Are you struggling to be productive even after your day job? You might want to launch your passion project soon or write a blog post a day. But after a full day of work you feel mentally drained, and are craving for a quick dinner and an episode of your favorite TV series before you hit the sheets.
If you can relate, I feel you. Because there are a lot of days that I feel the same way. But if we always put off working on our goals, how are we ever going to reach them? For this reason, I’ve compiled the ways I personally keep going and still be productive even after my day job.
Write lists
My favorite way of staying productive, lists are just super handy for so many things. Use lists to:
Breakdown Tasks
A huge task like opening your own online shop sounds daunting. Because of this, you might be tempted to keep putting it on the back burner. But breaking it into chunks or little steps makes that task more doable. For example, you could start with research on the best platform to run it on. Then the next would be to create a list of your products, and so forth. You can make those steps as small or as big as you want, just make sure that it’s something you can’t say no to. Before you know it, you’ll be checking off that goal in no time!
Remember things
“The palest ink is better than the best memory.” This Chinese proverb speaks the truth. Having a list to remind you of what you need to accomplish for the day is an important way to stay productive especially after your day job. You’re tired and you don’t want to have the excuse of not knowing what to do for the for the rest of the day. Instead of a to-do list, you can call it a “ta-da” list. The best thing is that after you check off a task, you can say, “ta-da”! All done for the day!
Let go of distractions
If you don’t have a pen and paper beside you while you work, I would suggest getting one. Otherwise, you can use your phone or favorite list app. This is useful because if you’re like me, you have a lot of thoughts going through your head even while you do stuff. And since some of them are actually worth exploring, they can distract you from the task at hand. To “let them go” for the moment, write those ideas down down and go back to them later. That way, you get things done but also don’t forget new ideas or other important things to do.
The possibilities are endless, and it really depends on how you can make lists work for you! Here are a few more tips:
- write down the deadline for each goal to inspire you to work on it
- for your daily ta-da list, only write steps that you are sure you can fit in your time. That can be one time-consuming task or 3 small items.
- categorize your lists, whether digitally or using different notepads, to make it easier to find things in the future!
As to which list is more productive between pen & paper and digital lists, I would say it depends on what you like and what is more effective for you. I personally use both. If you like apps, here are some that you might find useful.
Put a break between your day job and working for your side hustle
After finishing an 8-hour shift in front of the computer, the last thing you want to do is whip up your personal laptop and start typing or thinking again. This might lead to burnout or overfatigue. My recommendation would be to sandwich a break in between to give your brain, your eyes, and your heart a rest.
Use this time to exercise, eat, and spend some time with your family. This will ensure that your hunger/social/personal hygiene bars will be refilled again (The Sims, anyone?). Thus, you get to work on your side hustle with more energy and more gusto than if you did right after your day job.
Set a weekly schedule
Ever since the pandemic started, people started talking about the importance of establishing routines. And there’s definitely some scientific evidence behind that. Creating a weekly schedule around your passion project helps you ensure that all aspects of your project are taken care of. You could allot a day or two for each task. Moreover, it takes less effort to force yourself to work again (hopefully on something you like though), since your mind and body are used to the routine.
To help you with this, try setting alarms or blocking out activities in your calendar. For example, try setting a calendar for a certain hour after work to do a task. Make sure that everything else is put on hold except for that activity. Another way to use calendars is to invite people if you’re collaborating on something. There are also apps that can help you with this, which you might find useful.
An important thing to do for the weekly schedule is to allow some space for flexibility. There will always be times when something unexpected happens, like an invitation to go out with some friends or a visit from a relative that you can’t say no to. Make sure that your schedule has enough breathing space for you to still manage to get the major things done even with these unforeseen events.
Start early on rest days
The early bird gets the worm. On days or on weekends when you don’t work for your day job, apply this statement and start early. Don’t make it an excuse to sleep in. There are so many small tasks you can squeeze in instead of those extra hours in bed.
Notice that if you oversleep, you are in danger of becoming more tired instead of more energetic. You might end up wasting the day and have to work extra hard on other days to catch up on your tasks. Don’t let that happen and get a head start instead.
Don’t say you’re still uninspired either. Get on your feet and just do it. The inspiration will come sooner if your brain is already on work mode. As Stephen King said, “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us get up and go to work.”
Relax and recharge
And my last tip, while sounding counter intuitive, is actually essential to staying on top of your goals. Always working on both your day job and your passion project can lead to burnout and fatigue. This won’t help you out because you don’t want to get sick or dread working (even on the things you like) in the long run. Ensuring that you take the time to relax and recharge prevents this from happening.
Winding down to do things for the sake of joy alone also leads to fresh and creative ideas as well. While watching a good movie or reading a book, you might feel inspired for your next book or design product. Resetting our brains and taking care of bodies is essential to stay productive after your day job.
Make sure that you relax in all aspects—body, mind, heart, and soul. If you’re interested in the many ways you can do so, read my relax series where I list down many simple yet effective ways to relax.
Be productive even after your day job
Despite working the whole day to ensure you get to pay the bills, you still can make time to do the things you love. I hope you find these tips useful to be productive even after your day job.
If you have more tips to share, or find that these ways work for you, do leave a comment below and share to your friends who might find this useful!
Related:
Steps To Take For Better Work-Life Balance
7 Common Day Job Skills You Can Use In Your Passion Projects
