reasonable, amirite?!?!?

…reasonable, yes. Simply and easy? Not so much!

My first task was to do some real project management on those goals. If you are wondering, here are the basic five steps of project management that I was working from:

1. Ideation stage

2. Planning stage

3. Launch/implementation stage

4. Monitoring stage

5. Closure/Wrap Up

I was unaware of anyone who had ever applied project management principles to things like their unhappy marriage, so I had no real guidance there. Instead, I used the basic paradigm of project management to figure out what needed to be done, even though the outcome was uncertain. Not the ideal way to run a project, but it was all I had, and fortunately project management in its purest form can adjust for that.

There are lots of different labels for each stage (for instance, some people call stage 3 “implementation” or “execution” or simply “starting”), but they all basically mean the same thing.

When I made “resolve marriage” its own project, I decided that “make a decision” was the project goal. Simple stuff, sure, but think about how often you need to make a decision but don’t feel like you are ready to make it. A lot? Me too.

Instead of prematurely signing off on a decision I was not prepared to commit to, I made the act of deciding its own project:

1. Ideation: Decide on solution to my unhappy marriage

2. Planning: Set up the elements for making the decision (therapy, journaling, mind-work, relationship discussions w/ husband)

3. Implementation: Kick off all of the plans!

4. Follow-through: on-going therapy, discussions w/ husband, personal visioning of my future via journaling and discussions with close friends

5. Resolution: Mutual decision to get a divorce

Was it fun? No. Was it necessary? Yes. But notice how it was not a “to-do” list, nor was it tied to my calendar. The “goal” itself was flexible, but by working through the stages I laid out, we got to the resolution.

If I missed a therapy session or had a fight with Mike or simply did nothing for a month, that was okay. There was no need to re-do my calendar. There were no continually-carried-over items on my to-do list. There were the steps to the project, so as long as we kept grinding those gears, no matter the interruptions, we got to the finish line. That kind of easy flexibility is the true value of Personal Projects Management over solely relying on time management.

And so it went, project after project: divorce, learning to live alone, enrolling in graduate school, writing five romance novels that were picked up by a publisher, graduating, getting a “real” professional job at FSU, writing 1 million words of fanfiction, launching one business, finally adopting the perfect dog, writing a daily blog, launching my second business (The Task Mistress!), and quitting my “real” job to work for myself.

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I might not be a traditional success story, but lookie here: I have gotten A LOT done!

Which I did even after taking the profound hit of whooping cough in early 2012. The coughing jags were so bad they led to a back injury that haunted me for nearly five years (I coughed so hard I damaged a disc!). I’ll get back to that in the next issue, but just know for now that I spent every day of those years slowly ambling around with a cane in sensible shoes (shout out to Dansko!) and doing very gentle therapeutic exercises along with a lot of walking.

Then there was the year of anxiety attacks and a prescription to Lexapro, simply so I could make to to work every day. That led me back into therapy in 2015, when I decided to go all-in with intensive EMDR+CBT therapy sessions (recommended, but with the caveat that it really is challenging, exhausting, and life-changing).

I have also spent those years without a car, by choice (mostly by choice, to be honest, but it all simply worked out that way). Several times I’ve had the money to buy an older-model car, but I decided I liked not having a car payment or other associated costs. My life since 2010 has been lived on public transport and occasionally asking friends for lifts (usually for grocery shopping!).

Which is to say, I seem to always set my life to “hard mode,” yet still manage to accomplish almost everything I set out to do.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Almost everything I set out to do.

In full transparency, there were things I did not do, not matter how much I wanted to. There is an idea in the modern “productivity mythos” that you can do all the things, all the time, if you just try hard enough.

I tried so, so hard! But sometimes life has other plans. Maybe you relate?

This is the fourth part of my story, which I’m sharing in this newsletter over several updates. It’s not a full biography, don’t worry! But this chapter of my life has a definite starting point…

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a productivity coach for authors and solopreneurs. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help people find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

Support your local Task Mistress!

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Welcome back to my backstory! This is the third part of a five-part series explaining how I got where I am today as an author and productivity expert. The rocky road continues…

Last week I talked about my big breakdown and my difficult, tottering first steps toward trying to fix the mess my life had become through inaction and despair. To be fair to myself, cPTSD and generalized anxiety disorder both played big parts in the choices I made and, more importantly, failed to make in the decade after my parents’ deaths. But when we left off, I was determined to get a move on with that whole “recovery” thang!

