Create your own workflow

If you work chaotically your plans are going to be unpredictable. If you want to achieve your goals you need to be more predictable. Are your work chaotically? Don’t worry there is a solution!

You can create your own workflow system using modern apps

Imagine a world where you have a filing system for your thoughts, ideas, and work. What if you could use the same system to keep track of your to-do list, deadlines, and projects? You no longer have to guess what you need to do next or risk forgetting important tasks. There are many apps available for every type of task or project imaginable.

Example of my blogging workflow

I needed to create my own system to create blog posts consistently. First of all, I found what makes it chaotically. The next step was to find apps that can help me stay focused. The third step was to try to use it once a week (consistently).

Distractors

I found 4 distractor when I was blogging:

1. Too many screens. I used 1 external monitor + a MacBook monitor + a phone screen just right next to the computer.
2. Wrong music. I listened to music with lyrics which was wrong. Either if you don’t focus right on the lyrics they distract you.
3. Phone/MacBook notifications that distracted me every time when someone wants to talk or I got a new twitter-like etc.
4. I had no time-limit

After I aim these distractors I tried to find the best way to beat them.

How I work now when I’m blogging

I sit down on my chair with a cup of coffee. At first, I turn off the second monitor. I turn my phone to flight mode and I run Alfred workflow called “blogging” and then magic (automation) happens:

👉  In my browser I have 3 subreddits to get inspiring topics

👉  Focus To-Do is running to let me focus in Pomodoro style

👉  Ambient playlist is playing

👉  New page in my Notion is created

👉  I’m in full-screen mode in my Notion to don’t leave the context

Why do I think it helped me a lot? It’s because

✅ I have a time limit for creating a blog post

✅ My brain knows that “Now is the time for blogging 🤓”

✅ I know I need to stay focused on this particular task

✅ I have no disruptors like notifications etc.

Why it’s important to create the system

It will help you stay focused on the task. The system will optimize the needed time to finish the task. You can automate everything these days. I had thought that creating the system for simple tasks like blogging is a pure waste of time. Today I need to admit that when you spend 4h thinking about how you work it will give you at least 2 crucial things:

1. You will save much more time than 4h
2. You will want to do these tasks with pleasure because boring things like turning on the music, looking for inspiration, etc. will be done automatically

This is why I’m truly a lover of building workflow systems.

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