Category Archive for Reader Questions
READER Q&A: HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR TIME & MULTI-TASK? TIPS FOR JUGGLING SEVERAL ROLES?
Kikoo you !!!
Oki … I said that I had a question for you and here it is !!! I see that you are a blogger, author, lifestyle authority and designer. My question is, how do you manage your time, per ‘role’ each day ? How do you prioritize when you are clubbing, doing public apperances, writing content for your blog, working on upcoming books … the works.
You seem to have so many pots on the fire I wonder how you compartmentalize everything. I don’t really want to talk about myself here but I will say that I am awed at your ability to multi-task. I have many things in front of me including soon to be moving to Europe to be with my fiance and having to support myself financially. My training/speciality is advertising and marketing so I feel that I can ‘bounce’.
I am very curious as to how you pull this off!
Best to you and Basil. Your silly, dark sister in New England.
– Ging
† † † † † † †
On my lengthy list of OCD fixations, productivity is written in caps. I think there are always ways in which we can “work smarter” without sacrificing sleep (and heaven knows I catch almost as many ZZZs as Basil Farrow!).
Everyone knows the tricks for getting work done: find a well-lit and quiet environment, limit distractions, plan in advance, write down little goals for the day (such as studying up to a certain chapter)…
So if we know all the answers, then why are we panicking the night before our Japanese exam? Because it’s one thing to list ways to be productive, and quite another to tick the boxes.
† It is my MINDSET that compels me to finish tasks: my attitude towards productivity is unusually tyrannical.
† Stop letting things slide and crack the whip.
† Spit it out. Hem and haw, and you’ll never shoot the video or start the kitty blog. The product might not be as polished, but better to release an imperfect pearl than let it fester in your shell.
Today, for example, I worked on… something (can’t tell you yet!). I wasn’t 100% sure about it, but sent it off nonetheless. Chances are that it’s fine and I won’t have to dwell on the thing any longer. If it’s not, then better to get feedback ASAP and make changes.
† Buck up. This is a favorite saying among some of my friends, used in the context of going out: “Buck up! Put on those heels and get on the Yamanote Line!”
Again, it’s all about mindset: to stay on the couch is to be feeble. Strength means showing your face at two Tokyo all-night parties in a row. The main purpose of these outings (for me, at least) isn’t hedonism, but inspiration; rejuvenation. And what better way to meet “like-minded travelers” that open your eyes to new opportunities?
† The image of “juggling many roles” is an intimidating one. I view my daily schedule as a series of tiny tasks: writing a blog post, finishing caption edits, drafting a design, replying to an advertiser and my agent, prepping photos for future posts. These tasks may be for different ends, but they’re all manageable… as long as I get them done. From this perspective, I don’t think I have more roles than normal; some of you are students with part-time jobs, or have children/cats to care for…
(Do it yourself and do it now!)
Rants, reactions? Hit me in the comments, and I invite you to send me questions to answer in subsequent posts. Do it!
Song of the Day #118: Pink Martini – Je Ne Veux Pas Travailler
LA CARMINA
