Life hack

Do what you have the energy for, not what needs to get done

I wrote this newsletter on Friday afternoon while sitting in a lounge chair overlooking the Indian Ocean in Kenya because I knew that on Sunday, I’d be recovering from a night out at the club and would have a long travel day. Yay for the Notes tool on my iPhone, knowing myself, and being realistic about what I can and can’t do.

Every day, I have upwards of four to-do lists: Coalition, Zawadisha, Far Out, and my personal life aka me trying to adult. They are all handwritten, with tasks prioritized by deadlines. 

Writing them is easy; there is no dearth of shit that needs to get done. Looking at them is another story. It can be wildly overwhelming. There’s no way it all is all will get crossed off, and new things will be added daily. This is life and rather than fight it and feel like shit because the list NEVER GETS SMALLER EVER I try to find better ways to deal with it.

One thing I’ve learned is that no matter what’s on that list, if you’re not feeling it, it won’t get done well, and it will take far longer than if you’re in your flow. 

Here’s what I do when I’m stuck or burnt out but know I still have to get work done:

1. Let the energy move you. Do what it is you feel most drawn to. It might be at the bottom of your to-do list. It might be a mindless task that never makes it to the list. It doesn’t really matter as long as you feel like you have the energy to work on it. I may not be up for writing the copy for my next newsletter, but lord knows I need to check my inbox or organize my desktop or close those 5 million Google tabs.

2. Get creative. Try working on something that is more long-term. That’s the stuff that rarely makes it to our to-do lists, but it’s just as, if not more, important. Often it’s creative or strategic work. It could be as simple as building out a Pinterest board to capture the vibe of your next collection or creating that shot list for your next photoshoot. 

3. Learn something new. Perhaps you sit down to research the latest on email or social media marketing or scroll through Instagram (gasp!) to see what others in your industry are up to. Professional development is real work. It can help spark ideas and help clarify and refocus. 

4. Fucking call it. Take a nap. Go for a walk. Ride your bike. Whatever who cares just stop working. This decision might mean you wake up a few hours earlier the next day or postpone that happy hour with friends. While not all of us have this flexibility due to our jobs or the fact that we are awful procrastinators, if you do, think of your tasks within movable chunks of time. What you can’t get done today because you’re flat out might take you 30 minutes in the morning when you’re fresh. We must think of our rest and health as essential parts of our careers and businesses; do what you need to do today so that you can keep at this shit for years to come. 

If there are things that you’ve found are key for pushing through those late afternoons staring at your computer screen for 10 minutes with your eyes glazed over only to get up and wander around in a daze feeling guilty because you know that you have so much to do please for the love of my and our collective sanity share them. I’d love to hear from you. What are ways you push through while still caring for yourself?