Build consistency: A lazy 26-year-old’s method that works
How to NOT neglect your personal projects on that random Wednesday
This post is for the 9 to 5 girlies in their 20s and 30s tackling big personal projects on the side, like building a business, personal brand, or learning a relevant skill. If you can’t find time to focus on the habits, goals and tasks that matter to you (especially during the week), this article will help you take one step forward.
In previous jobs, I’ve suffered burnout keeping up with personal goals during the week. I’d make a list of projects like writing, sending a weekly email to my newsletter community, practicing a skill, a hobby, reading, etc. but I felt drained trying to keep up. During weekends, I was overwhelmed with all the tasks I didn’t complete during the week, alongside cooking, cleaning, and other chores.
When was I supposed to relax and have fun?
In the past few months, I’ve changed that narrative. I’m able to achieve at least 3 of my primary goals for each day, getting me closer to my long term goals. My 9–5 doesn’t interfere with it as much as before.
So, what tweaks have I made to my routine?
1. Don’t have a project for everyday
Projects could be: learning a skill, building a website, or activities aligned with your long term goals.
If we’re being honest, we can’t have the same level of energy everyday. Your body needs rest. So building your website, or creating content can’t be for every evening. You also need time to do random stuff like cooking, cleaning, reading a book or just lounging around. You’re not a machine.
My Friday nights are for for the gym, grocery shopping, and cooking. No projects. My Sunday afternoons are for keyboard practice and painting (or Netflix, depends). These are hobbies that I want to get better at, even through they don’t give me money. It’s ok to do something just because it makes you happy.
Even if you set it out extra time for sleep, it’s just as productive as doing same for projects.
2. Put those emotions in check. Cry but keep working
For context, I’m a 26 year old single Nigerian woman who moved to the Republic of Ireland less than a year ago. It’s not the easiest situation to be in - battling school, content creation and a full time job. The struggle is real, and sometimes my emotions get the best of me. Some nights, everything seems perfect and it’s the best time to work — and then feelings of loneliness creep in (annoying timing).
I don’t have a solution for these feelings. But I’ve resolved to work in spite of them. So on such days, I just write/edit/read/whatever regardless. If a few tears drop, I clean them and keep working.
I know the queens of self-care won’t approve this message , but the harsh truth is goals don’t care about emotions. Only actions. So learn to work through those emotions. Sometimes they disappear midway, other times they don’t. Stick to your schedule and get the job done.
But if you’re in a really bad space emotionally, I advise you seek professional help. I’ll also be sending you virtual hugs.
3. Bulk up your routine decisions
Decisions about what to wear, eat, your exercise schedule and work tasks should not be made everyday. Pick a day in the previous week to decide what the next will look like. Also, prep your wardrobe with clothes you will wear (do some ironing of you have to). Then make the meals you will eat ahead of time (or buy the ingredients ahead, at the very least).
These small decisions take up so much of of our time, but we barely realize. For example, I don’t drive, so going shopping means taking a bus, pushing a cart around for at least 5–10 minutes, and taking another bus back home. Then I have to chop/cook/boil whatever, and eat it when I’m done (if I’m not too tired). Save yourself the stress and plan ahead.
4. Start your most important task in the morning
Every productive person should have core daily goals to achieve (brushing your teeth is not one). If you’re sure what yours should be, this article will help:
I’m privileged to have a job that starts at 9am every morning. Since I’ve been used to 8am, I decided to use the extra hour for an important skill of mine — writing. It’s a personal rule to write at least 500 words everyday, so now I do this between 8 and 9am.
I follow James Clear’s rule of habit stacking, having a cue for every behavior. The first cue is my alarm that rings at 8am every morning. On a perfect day, I would be sitting at the bus stop two minutes before this alarm rings. But some days I’m late, other days I’m standing at the bus stop (because the seats are taken), other days I’m just not in the mood.
So if the alarm rings and I absolutely can’t start writing yet, I silence it, but I’m reminded about my writing. Once I get to the bus stop, even before I enter the bus, I unlock my phone and start writing. I have the shortcut to my drive folder on my phone’s home screen. Immediately I open it, I can see all my writing projects, and I pick one to work on (based on a schedule).
The trick is, I don’t even give it much thought. I just start writing. Sometimes I start, and 5 minutes in, I don’t like all I’ve written. I don’t erase it, I just leave some space and start again. I can fix that in editing.
It’s easier for me to continue other projects in the evening when I write in the morning. I tell myself, you’ve already built momentum, why stop now? But if I didn’t do anything for myself in the morning, after work I’ll just say ‘well I’m so tired and today just seems like one of those days where I won’t be productive’.
5. Maintain a bias for action
Place execution over everything. Only actions bring results, not planning.
In an older article, I mentioned some habits that can be counter productive for taking consistent action. One of them is excess planning — fleshing out every detail of something before taking action. As James Clear once said, some things require little planning and more action. A lot of personal and career projects fall under this, so there’s no excuse to plan for too long.
To learn more about the ‘good’ habits that may be hindering you from taking action consistently, check out my article:
For me, a bias for action means sending out newsletters when I feel they aren’t ready yet. Or creating a dummy data dashboard with my little knowledge rather than watching 100 YouTube videos teaching me to do it. Learning is important, planning too. But hands-on execution teaches you what no other resource can. It also gives you concrete results to measure and improve on.
Your goal isn’t complete until you act on it. If you plan to write 500 words daily, reading the book “Everybody Writes” doesn’t count as achieving the goal. Put those words on the blank page. If you can pick just one mantra for your work life and personal growth, let it be this — “maintain a bias for action”. I hope this helps.
Hey, we’re still figuring this consistency thing out, so why not do it together?
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