I write on this site mainly about church music and playing the piano.  But today and Wednesday, I’m going to talk a little about productivity.  And this will have application to your music.

We musicians can be overwhelmed with the amount of rehearsals we have, the gap between where our skill level is to where we want to be, and the multitude of administrative details we have to keep up with.

We all want to make sure we are productive.

Productivity is a buzz word on the internet, at least in the blogs and posts I read.  A lot of people are talking about it.  People want to be more productive.  Everyone has tips and tools, most of which are very useful in getting tasks accomplished or having the right mindset when approaching work.

I have been helped by people like Michael Hyatt, David Allen, and Stephen Covey.  You may have read books or blogs written by these guys.  I recommend you do if you haven’t. I’ve also been helped by some posts by Greg Howlett. Seth Godin has also given some great stuff on this.

The thought I share today, I picked up from Seth.  It’s his idea of “drip, drip, drip” and the cumulative affect of work over time.

His idea helps me be in the right mindset.

When is it that I am most effective, have the best attitude, and am most prepared to move forward in the areas of responsibility I have been given?

I am at my best when I have this attitude: “Show up every day.”

 

When I’m distracted, focused on a thousand things, this mantra cuts through the clutter and helps me focus on the main things right now.

You can apply this to your area of work, family, and music interest.

Earlier this year, I took this mantra, wrote it out in my journal, and listed the 7 main areas in my life.

Last Thursday, I did it again.

In the front of my journal, I have this written:

Now, by writing this out, I have a filter through which I can write out my goals for a week or the tasks for a specific day.  It doesn’t mean that I don’t engage in anything outside of this list, but it means that I will make an effort to show up every day for each of these priorities.

 

First, what it is NOT:

1. It is not a commitment to mediocrity.

It’s not, “Be present, but don’t engage.”  It’s the idea of engaging in these things because they are the main things.

2. A hard and fast rule that never gets broken.

There will be days I can’t show up for this or that priority.  There are seasons where one gets more time than the other.  But “show up every day” keeps the most important things in front of me.

3. A way to overwhelm myself with all I have to do.

The point is not to write out the 50,000 things swirling around in your head.  There is a place for that.  David Allen calls it a “brain dump.” But that’s not what this is about.

4. A magical formula that will guarantee you will show up every day for your priorities.

I have days, sometimes too many, when I don’t connect with Candy. There are days I don’t get as much done in another area.

But it helps me know where I’m going and where I need to give focus.

What it is

It is a way to simplify.

It’s a way to filter out what’s not important and make sure that, today and tomorrow, I give attention to what’s most important.

It’s a way to refocus on the main things.

 

So, why does this mantra help me?  Why does this put me in the right frame of mind to move forward in life?

Wednesday, I’ll share 6 reasons “Show Up Every Day” helps move me move the most important areas of life forward.