The DIY way I organise my life

Summary

In this video, the creator shares their experience of writing a book over the past two years, highlighting the importance of a project planner wall for maintaining focus and motivation. The wall is structured to manage priorities, track progress, and facilitate ongoing tasks, ultimately reducing anxiety about future work. By breaking down projects into manageable steps, the creator finds excitement in completing tasks and acknowledges that productivity should feel rewarding. They encourage viewers to create their own planner to enhance productivity and offer tips on how to stay organized and inspired.

Takeaways

• 😀 The author has been focused on writing a book and shares how they created a project planner to enhance productivity.
• 📅 The wall planner is designed to provide structure, support ongoing work, and foster a sense of progress.
• 📝 Constraints are used to prevent distractions and manage project priorities effectively, categorizing tasks into Projects A, B, and C.
• 📊 Visual progress tracking is vital for motivation, making the writing process feel meaningful and organized.
• 🌼 Each chapter of the book is broken down into stages, which helps in managing the writing workflow.
• 🏡 Long-term goals, like saving for a house, are made more tangible through visual reminders and tracking.
• ⚙️ Ongoing work, like creating YouTube videos, is organized into a systematic process to avoid burnout.
• 🎨 The importance of making productivity enjoyable is emphasized, using creative methods to maintain motivation.
• 🔄 Establishing boundaries for pursuing new projects helps manage impulses and maintain focus on main goals.
• 💪 Using the wall planner has reduced anxiety about future work, increased excitement for completing projects, and made tasks feel more manageable.

Q & A

What motivated the creator to start using the wall planner again?

The creator realized they had spent two years only talking about writing their second book rather than actually writing it. This prompted them to revisit the wall planner that had helped them with their first book.

What are the four main goals the creator had for the wall planner?

The four goals are: 1) Structure, to feel organized; 2) A sense of progress, to make each day feel meaningful; 3) Support for ongoing work, not just project-based tasks; 4) A positive experience that does not induce guilt.

How does the creator manage distractions with the wall planner?

The wall planner includes constraints by designating a finite number of project slots, allowing the creator to focus on priority projects without getting sidetracked by new ideas.

What is the significance of tracking progress on the wall?

Tracking progress provides a sense of achievement and happiness, which has been shown to increase overall job satisfaction and motivation, as highlighted in a study by Theresa Amabile and Steven J. Kramer.

How does the creator categorize their projects on the wall?

Projects are categorized into three main slots: Project A (the top priority), Project B (YouTube content), and Project C (other work), with an additional area for new ideas that are on hold.

What tools does the creator suggest for those interested in building a digital wall planner?

The creator mentions Canva for designing digital layouts and Magic Studio for generating images or text, making it easier to create visual content.

What methods does the creator use to make ongoing tasks feel rewarding?

They have developed a process wheel for ongoing work, which breaks tasks into small, manageable steps, helping maintain motivation and reinforcing a sense of progress.

What insights has the creator gained from using the wall planner since the beginning of 2024?

The creator has noticed reduced anxiety about future work, increased excitement for upcoming projects, a greater sense of possibility, and the realization that tasks are often less daunting when broken into smaller steps.

How does the creator balance the need for productivity with the desire to feel good?

The creator incorporates elements of fun and creativity into their tasks, acknowledging that productivity should serve a purpose rather than just optimizing for output, as emphasized by Ali Abdaal.

What final advice does the creator offer viewers regarding their own productivity?

The creator encourages viewers to try implementing a similar wall planner system, as it can help clarify goals, manage distractions, and ultimately lead to a more fulfilling work experience.