Rabbit Trail Organizing

Do you find yourself doing this when you try to organize?

You start with one thing, then it prompts a reminder about something else. So you head off to do that thing.

On the way to do that, you go past something else and think, oh, I'll just quickly do this.

Except that it gets you thinking of this other thing that you really should do and so you go and start on that thing.

And before you know it, hours or even the whole day has gone by and it seems like nothing much got accomplished.

I call this Rabiit Trail Organizing because it looks like a meandering path of half-done jobs.

So how do you deal with that?

Actually, there is a simple answer.

Remember the post I did recently on using a Master List? Here's a really good use for that.

Say you start on the first item on your list of things to do. Suddenly you remember this other thing that needs to get done.

Now - instead of jumping up to go do that thing, just grab your Master List and write it down. Then finish the first job you started with.

Now, if, and only if, this other item is really urgent, then go and do it next. Otherwise, leave it on your Master List and the next time you go through the list to plan your Daily List, then decide how important it really is and when to schedule a time to do it.

Get into the habit of writing all these "Oh-I-need-to-do-this" ideas on your Master List and then taking the time to think through when it would best suit you to do them.  You will find yourself accomplishing much more and feeling a lot better about yourself at the end of the day too.