Having a working routine can help you to improve your productivity. It trains your brain to focus on tasks and to follow schedules. Knowing strategies and tools that best fit your working habits is an excellent way of getting work done in ways that are enjoyable for you.
I answered the following questions for describing how I work and preferences that I have in my routine:
Location: Medellin, Colombia
Current gig: Praxis participant
Current mobile device: iPhone 6S
Current computer: MacBook Air
One word that best describes how you work: Detail-oriented
What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?: For my work, I use Gmail, Drive, Google Calendar, Slack, and Grammarly every single day. I also use Zoom for joining Praxis meetings and other video-conferences twice a week. For connecting with my family and friends, the best option is WhatsApp; it is very easy to send voice messages, text messages, pictures/documents, and even video call through it. For listening to my favorite podcasts, I like to use iPodcasts and Ivoox.
What’s your workspace like? I share a big desk with my husband at home. There is a window next to it with a nice view of the mountains and the city. I purposely put a whiteboard in front of me, so I can write down and see important things that I need to get done. I like my workplace a lot; the problem with it is that it is close to a busy street, so it can get noisy during some hours.
What’s your best time-saving trick? Turn off my phone. There are times when I receive around thirty WhatsApp messages from a family group where all my siblings, cousins and uncles are. Usually, their messages are about jokes and funny videos that they send. Even if I silent the group, so my phone does not sound when they send something, I get distracted if I can see the screen of my phone while working on my computer, as the notifications appear silently. The best option is to turn it off until I finish what I’m working on, then turn it on again for making sure that nothing crazy is going on in the world.
What’s your favorite to-do list manager? The method that works best for me is to have a traditional notebook where I write a to-do list every day and put my weekly tasks on a white board. I also make sure to schedule events or meetings on Google Calendar, with reminders an hour before.
Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can’t you live without? I use my iPad often. It is a useful tool that helps me to work easily and comfortably when I’m not at home. Lately, I’m using my Kindle more; I love to take it with me, especially when I’m traveling. It gives me access to much content without having to carry many books.
What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else? Patience. I can be very understanding and help people when they need me to explain more or give further training.
What are you currently reading? I’m currently reading a book called “Las claves del Ensayo.” It teaches different tools and strategies for writing great essays. Usually, I read other types of books, especially books for personal growth, entrepreneurship, and literature books. However, this book is helping me to learn essential tricks that I am using in the content I create.
What do you listen to while you work? It depends; when I need to concentrate on writing content I listen to a Youtube playlist titled: “Peaceful Relaxing Soothing” by Monoman: https://youtu.be/FjHGZj2IjBk . When I need to work on designing a website or creating a project, I like to listen to Jazzhop, (mixes of jazz and hip-hop). It puts me on a happy-creative mood. https://youtu.be/TTXFKD7fMlE
Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert? I’m definitely an introvert. I like to spend time alone with my thoughts to plan strategies for achieving my dreams, meditating, and sharing time with God for atleast thirty minutes every day. However, I enjoy spending time with my husband and doing fun stuff with him or with groups of friends; like dancing, hiking, eating out, or just talking and laughing about silly things. I think that I always need both time alone and time with others, but I spend more time with myself and my husband than with tons of people.
What’s your sleep routine like? I try to sleep eight hours a day, going to bed around 11:30 pm and waking up at 7:30 am.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? “Make an effort and be brave.” Putting this into practice has helped me to achieve some of my biggest goals.
Is there anything else you’d like to add? The second best advice I’ve received is to read many books and start blogging every day. Consuming, analyzing, and creating content helps me to grow in many areas of my life. This also helps me to develop crucial skills for succeeding in my career.