But how?

Was it time to make a to-do list? Did I need to fill up my calendar with tasks? Create lots folders with plans and lists and goals?

Admittedly that is what people often do when faced with the mental health equivalent of "the wide open road ahead." That's normal. We want maps, we want destinations, we want to have hotel reservations waiting for us along the way. Creating a to-do list is a version of that.

In fact, in a fit of optimism, I brought my journal with me to my first therapy session with a list of the questions I needed answers to and the problems I wanted to solve. I asked her how to do that, pen ready to write down whatever she told me. To her credit, my therapist did not laugh in my face! But her point was well taken: some things don't fit on a to-do list.

What she meant was that therapy was going to be a messy, difficult project with lots of twists and turns. Even the destination was a bit vague. (What is a "healthy mindset" anyway? I sure as hell didn't know!)

When faced with a crisis, we reach for the tools we know and have used successfully in the past. For many of us that is a to-do list, supplemented by a calendar showing us all our commitments. These are helpful things but they are what I call "short term tools," used to to get you through the day or the week or, if you are really good at planning, the quarter.

But after a few months of therapy (and journaling and meditation), I realized not only that some things don't quite fit on a to-do list in any helpful or meaningful way, but more importantly that my life is more than just a to-do list.

In fact my to-do list had become overwhelming to me, and I often avoided looking at it. I was getting to my shitty job on time and I was showing up for my therapy sessions, but all the rest of my plans and goals felt distant and difficult. Know the feeling?

It's the combination of being overwhelmed while simultaneously feeling like you aren't getting the important things done.

Yeah, that.

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I realized that while I was not quite ready for long-term planning, I needed a better structure for the plans I did have. I fell back on what I knew how to do: project management.

That probably sounds very peculiar, but then, I was a peculiar child!

When I tell people that I got my first personal planner when I was twelve (one of the old classic Day-Timer planners of the 1980s!), I sound like a geek. When I explain that I was an only child who was being homeschooled at the time, I sound like a freak. Especially given that my parents unschooled me, which (if you don't know) means I had no set curriculum or schedule. They monitored my studies but I was allowed to work on whatever I felt like, whenever I felt like it. Some people ask if the paper planner was my attempt to create some structure in my day-to-day life, and that's possible, but I spent a lot more time organizing projects and plans than actually filling out the calendar pages.

What I enjoyed was breaking down my goals into actionable steps, which perhaps at least explains how I graduated from unschooling with a decent SAT score and several college acceptance letters.

That ability served me well at my first real job as a reporter for a regional newsmagazine in central Florida. No, it didn't help with the reporting part, but it helped a lot when I was made the project manager for the development of the company's very first website (this was 1998, we were breaking new ground!), then later as an operations manager with a local ISP, and so on and so on. I did not always use my project management skills, but they were often called upon whether I had the official title or not. What I knew from all that experience was that project management works.

I put aside all the to-do lists and focused on creating projects for me to "deploy" in my life. My list of projects was short:

1. Fix brain

2. Resolve marriage

3. Get out of poverty

Those were fairly open-ended projects, I admit. I wasn't even sure if the second one meant "save" or "end" my marriage, and as for fixing my brain, I was under no illusions that it would be anything but a protracted air-and-ground battle with myself. Normally in project management, you decide on the end goal first and move onto the planning stage with that in mind.

But life is rarely so neat and tidy, is it?

This is the third part of my story, which I’m sharing in this newsletter over several updates. It’s not a full biography, don’t worry! But this chapter of my life has a definite starting point…

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a productivity coach for authors and solopreneurs. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help people find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

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Welcome back to the back-story! This is part two of the tale explaining why and how I started this business coaching solopreneurs on project management and productivity.

Previously, I wrote about how a life-altering insight in 2007 did not actually alter my life much at all, at first. When I woke up that morning and realized that I was profoundly unhappy with my life and that my unhappiness was self-inflicted in a lot of ways, I knew that I needed to change up a lot of things.

