My new book: Productivity for Creative People

The most popular thing I ever published here on the Wishful Thinking blog was an ebook called Time Management for Creative People.

In it I adapted the principles of productivity to the very particular challenges faced by creative professionals in a hyper-connected world. I released the ebook as free pdf and lost count of the downloads after 100,000 copies.

That was back in 2007. A lot has happened since then, and I’ve written a lot more on the subject – here, at my Lateral Action blog, and in my column for 99U.com. So I decided it was time for a new edition, incorporating extensive revisions to the original ebook, the best of my articles in the intervening decade, and some brand new material reflecting my current practice.

The result is Productivity for Creative People – over three times longer than the original, and (hopefully) substantially more useful.

You can pick up the book from Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Google Play and Smashwords.

How to get creative work done in an “always on” world

The book starts from the realisation that 21st century life presents a double-edged sword to creatives:

We are living in an age of unprecedented creative stimulation-via the internet, social media, all-pervasive technology, and an “always on” working culture.

Which means we are living in an age of unprecedented distraction from focused creative work—from all the same sources.

The pace of change is exciting, overwhelming, and unstoppable.

And creators are increasingly discovering a downside to the brave new world:

• countless distractions and interruptions
• endless email
• pressure to keep up
• anxiety about falling behind
• difficulty concentrating
• aches and pains from too much time at the keyboard

Dig a little deeper, and the biggest concern for many creatives is a nagging sense that their most important work is being left undone.

The book is designed to help you take advantage of the benefits of our hyper-connected society, while staying true to your creative path. The three-part structure will help you redesign your working week for maximum creativity and minimum drudgery:

1. Laying the Foundations – making big-picture decisions about your priorities and working practices
2. Doing Creative Work – in spite of the demands and distractions of 21st century life
3. Dealing with the Rest – in a timely and professional manner

All the ideas have been extensively road-tested – in my own life as a writer and coach, and in the lives of the hundreds of creative pros I’ve coached over the past 20 years.

Click here to pick up your copy of Productivity for Creative People.