Under Construction.

I have learned to live in the moment and do what is easy, effortless and enjoyable. This doesn't mean to live life with ease, effortlessness and enjoyment but I should be in love with what I do on a day-to-day bases. Part of loving what I do includes the people who surround me. Relationships are important in my life, I enjoy meeting and getting to know the people who surround me. Furthermore, it is essential not to take my time and energy for granted and fill the moments I could be recharging my battery, with browsing on Facebook, Twitter or texting on my phone longer than I should be. I'm not saying I should give up these "time-fillers" but instead change my routine to only updating social life at certain periods of the day-Morning, afternoon and early evening and before bed. As a college student, this seems impossible but I should have the "just do it" attitude and create value to my work instead of my Blackberry. Since I have utilized this new strategy of mine to be more productive in less time, I have found that I care more about the people around me and life becomes more exciting. During the week, if you think about the amount of words you could type on your paper instead of the amount of letters you text on your phone, you are not only wasting time but also energy and focus on the work you are doing costing productivity. Productivity is one outcome of changing my routine but the ultimate goal of my project is to stimulate Creativity.

Creating value in the things I love to do. According to a Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Univertsity,Teresa Amabile describes how "employees are most creative when they are intrinsically motivated --in other words, when the work itself is motivating." By fractionating my time and dividing my day into independent parts can make reconstructing my routine easier. For instance, instead of multitasking and trying to text while doing something else, I should make checking my phone/email/Faceboook etc. an activity I do throughout the day instead of making it a symptom of having the need to do something every time I have free time. It is important that I create a 20 minute time slot just for me so I can do nothing but recharge myself and think about whatever I want to think about. The other day, I had the "just do it" mentality where I walked in the door after a long day, dropped my bags and went straight to my room to lay down for 20 minutes. Afterwards, I made "breakfast for dinner" and went to the library refreshed and recharged. I completed my work twice as efficiently and effectively.

To conclude my experience of enhancing my creativity by getting rid of 'time-fillers' I have written and signed a contact to with the witness of Francesca M that I will dramatically decrease the amount of multitasking I do by fractionating my day into a collection of independent parts including at least 20 minutes to myself to do nothing. Francesca would also like me to pledge myself not to text or use my phone while driving- which benefits everyone else on the road, not only my creativity skills.

New Routine

In order to think more creatively, changing my routine is necessary while being conscious of the change. Over the past two days, I have been twice as productive by allowing myself to relax for 20 minutes and sitting down to watch t.v. or take a nap. By doing taking a break, I have allowed my brain reenergize and be more focused when I do sit down to do work. Another change I have made is to "just do it" even when I don't feel like switching up my routine. For instance, every Wednesday I wake up at 6am, shower and go to 7am prayer breakfast and afterwards I do work. But I switched up my routine by putting on my workout clothes and working out afterwards. After dropping off my friend, I pushed myself to go to the rec after eating my usual "yogurt fruit parfait,". It was a positive experience after doing cardio on the elliptical for 40 minutes without headphones. I thoroughly read 3 articles in a January issue of the People magazine. It was nice to be able to read out of pleasure instead of listening to music or studying a review guide.

Throughout the day, I have been trying my best to live in the present to do the things that will benefit me in the future instead of worrying about making the most of my time. A lesson learned over the past two days is to have the "just do it" mentality even when it is something out of the ordinary. I have also learned to stop worrying about the little things and to be holistic about relationships I have with people. To not look into text messages too seriously and to let looking at my blackberry take up too much time and energy. I learned to remember that texting is a symptom of filling my time whereas it should be an activity I do 5 times a day.

No Interruptions Please.

Similar to a verbal fillers, I have recently discovered there a new concept called 'time' fillers. At first, I thought my Blackberry was keeping me from being productive as I would sit at the Library typing a paper with my phone next to my laptop as I would glance at the green light to see if it was red, I realized the 20 minutes I spent texting, could have been an entire page on my paper. I thought about it for a week with my good friend who would make a point that I was concentrating on replying to my messages and emails more than my work I was there to do.
In ESP Imagination 366, I began to think about how I can change my perspective on life to think more creatively. Did you know the entrepreneurs have thought of their most profound ideas while doing absolutely NOTHING.
Being a naturally productive person, there is usually not one part of my day where I can spend 20 minutes without doing something. Thinking about what is really the 'time' filler is not only my blackberry or electronic devices. I multitask 27/4 and that is an issue when it comes to thinking creatively. Texting on my way to class, in class, at King or while having lunch is a symptom taking control of my time. I am in the habit of residing to my phone when it comes to doing nothing.
The point is that I just need to take control instead of putting myself on autopilot and responding to a text within the minute it is sent. Texting and emailing is an activity, not a filler. It is an activity that I do everyday and I should set time aside to do what I have to do to communicate with the people around me.
As a result, this means I need to change my routine in terms thinking about what I am doing before I do it. If I want to change this habit then I need to be conscious of my new routine. Once I am conscious of the fact I am doing nothing I will feel a difference in my behavior and in my productiveness when I do my work.
I am going to do an experiment with my daily routine by being conscious of my Blackberry, Facebooking in between unfinished work or surfing online instead of just laying in my bed for 20 minutes to rest around 4pm.
I will keep a log at the end of the day of the times I use 'time' fillers. I will take note of how I feel through out my day how much more effective I am when sitting down to do work. By being conscious of my change in routine, I will be able to cherish my actual "do nothing" moments, charge my battery before doing something that involves energy.
In the end I will have a more productive day, not in terms of how many actions I take, but how effective and more creative my actions are.