But I didn’t. Not at first. That realization itself was actually just the first crack in my armor…

There is a crack in everything. That is how the light gets in. ~ Leonard Cohen

I had shrouded myself in a heavy protective layer of cynicism and bitterness since my parents both died and I lost almost everything, including our house and their dogs, when I was in my mid-20s (it was a whole thing). It had been just over ten years since that tragedy engulfed me, and I spent most of that decade drifting. I knew that I was not very happy, but I figured not being steeped in misery and despair was as good as I could ask for. To be fair to my younger self, I think that was true for a few years, because I was not in a state of recovery but rather in a state of ongoing crisis. I was fighting for any sense of security I could cling to.

In a full life of "critical moments," that depressing insight of 2007 is the one that defines my before and after, but it did not spur me to immediate action. It was simply the sound of incoming change, the start of me becoming aware of the fact that I needed to change.

It took a lot more cracks before the light got inside and I managed to actually make some changes. The biggest crack happened in April of 2008 when my psyche utterly rebelled against my inertia and drove me into a complete emotional breakdown. It was more like a critical failure of a major support beam: I literally collapsed on the floor in tears. I will always give props where they are due to my ex-husband, because Mike managed to keep everything together while I laid in that same old too-small mattress and cried (read: sobbed) for three days straight.

Speaking of my husband…while my marriage to Mike lasted through 2010, we had been going in different directions for years. Acknowledging it was hard, but I understood for the first time in my life that I could either take charge of the situation or be run over by it.

To be honest we should have divorced in 2005 when I first moved to Tallahassee. In a fit of selfish hubris mixed with fear of abandonment, I used emotional blackmail to force Mike to leave behind the city he loved (Orlando) in order to follow me to a small town he did not like in order to appease me. It was not fair to either one of us and is something I will always regret. In retrospect I see that it was my attempt to cling to some sense of "normalcy," and while I sympathize with my past self, it was definitely a case of making things worse instead of better.

At the time of my Big Breakdown in April, 2008, I was a temp worker at a terrible office job with a failing manufacturing business (like my marriage, it would be shut down by 2010). My entire life was nothing more than getting out of bed to go to that job to earn a too-small paycheck to buy groceries and juggle the bills. Occasionally we'd go to the movies, if we could scrape together the costs. My husband was obsessed with computer games and going out drinking at the local nightclub. I didn't even have that much I cared about.

But first came the self-awareness and then came the Big Breakdown, and only then could the light start filtering through everywhere, into every part of my life and psyche.

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The turning point had arrived: give up forever and let the light dim until I was a broken husk of a human being, or feed the energy in order to break out of the dreary mold I had trapped myself inside.

The divorce was perhaps the most visible, public change I eventually created but it was only a part of a much larger upheaval in my life. The light had come through the cracks and the whole edifice was crumbling. It was as terrifying as I thought it would be, but the results were also far greater than I could have imagined.

If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail! ~ Benjamin Franklin

Post-breakdown, I was finally at the point where I started looking for help. This was a fantastic plan, but in practice it did not go smoothly.

I found a therapy practice specializing in grief issues and which had a sliding-scale payment policy, but the first time I called, I hung up on the receptionist. The second time I called, I hung up on the receptionist. The third time I called, I broke down crying on the receptionist.

(Oh that poor, poor receptionist…)

I don't know why asking for help is so hard in those situations when we most need the help, but it was a massive hurdle. Yet I would not stop calling until I made that appointment, because I understood the what was on the line: me.

It was scary, though. I knew that starting down that path would mean that my life would become unrecognizable in ways I could not predict. I knew that I had a lot of hard decisions ahead of me...or rather, a lot of hard questions to ask with no easy answers. There were so many unknowns in the mix, with no guarantees as to what I would need to do or what would happen. Would my marriage survive? Would I have to move? Would I need to go on meds for my depression and anxiety? Would I decide that my life was pointless and I was a failure? What was I going to do next?????

Step one was acknowledging what my psyche was telling me: it was time to get help and face the fallout of the previous fifteen years of my life.

Step two was…what?

This is the second part of my story, which I’m sharing in this newsletter over several updates. It’s not a full biography, don’t worry! But this chapter of my life has a definite starting point…

As “The Task Mistress,” I am a productivity coach for authors and solopreneurs. Using my background as a project manager and all-round productivity nerd, I help people find holistic productivity so they can achieve all their goals, both personal and professional.

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