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.

Goals, Dreams and Purpose

How do you most effectively plan your Daily things-to-do?

We've talked in the past several posts about Master Lists, Daily Lists, and Priorities. Those are all important steps in the process of planning your daily tasks.

But what criteria do you use for choosing your priorities?

I think one key component of that is to have a clear sense of your own dreams and goals. What do you want to accomplish with your life? What is your purpose in life?

I've sometimes heard the phrase "you can do anything you want". No, I don't think so. We all have a finite amount of time to work with. I've sometimes said to people that if there were twenty of me, there still wouldn't be enough to do all the things I would like to do.

So it becomes important to get clear about what you do really want for your life. What matters most to you? What do you really value? What do you want to leave as your legacy?

I won't get into the how-to's of figuring those things out here, but once you are clear about your purpose, your dreams and your goals, then it becomes much easier to plan your days.

Then part of what will end up on your Master List will be the projects and goals that will lead you toward your dreams.

The thing is that sometimes these things won't be the "urgent" things that can so easily fill up your time and your days. But if you are clear about what you really want, then you will find ways to include those steps and actions in your daily planning too.

Knowing what you want also makes it easier to say no to the things that don't fit for you. You don't have to make excuses or explain to others who have their own agendas for your time and energy. Sometimes you just need to politely and firmly say No, I already have something else scheduled for that time.

If you don't already have a written statement of your life purpose and your dreams and goals, I'd like to encourage you to take the time to do that soon. Even if it's just to get started thinking about it. It can be amazing what a difference that can make to your productivity, effectiveness and to your life in general.

The Master List

One way to become better organized and more effective in your time management is to use a Master List.

What is a Master List?

It is a weekly list of all your things to do or to remember. It can be as simple as a lined page or notebook, or some computer program or electronic device, or you can make up a list of your own. Following is one I designed for myself after a sample from the book "Organized for Success" by Kenneth Zeigler.

Make the list something simple enough so that you can easily use it or take it with you.

Then use your Master List to record everything you need or want to do, from appointments to working on projects, from reminders to do the laundry or getting groceries to making calls, writing e-mails, fillling out applications, wish items like where you want to go on vacation, and everything and anything else.

The benefit of using a Master List is that it clears out your mind. When you try to rely on your mind to keep all your stuff "in mind", it keeps your mind subconsciously busy when it doesn't really need to be. In fact, for most of us these days, it probably keeps your subconscious mind overbusy - which may well be why we feel tired and overwhelmed.

But, if you get all that "stuff" down on a Master List, your mind can start to relax, knowing that those items are now "remembered".

It's best to keep this as a weekly list. Longer than that and it becomes too long and complicated.

It's also a good idea to make your list from Friday to Friday. That way you can finish off the week's list on Friday, transfer anything you want to move forward to the next list, and review and plan for the coming week. WIth that done, you are freer to relax and enjoy your weekend.

Okay. So now you have this long list of all these items. What do you do from there?

Now you bring in your Daily List - see the next post for that.