As a creative person, my mind is constantly flooded with questions and curiosities. That’s a good thing IF you can translate those flashing signals into impactful work.
Instincts are there for a reason. They nudge us in clear directions and encourage alignment, making it easier to enter a flow state.
When intentions lead to ideas, write them down. But always, always make items actionable! Don’t shy away from verbs. In other words, begin every affirmation or goal with one. Here are some examples:
Accelerate
Achieve
Adapt
Advance
Balance
Clarify
Collect
Cultivate
Earn
Focus
Increase
Inspire
So how does one make the shift from thinker to doer? Let’s review some helpful tips below.
1. Organize your thoughts.
Even if thoughts seem insignificant at the moment, they’re not. Write them down. Experiment with the format—dashed, bulleted, handwritten, or typed—and find your method to the madness. If you took a peek at my Notes app or my brainstorming journal, you’d discover numbers, letters, scribbles, arrows, asterisks, and lots of lines. And, when words fail, I doodle.
2. Take a breath.
Even if pausing doesn’t feel productive, it is. Inhaling and exhaling resets your current state. It’s important to reflect, plan, and then take a break. You can’t accomplish everything in one sitting. And, even if you think you can, you might miss out on something miraculous. Many revelatory breakthroughs occur when you least expect them. This very reason is why authors draft and then revisit their words weeks later. Or designers step away from an in-progress logo to make a cup of coffee.
3. Divide and conquer.
One massive to-do list is overwhelming. Breaking it up into smaller sections is far more efficient and productive. For example, I assembled categories for every major passion or theme in my life. Some are more exciting than others. They include yearly, personal, professional, and financial goals. And don’t forget your daily, weekly, and monthly chores or routines! These may consist of housework, gardening, pet care, haircuts, dental appointments, exercise sessions, and the like.
4. Prioritize.
After building clear lanes of thought traffic, you should prioritize. Your concept of busy might be different from mine. If you can balance 10 projects with workout classes, family dinners, job functions, friend hangouts, and hobbies, then more power to you! Either way, it’ll be helpful to figure out an order of operations. (Don’t worry, I’m not referring to math class.)
Take a look at your day, week, and month ahead. Add numbers and letters to curated to-do lists. During those busy seasons, you won’t spend valuable time picking or choosing your next steps. You’ll know exactly what comes next because there’s a clear hierarchy. Use this outline as a guide:
THIS WEEK
Monday-Friday
A. Personal
Health + Wellness
Exercise on M, W, F
Schedule a doctor’s appointment
Financial
Pay bills
Learn
Read a book on color psychology
Take a virtual illustration class
B. Professional
Organize
Bookkeeping
Update files on hard drives
Work
Design client X’s primary logo
Revise client Y’s business cards
Communicate
Send invoices + final files
Schedule consultations
Email prospective clients
Branding + Marketing
Plan social media content
Draft a Substack newsletter
Saturday-Sunday
C. Responsibilities
Run errands
Clean the house
Do laundry
D. Events
Birthday party *Don’t forget the gift + card!
Book club *Bring a snack plate!
E. Extracurriculars
Try the new restaurant in town
Practice Spanish
Catch up on House of the Dragon
5. Check the box.
Yes, I mean that literally. Check the box. Not only does it feel good, but the act of checking boxes has been scientifically proven to release small amounts of dopamine (the “feel-good” hormone and neurotransmitter). Dopamine regulates the brain’s reward center, elevating feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation. You can then register the task as “done” and move forward.
The darker side of the coin? Don’t just check boxes to get by. Your self-worth is not determined by impressive productivity stats. Your why matters. What drives you to keep pushing and striving? Tune out the world, avoid distractions, and listen to your impulses. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is nothing, and that’s okay.
Life is not all about lists. Sometimes, it’s most beneficial to embrace spontaneity and go along for the ride. We can’t control every aspect of our lives, but planning and preparation can ease incessant worries.
To be honest, that’s why I make lists. Visualizing my innermost thoughts, goals, responsibilities, or (menial) tasks calms my nervous system. I’m still a chronic over-thinker and perfectionist, but this habit has boosted my mental clarity and space.
Think of your brain as a hard drive. With the influx of large and small files, its storage capacity is reduced over time. It’s impossible to retain every fact and figure, so we can avoid information overload by performing mental check-ins and periodically restoring space.
With the right amount of space, you can freely imagine, research, and experiment. This leads to fulfilling creative growth!
Do you enjoy making lists? Let us know in the comments below!