4 Steps to Get Back on Track
As I shared in my last post, summer 2016 was much better than the previous year. We enjoyed wonderful family time, beautiful weather and delicious food. At the same time, I haven't been able to "keep up" on things like e-mail, paperwork, housework, gardening and the like.
Over the summer, little pockets of clutter and unfinished projects have sprouted up all over my house. And outside my window there's a jungle of weeds growing. It all makes me feel scattered and a bit uneasy.
Now that my kids are back in school, my goal is to do the hard work of getting myself back on track. Here are my strategies for doing just that:
- Prioritize: With so many little (and big) things that need to be done, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and inefficient. So, I ask myself: "What is important today? This hour?"
- Schedule: Keeping a consistent schedule is my secret weapon for productivity. Now that we are transitioning to fall, I am recreating my ideal week and ideal day.
- Batch Task: This is an area I am working at improving. The basic idea here is to batch small tasks together at set points in time to increase productivity. For example, rather than checking e-mail all the time, I want to get more consistent at clearing out e-mail at set points during the day.
- Do: This is where the rubber meets the road. Where we put our blinders on and do the hard work. I find it most productive to eliminate distractions, do one thing at a time (uni-task versus multitask) and just do it!
Getting things done feels good! As David Allen (author of the book "Getting Things Done") says: "Closing open loops releases energy." Here's to a new season of closing open loops!
NEW SEMINAR! On September 30, 2016, I will be presenting an all new class with Ann Arbor Rec & Ed. If you have tried to get organized, but still feel overwhelmed, "Simply (& Transform) Your Life!" is for you. I will teach you simple daily habits and mindset shifts to live your best life.
Sign up now with a friend or colleague to make sure this class has enough participants to run. Your investment is only $25 and two hours of your time.
