August isn't over yet, we are still in the summer months and temps are in the uppers 80s and 90s, and I'm thinking about holiday ornaments. As someone who practices trying to remain present and focus on "today," production planning for months out is a challenge. This has been one of my biggest struggles, especially with my ceramics, and has put my time management skills to the test. Admittedly, I fail often.
I can't predict how quickly I'll be out of mugs or vases, and find that while I make the proactive decision to get ahead on mugs, I'll find I suddenly sell out of bowls. Switching my focus to making bowls, I'll then realize I forgot about an upcoming market where I would benefit from having small pieces like bourbon cups and ring dishes. It's one thing after another, so I'm trying to figure out a balance for keeping pieces in stock while also thinking ahead to what I may need to have ready in the coming months.
It is no secret I'm a fan of lists. I've written about how making lists is an important productivity tool for me, but also how it has trained me to not keep certain information stored in my brain. I can't go to the grocery store without a list if I need more than two items. The same goes for producing work in the studio. I need to write down everything and check things off the list. The problem is I first need to write the list, which requires looking at the long-range forecast. I'm open to suggestions if anyone has struggled with and solved this issue.
So while I sit in the studio, trying out new ornament shapes to have ready by the end of October, I'm also wondering about what else I may be forgetting to plan for.
Bryan I use Microsoft Planner. It’s free and you can add short and long term tasks and it sends you reminders when tasks are due or overdue. It’s how I manage my team’s workload. You can add your previous sales history so you know when you need to start working on something and how much you’ll need.
https://apps.apple.com/au/app/microsoft-planner/id1219301037