Have you ever felt constrained by arbitrary milestone deadlines, pre-determined essay outlines, or schedules – especially schedules – that either don’t give you needed breaks, or force unwelcome breaks in your creative flow? Have you been hindered by the very tools that were supposed to help you? Many of us find that the standard structures of traditional schooling or corporate culture are not a good fit. To do my best in college, I had to skip lectures that so many of my peers found helpful and learn from textbooks instead, on my own schedule. Even today, inspiration never overlaps fully with the traditional 9-5, and flexible work hours are a must.

Ever the free spirits, the lucky among us join science labs, start businesses, or embark on other creative endeavors. We seek and find freedom from rigid structures, but this is tricky, for freedom is a double-edged sword. Escape into it is just the first step. The benefit is not in freedom from structure, but rather in freedom to create our own structure. Without functional systems, we end up spinning our wheels, work expands to fill time available, and important things like family time or recovery fall off the schedule. Too much freedom circles around to none.

Good systems, tailored to how our brains actually work, can double our productivity and create space for family, friends, personal growth, rest… for a full and healthy life. But, while the drive for freedom is innate, the skills needed to organize our own life, on our own, are not. Many of us struggle with this. Skill-building and a good knowledge of self, something I facilitate at Apta Via Careers, is essential. The ultimate goal is a life well-lived, where important work gets done, important personal values are honored, and your body and mind are taken care of.

What tools have you been using to help organize your work and life? Which ones you found were unique to you? Did you find, like I did, that these tools constantly evolve? Drop a comment and let’s start a conversation. And, if you’re curious about building systems that fit your work and life, I’d be glad to explore this with you.