Last week, this three part series began with ways to kick start a more productive approach to living. After all, time is our most precious resource and it is up to each of us to master how we use it. With all of the potential distracters hovering around us, as long as we know what we want to accomplish, what is most important to us and in what direction we want to go, we will be better able to avoid energy and time snatchers and proceed confidently and less unobstructed toward our goals and a more fulfilling way of life.

Here are five more ways to help create a more productive approach to life:

Be Flexible

No matter what your goal may be or how you hope to accomplish something, be flexible when unexpected events, expectations and obstacles jump in your way.  If you are able to maneuver successfully around them and not be so obstinate as to demand things must be completed in a certain way, you will reap far more rewards and earn others’ respect as they recognize your ability to adapt and work with others’ ideas.

Never Stop Learning

The key to remaining vital, “in the know” and relevant is to be a learner for life. Whether it is in the classroom or not, there are lessons just waiting to reveal themselves to you if only you choose to seize the opportunities. Remember, knowledge is key, so knowing what is available, what is possible and thus what is expected is putting the odds in your favor.

Just The Beginning

As a child most of us were given parameters of what was right and what was wrong.  As we grow up we learn there are certain steps that must be accomplished before we can graduate or earn any number of degrees, so it is easy to become accustomed to realizing that following the rules will take you far.  This can’t be debated because it is very true; however, as we leave school and take on more creatively based jobs or step out to create our own businesses it will prove highly successful to be able to think beyond the rules or outside of the box.  What do I mean, you may ask? Well, in order to bend, break or see the possibilities beyond the rules, we must first understand them and why they are there. Once we have respect for them, then we can become truly creative, thereby, revealing our own unique talents to the world.

Regular Creativity Breaks

If you are in any way working in a creative field you must treat your mind as a muscle.  It will need to be rested especially upon bouts of exhaustive efforts.  There are many times as a writer that after a certain amount of days of constant creative writing or brainstorming I can’t think of one more creative and unique idea, but after taking a day or two off, I am fresh with ideas from experiences I have had or articles I have read.  Breaks, or “recesses”, are a must when striking a balance between work and play in order to continually be creative and successful.

Eliminate Unnecessary

While fairly self-explanatory, there will be times simply out of habit that I will take on a responsibility that only increases my stress or alters my priority list just enough that I can’t be as successful as I am capable of being. In order to avoid having unnecessary expectations or responsibilities, make a priority list (professional and personal) and then examine the activities and expenditures you make every week. Which ones aren’t tied to any of your top priorities? Can you eliminate them? Will they free up time and resources that can be put to better use?  The key is to live consciously and to recognize why you are doing something. If you are simply doing something out of habit, but beyond that there is no other reason, drop it and welcome in more quality productivity dedicated to what you most value.

Click here to view the final part of the series.  May the rest of your week be full of productivity so that when the weekend comes you can revel in your downtime.