Last month was a month that flew past, with me working, collaborating with the team based in different countries for my work. It’s still surreal to think that I am not the only person working on my hobbies now. S is there, thinking hard and working equally hard to grow Brand Manpreet (we couldn’t think of a better name for all the crazy things I do).
I am a blogger. I am a Booktuber. I am a daily vlogger. I am a lifestyle blogger. I cover books, fashion, self improvement and what not on my blog. I am a digital marketer. And this has enabled me to learn a lot.
Here’s what I learned last month
1.Focus is important
Be it in life or in your brand, you need focus.
You could be good at many things but that will just make people lose their trust in you.
As humans, we don’t want to believe that somebody can know it all. Think of it! Weren’t you taught in school to not be ‘the jack of all trades’? You were always asked to focus on one thing.
Is that right? I don’t think so. If I had focused just on my studies, I would have never built these side hustles. I wouldn’t have delved deep into books, so much to start reviewing them on a YouTube channel. I wouldn’t have become a blogger. And presently, I can’t exist as a digital marketer if I am not a jack of all trades. So, I think it’s good.
But at any given time, you need to narrow down your focus. You may have five different projects, but all of them should be inline with your one focus, one goal.
The clarity it will bring you is immensely satisfying and motivating.
2. Keep a daily diary
I learned it from the Good Wife. Yes, I love T.V. shows featuring lawyers. The Good Wife. Suits. How to get away with murder…
I bought myself a basic black diary (because it was the cheapest on Amazon) and started logging down everything I did in a day – the work stuff and even, the daily stuff like going to gym, self learning for one hour a day and so on.
It helps to keep track of your life in such a better manner. I know exactly what I did that day. I have added more sections like – TIL(Today I Learned) where I do a mini post like this every day and GJ (Gratitude Journal) just to take a minute a day to appreciate the blessings I have had.
I also use different coloured highlighters to help me quickly identify the projects the entries are related to. I use sticky notes to add in to-dos.
All of it has simplified my life so much. Makes me feel less stressed.
3. Be Organised
Organization is the skill I have never admired until this year. I look back at my daily vlogs from 2016 and I cringe at the way my house looks in the background. I also think of how unhappy it made me feel. Of course, at that time, I had others to pin down the blame on but now, when I have had time to introspect and situation is different, I think it all boils down to the lack of organisation and cleanliness in my space.
Having your stuff organised – whether it’s your makeup, stacks of diaries or clothes makes your life easier. You’re less stressed and happier. Tried and tested.
4. Have an office if you work from home
I have talked about working from home several times on this blog. In fact, apart from a week long stint at a PR firm, I have never worked from anywhere else since January 2015. Not like regular employees do. Quite obviously, I have never had a real office.
In 2018, I tried having a designated room to work in but I always ended up curled inside my blanket on my bed. I felt that’s just how I liked it. Wrong.
In February, we finally got our new office furniture. The office is still not completely done but it still looks a 100 times better now that we have proper office setup. I can concentrate more on my work and it impacts my productivity too. Moreover, it has helped me finally start creating a difference between my personal and professional life.
So, if you’re working from home, even once a week, have an office!
5. Recycle
In school, it was a thing – recycle products. Save water. Save the planet.
You instantly forget those things once your hectic tuition schedule and then, college begins. You wouldn’t pay attention up until you have more school going children around you doing all the things we do in school. So, recycling is something that you would only see in YouTube DIYs. Something you like to watch but would never do.
I had been like that, until my teammate asked me to pick up the 35-year old sofa sitting in our spare room and get it redone. I saved at least Rs. 8000 on that little sofa project and the new(old) sofa has turned out so good.
I am not saying I am going to be an environment influencer now and embrace recycling. I am still a fledgling here or maybe, not even that. But it felt incredibly good – to be able to use that old sofa with so many memories attached to it and not throw it away, to save money on the sofa and to get the office look so beautiful with the one grey couch.
To conclude, I can definitely think of more things I learned but as I was living my life, I wasn’t taking notes. I was just doing it. And this is what I learned.
Tell me one thing last month taught you. Comment now!
