Karen Brown Tyson

Tag: #productivity

  • How to Declutter and Simplify Your Writing Life

    How to Declutter and Simplify Your Writing Life

    This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

    My writing life was out of control.  After spending two weeks decluttering my writing space, I set a new goal to stay clutter-free.

    One of my biggest problems is paper.  While I love to write in libraries and coffee shops, my primary writing space is in a guest bedroom in my house. But years of rough drafts, files, and old mail left me surrounded by lots of abandoned paper.  As I looked around, I realized my writing oasis was uninspiring.  I was in desperate need of a makeover.

    Here are the steps I took to clean up my writing act and a few tools to help me simplify my writing life.

    STEP #1 – Divide and Conquer

    I divided all of my clutter into four piles – keep, donate, relocate and trash.  I used my shredder to get rid of every unwanted, outdated piece of paper.  Only a small amount of paperwork remained. I found a few storage boxes, which fit nicely on a shelf in the closet, to hold the items I plan to keep.  I also found a portable file folder to help me when writing on the road.

    <strong> Storage Boxes

    <strong> Shredder

    <strong> Porta File Carrier

     

    STEP #2 – Let Things Go

    After my paper shredding exercise, which left me with seven full trash bags, I knew I had to deal with my mindset on paper.  Going forward, most of my bills are paperless. As part of my new process, I now deal with paper within a week by either filing it or throwing it away.  For my writing projects, I use cloud-based storage and a flash drive that works with my smartphone.  A small desk organizer helps to keep office supplies in one place.

    Flash Drive

    <strong> StoreSMART – Plastic Pages

    <strong> Desk Organizer

    STEP #3 – Make Room for Inspiration

    In an article by NY Book Editors on how to build the perfect writing space, I was reminded to include things that inspire me.  In my new writing space, now clean and clutter free, I added a few things like silk flowers and the latest picture of my husband and son.

    Since reorganizing my writing space, I have learned a lot about decluttering and simplifying my writing space.

    If you have any ideas on how I can keep it going, please share.

    How do you declutter and simplify your writing life?

    To share your best tip

    Click here

    declutter and simplify writing space

  • How to Conquer Creative Muse and Write on the Go (infographic)

    How to Conquer Creative Muse and Write on the Go (infographic)

    Do you wonder how some writers can write on the go?  Or how they seem to conquer their creative muse to write anywhere like on the beach, or while on an airplane?

    You are not alone.

     

    “But you don’t need the perfect setup to do the work.  For example, I’ve written five of my books completely on airplanes.”  Seth Godin

     

    Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

    There are several things writers can do to increase productivity (see also ‘How To Use Preparation To Increase Productivity In Your Creative Life‘).  For example, consider adopting different writing habits to make every minute work to your advantage.

    Here are more ideas.

    6 Powerful time management solutions for time-crunched writers
    How to bend time to fit writing into your busy life
    10 awesome tips on how to overcome time anxiety when writing
    How to be a successful writer despite having a full schedule

     

    Tools like Trello and Asana are great for organizing writing projects.  You can also use a web-based, Kanban-style tool like  MeisterTask.

    In addition, there are editing tools like Grammarly and ProWriting Aid to help make our writing clear and mistake-free.

    CoSchedule is great for organizing your blog posts, email, and social media promotion all in one place if you are a blogger.

    Friends and family ask me all the time how I can get my writing done. I like to keep a notebook or journal with me at all times to record ideas or to write.

    I compiled a list of motivational books, notebooks, headphones, and snacks that help me.

    I also created the infographic below to offer five suggestions on how to write on the go.

    If you have any to add, share your input in the comment box.

    After all, we’re all in this together.

     

    Productive Writer’s Guide on How to Write on the Go (Infographic)

     

    Infographic woman sitting on suitcase with laptop How to conquer creative muse and write on the go

  • How to balance career, family and ministry

    How to balance career, family and ministry

    This article is posted on the Bookworm Blog as part of my guest blog series.  

    It’s a juggling act.  You have so many relationships to manage, so many work projects, so many ministry activities, so many commitments.  How are you supposed to balance career, family, and ministry?

    One week, you think you have it all figured out, and the next, you’re confused again. It’s crazy! With so much going on all the time, you wonder if you will ever get a handle on everything.

    I have news for you:  You are not alone.

    See the full article at the Bookworm Blog