Whoever said that when kids get older things get easier was lying. I seemed to spend most of my non-work hours ferrying my daughter about and then waiting until she was done…and she only had two extra-curricular activities: music and Girl Scouts.
As a result, I didn’t have as much time at home as I would have liked to accomplish things. Such as correspondence, writing blog posts and fiction, paying bills. I developed some methods that helped me take advantage of all that waiting time.
While I am no longer running my daughter all over the place, I still use these methods to make sure I am productive when I know I will have a wait.
1. Have a plan. I always plan my away time, based on the environment I will be in, how long I will have, and what my energy level is. Sometimes it is simply reading blog articles on my phone. Other times it is post writing.
2. Have the equipment. Very rarely do I bring my laptop with me. More often than not I rely on my tablet to help me be productive. It has gotten easier over the past few years, with more of the software I use becoming available on the tablet and syncing to the cloud.
3. Sync before I go. Since most of the software I use syncs to the cloud, I have to make sure that I sync it to my tablet before I go. That simply means opening up all the programs on the tablet and making sure the sync happens. If necessary, I can tether to my phone and sync that way, but that disrupts flow, so I try to get it done before I leave.
4. Bring the noise-blocker. Sitting next to timpani in use is not conducive to concentration – and it’s hard to ignore. A set of headphones and a noise program on the phone are a necessity. I keep headphones with me at all times.
5. Have a backup plan. There are days when I can’t get into my plan either because of space or environment. So I always have a backup plan. I may not have internet, but I will always have the book I am reading my phone. So worse comes to worse, I can still get something done.
In Conclusion
Looking back, I’ve learned that the moments I once dreaded can become the very pockets of productivity that keep my projects moving forward. By planning ahead, equipping myself with the right tools, syncing everything before I head out, silencing the world with a good pair of headphones, and always having a fallback option, I’ve turned idle time into intentional progress. Even now that my schedule has shifted, those habits remain my secret weapon, reminding me that productivity isn’t confined to a desk; it lives wherever I choose to make the most of the minutes I have.
Do you have any tips on productivity on the go? Share below.
