What Does Katy Perry have to do with feeling productive?

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?
Do you ever feel, feel so paper-thin
Like a house of cards, one blow from cavin’ in?

Is it that I just have Katy Perry’s Firework in my head because I am back at work from the longish weekend of the 4th? Or is it that we are almost halfway through the summer, and sometimes trying to balance our personal lives with the needs of a small business and posting on social media can make us all feel this way sometimes? 

The song’s lyrics, with their imagery of a plastic bag drifting aimlessly and a house of cards on the verge of collapse, can capture the feeling of being overwhelmed, right?  

I will let you be the judge. 

Enough about that. It is time to get back to it. 

Here are a few things I am doing right now that are helping me get back on track. Are these all marketing-specific? No, but I think they will inspire you to feel more productive in any work you need to do.

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a productivity coach. I am just a girl trying hard to maintain a little work-life balance. 

My Phone is on Focus Mode.

I have many apps on my phone and computer, which means double the notifications. Do I need that Instagram notification or Slack ping on my phone? Nope. It  can lead to looking at my phone to review a notification and then scrolling through for more than just a “little treat.”

Do I still check Instagram? Yeah, it’s my job to do so. Also, have you heard of “Research?” But what I love about my phone’s focus mode feature (I have a Google Pixel 5) is that it will ask me if I want to leave focus mode before it opens any of the apps, so then I KNOW I am going against the rules, and then I can choose for how long I want to be on the app. Once that timer is off, I am back in focus mode! 

PRO TIP: I use Bedtime mode as well.

Want to know how to put your phone in focus mode? Here is information for Android and Apple.

I look at my GOT-DONE list instead. 

I get it. We all start the day bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, thinking we can do EVERYTHING on our to-do lists. But those are lofty goals. So, instead of starting the day overwhelmed by all of my “To-Dos” at the end of my work day, I like to look at what I have accomplished. 

Of course, this is on my paper list, but our task management system, ClickUp, has an “AI StandUp” tool that summarizes and shares everything I “Got Done” in a specific timeframe. So, when I know I’m extremely productive, I can see the specifics and feel good about what I accomplished. 

I’ve also adopted a nonjudgmental approach to tasks I don’t manage to complete. I simply move them to the next day, understanding that sometimes tasks take longer than expected or new priorities emerge. If I am ever not fulfilling my external deadlines, it will be time to reevaluate the GOT-DONE list approach. But for now, it works for me.

Create, Take a break, Repurpose.

I recently wrote some content about B-rolls that was then published as a blog and an email. Creating that content took up a lot of creative energy at the time, and I needed space from it, so I took a break from it (about 3 weeks). I will pick it back up with a fresh perspective this week and repurpose it into numerous pieces of social media content.

You know we love repurposing around here. In short, it helps us capitalize on the content we have already created and keeps it cohesive. 

Now, it would be odd to write a marketing-based piece of content without some marketing advice, so here is a little repurposing tip for those who have read this far. Here is a quick step-by-step guide to repurpose a piece of social media content. 

How to repurpose a social media post: 

Step 1: Head to the analytics section of the app. (Let’s do IG if possible.) Find the most recent post with high engagement.

Step 2: Pull one sentence from the post. That is your quote or single concept post.

Step 3: Pull three ideas out. This is your carousel post.

Step 4: What is something from this content you can expand on from a personal POV? That is your photo post.

If you need help unraveling that step-by-step, let me know. We can hop on a brainstorming call together! 

After reading this, I hope you feel less overwhelmed by work and ready to get stuff done! 

In the words of Katy Perry:

You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July
‘Cause baby, you’re a firework

I would love to hear from you about what helps you get back in the swing of things after a break. 

I hope I can learn something useful! Comment and let me know!