Desk Update

I continue to find better ways to be productive and more efficient. The What's Best Next study inspired me to become better organized.

One of the biggest things I got out of What's Best Next for my life as an author, is to schedule my writing time in blocks. For instance, I'll write for say two hours. During those two hours, I don't check social media. I don't rotate laundry or start preparing dinner. I use the block of time to focus on my work in progress.

I also discovered I'm more alert in the mornings and late at night. I know this doesn't make sense, and I've decided to choose mornings as my writing time. I believe it's healthier for me to get up early and work while the sun is up.

In the early afternoon I struggle with drowsiness. So, I'm not going to feel guilty making myself coffee in the afternoon. I may even go for a short walk to energize myself. Then I'll write for another block of time.

In order to help keep my desk organized, I created two more work spaces in my office where I can spread out research and my vision board.



Matt Perman's philosophy is if we're more productive with our work, we'll have more time to do good for others. He says, “The biblical call on our lives is not to do good randomly and haphazardly. Rather, God calls us to be proactive in doing good — even to the point of making plans for the good of others.”

Philippians 2:3-4 says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

To sum it all up, if I'm more productive with my work, I'll have more time to help others.

So, did I get my desk organized? It's better. Not perfect, but better. My dad has some funny quotes. One of them is, "I can find anything in three tries." And he always does find what he's looking for.

Setting Up Your Desk

Last week I mentioned I'd started reading what's best next by Matt Perman. I looked up his blog posts and found tips on setting up your desk for maximum effectiveness.

Here's a picture of my desk before. Printer, pens, highlighters, coffee, stapler, calendar, index cards, and you can see some of the other junk.

Matt Perman says clutter will take away our creativity. He suggests our desks should be like a cockpit.

I wasn't born an organized person. I often tried, but it doesn't come naturally to me. I have to WORK at getting and staying organized.

He suggests we know what we need as far as equipment, supplies, and decorations. I've combined decorations with supplies. I have a small crystal bowl for jump drives. I have cute containers for pens and highlighters and a pretty lamp on the corner of the table. The table I use for my desk was an old table my Uncle Proc made. My dad dug it out and refinished it. So it has sweet memories for me when I sit down.




As I continue working through what's best next, I'll let you know if I learn to decrease the clutter and work more efficiently.