Change is Good…3 – Get Weird

It’s printing press day over here at the offices of The Lisa B. Experience (aka my studio apartment).  I have rehearsal  for BPI (Black Playwright’s Initiative) tonight and it’s American Burger Night in the Lisa B. household! Staying productive has always been one of my downfalls. It’s so easy for me to sleep in a little later, watch another episode of Grey’s Anatomy, cruise facebook, instagram pictures of oversized strawberries, and google articles on anything.

Let’s be honest…Let’s Get Weird kinda has nothing to do with this post. I just really like the picture but for the purpose of tying things together, here are some weird practices that keep me on track.  Anywho, here’s how I add hours to my day.

1. “Every time you buy a pair of jeans, there, my friend, you buy a book there.” Professor Eddie Pate from LeMoyne-Owen College, my alma mater, drilled this into our heads using his own special language. Basically, every time you spend money on something frivolous, invest in something that can become invaluable.

2. My Habit Triggers – Speaking of books, when am I gonna have time to read all these fabulous books? Remember that article I wrote about making small changes? Well, perhaps here is where the “weird” comes in. Every time I go to the bathroom, I take a peak at my Faith Book. Every single time. Or I read passages from another book.

Another habit trigger – every time I get out of the shower, I turn on an inspirational podcast, audio bible, or listen to about 7 inspirational songs. It takes me like 30 minutes to get ready, if I feel like being in a rush, and in the time it takes to get ready, I feed myself with positivity. I get a lot done in the bathroom – weird or nah?

3. Social Media Discipline –  Another small change that has influenced my day is I’ve restricted myself to certain social media practices. I’m going to tell on myself. When I post a pic on Instagram, I used to check back every three and a half seconds to see how many likes I get. Pathetic? I know. That’s why I stopped. I tweet in my downtime while I’m watching shows like Shark Tank and Scandal (#sharktanktuesdays and #scandal). Lastly, I love you guys, I really do, but I don’t really scroll down my newsfeed when I log onto facebook because if I start, I’ll NEVER STOP. I use facbeook to connect with certain people and share my story. Not be nosey. I’ve added hours to my day. Sometimes I even set up my Hootsuite to push out messages for me all day so I can have a social media free day.

4. Working From Home – If I know I have a lot of work to do, I don’t get overwhelmed with how much time it will take. Yes I set aside a block of hours that I’m going to work but I work in 20-30 minute increments. Yes, I set my timer to 20 or 30 minutes. Work, work, work, work…the alarm goes off and I STOP whatever I’m doing to stand-up, drink some water, pet the dog, dance a little bit, wash a dish or two, and then 5-10 minutes later, I’m back to work. That works for me.

So those are my weird little habits that keep me motivated and saves time. What’s your weird habit that keeps you on track…I’d love to know!

#lbxp