I remember when I was a kid, when I would never stop working on something until I hit a wall. I didn’t know when to stop, which made things really hard for me.
Then I was introduced to the college semester routine. You had classes and assignments from September to mid December, and then you’d have a break for three weeks, and then you’d return in January and go to mid April – and then you’d have a four month break – get a job, earn some money and get ready for the next year.
The crazy thing, it worked. Just as you were exhausted, you got a break to rest.
I hadn’t realized, and I don’t think many creatives realize, the college routine is the perfect routine for productivity. Especially if you’re in the creative fields.
But when you get out of college, you may be thrusted out of that routine – the best routine in the world for creatives.
But if you’re an indie creative, returning to it can save your creative life.
So, how do you do this?
Rule 1, make it written in stone.
January through March, you work like the Flash on Velocity X – write over 100 blogs be published, edit your source book for the Fighting Factions, and start the first short story for Tales from Trinity City – the Rise of the Shadow Walker.
April – finish up what you have planned up and take the rest of the month off – make some plans for the next “semester”
May to July, work just as fast and hard on the new objectives.
August – finish up, rest and get ready for the next semester.
Sept to Nov is the final stretch for the year. And you end on National Novel Writing Month as well!
December – finish up, rest, and get ready for the next semester.
Rule 2, Never go for longer than the four months.
On the second draft of the Tales from Trinity City Rulebook, I took out 7 months, and trust me – I was ready to just jump out of a window by the end of it. I was so utterly exhausted from months and months of editing that I took the next month off.
Rule 3, focus on one step at a time.
Next semester – first, I will finish the Rise of the Shadow Walker first draft.
Second, I will finish the Webtastic Stories Presidential Election.
Third, I will finish the 3rd draft of the Fighting Factions source book.
Fourth, I work on the 2nd draft of the Rise of the Shadow Walker.
I could keep going, but you get it – focus on one project at a time, finish it off, go to the next part of the next project – that way you keep going.
These are things I found really helped me from burn out.
- Give yourself rest – even God needed a day of rest.
- Never over extend yourself – you only tire yourself out.
- Always focus – that gives you the energy to keep going.
These techniques can help you create a year that you can do over the next six years, and that’s when the magic really happens!
Thanks for rolling with Amazing Gaming Productions!
Amazing Gaming Productions 