Shownotes
- 2:24 - “I am struggling so bad with doing anything productive at work. All I want to do is my own stuff.”
- 3:41 - Ask yourself what is making you not want to fully engage with your work.
- 6:03 - Depending on your mindset about your job, it can either be a means to accomplish your passions or an obstacle in the way of doing what you want. If you view your job as an obstacle, it will be hard to find satisfaction in it.
- 7:49 - When you love your job and you love what you do, work becomes a means to live your best life.
- 9:41 - Being physically close to the space where you work on your side projects makes it hard to maintain boundaries. You have to discipline yourself to focus on the right things at the right time.
- 12:51 - Using the same apps or tools for your side project makes it tempting to switch back and forth during your work hours. Implementing a shut-down or switching routine will help you keep work at work.
- 15:18 - Write down any ideas or thoughts you have for your side project stuff if it comes up in your head. Don’t just say “I can’t right now”. Write it down! Let the thought exist and do something with it.
- 18:06 - If your work and your side projects are in the same field, allow for some separation between the two as you finish work.
- Use an app like Things to quickly store thoughts and ideas.
- 20:55 - How you can actually get side projects done:
- Evaluate what you need to do.
- Brain dump what needs to get done.
- Organize that list into easy to accomplish steps.
- Schedule side project time.
- Communicate that time with everyone who could be affected by it.
- Stick to the time you committed to, even if you’re tempted to do more.
- 23:23 - If you are on a roll during your side project work and need to extend your time, make sure to communicate that to anyone who needs to know.
- 23:57 - You have to allow your side project to have a place in your life and not be a distraction from your life.
- 27:16 - Structure is good and healthy. Adding a level of structure and rigidity for your side projects gives you a good framework of how your weeks and weekends are going to look.
- 30:00 - You have to honestly answer the question: “Is this is the right time to be doing this?”
- 31:03 - Saying “yes” to a side project means you’re saying “no” to many other things. Some things will have to give, and you may find yourself making compromises you never thought you’d need to.
- 35:39 - Placing your work over your relationships may be “providing” for their physical needs, but be careful that you the work is not damaging the most important relationships in your life.