So I’m going through my workday using my INFP to-do list and INFP scheduling methods, which means I’ve got a few productivity parameters and then I’m using “the pull” to decide exactly what to work on in the moment.
So when is it time to switch tasks and work on something else?
When I feel tired and/or bored of whatever it is I’m working on.
This is another “feeling” method of moving forward through your day and work activities.
INFPs like to work in circles rather than in a line, which means that it is best for us to have a number of projects we’re working on and allow ourselves to freely switch back and forth between these activities as we see fit. This is exactly what I do.
Say I have a four hour block of work time. I will work on 4-5 activities during that work time, switching between them every so often, rather than working on 1 or 2 activities for a longer length of time.
You will basically never see me working in long bursts on one single activity. I typically max out at about an hour for anything, and it could be more like 35-40 minutes.
Back to that hypothetical four hour block–I will start off working on something and then when I get tired and/or bored of it, I switch to the next thing. And then I repeat.
It’s pretty simple, but it does mean that I only do a little of something at a time and allow it to add up over so many days. But I’ve got multiple things going so I’m moving several things forward at once.
For people who don’t work well with traditional productivity methods (including INFPs) it isn’t always obvious that this might be a good way for you to do things because it seems a little weird and is based on feeling your way forward.
But, it does keep you moving. And, if it’s in line with your natural productivity rhythms, then you’re going to feel more energized and excited while you are doing it.
***Check out my latest release, Productivity For INFPs, now. Available at Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes&Noble.com, Google Play, Kobo and more.
Amanda Linehan is the author of North, about a young woman on the run from her past, the law and an old adversary out to get her. Her newest release is Bored To Death: A Vampire Thriller, about a 300-year-old vampire trying to restore the balance between life and death. She has published five novels. Get a free short story every month when you sign up for her newsletter.
i work much this way too. it’s lovely when i’m so sucked into a project that i hammer at it intensely for a long time, but it’s pretty rare.
Amanda, I relate with this 100%. I discovered over time that ‘forcing’ myself to sit down and “just focus on a task” for X amount of hours made me miserable, unproductive and pretty much useless 😀 I’d realize at the end of the day how I’d been in actuality sitting and staring at a computer screen for hours – accomplishing….nada. No creativity. No excitement. Just blah. That’s when it dawned on me exactly what you’ve described.
Allowing the freedom to just flow – from one project to another – giving creativity and intuition room to do what it does best – that’s when you look back and realize, WOW, I got so much done today! It’s incredibly authentic to us and it feels darn good to be real in our own skin. I love how you have shared this because as we relay our stories – we realize that we’re not alone in our uniqueness!
Blessings to you! You’re awesome & I’m grateful you’re sharing your brilliance with us! ? ~ Holly
Hey Holly–Thanks again. 🙂 Yeah, that’s the thing isn’t it? When you try and force a schedule on yourself, it’s actually completely unproductive! And you don’t get those feelings of flow and passion and creativity and enthusiasm. Thanks for sharing!