First and foremost, to be a great organizer, you have to stay on track! Part two of my organization series is long overdue as life and all its messiness got the best of me the last few months. First, my illness took me down and out for a few weeks, then I had to play catch up after our vacation in October, and most of November was devoted to sick kitties and art-making. C’est la vie!
This post’s focus is on the importance of writing things down, specifically lists. But also about actually using both those things once you’ve written them down! Again, you can easily come up with and implement an organization system, but the trick is to maintain and follow it as well!
I am all about lists! Love them and have been using them since I was a young girl with organizational aspirations! They help declutter my mind and make me feel ready to take on the day. On any given day, I have at least a few lists going, either in my planner, or on a notepad. While some people like to make their to do lists the night before, I am more in tune with doing it in the morning, once the kids are in school, the kitties have been fed and I can sit down with a cup of coffee.
Months ago, I was searching YouTube for tips on how to be organized and productive and came across a video with a man named Brian Tracy. I was not familiar with who he was or what he was all about, but I liked the tips he gave. I have tried to follow and implement these tips to make my days run smoother and to not feel as guilty when I don’t get everything done in one day.
Here is a list of those tips:
1. PLAN YOUR DAY either the night before or first thing in the morning.
To plan your day, make a list! Writing down a list of task helps to clarify your thinking and goals. Brian Tracy says “All successful people start their day working from a list.” A checklist keeps everything organized in sequence.
2. SET PRIORITIES ON YOUR LIST.
After you’ve made your list, decide what is the most important thing on your to-do list that day. Give everything a percentage or ranking. To help, think about it this way: if you could only do one task before you were called out of town for a month, what would it be?
3. “SINGLE HANDLING”
This concept means that once you have prioritized your daily tasks, start and complete the most important thing on your list. Don’t stop until you finish that one task! The more you start and stop, the easier it is to get side-tracked. If you can stay focused, you can shorten the total amount of time it would take you to complete it.
Of course, this is easier said than done and takes some practice and self-discipline. Plus, it means you have to decide what the most important thing on your to-do list is.
Another video that popped up in my search was one featuring tips from Ryder Carroll, the creator of the bullet journal.
He wrote a whole book on his method that helps you to “track the past, order the present and design the future.” It also helps plan your day more effectively.
Here’s a list of his 5 tips:
1. TAKE MENTAL INVENTORY
Write down anything and everything you want to accomplish. Consider each task individually.
2. TIME BLOCKING
Each task gets a certain amount of time.
3. MORNING REFLECTION
Take 5-15 minutes in the morning to go over all your tasks and think about why you’re doing them.
4. EVENING REFLECTION
Like the morning reflection, take some time to unwind and unburden your mind and go over your “whys?”. Then check off the tasks you completed that day.
5. CELEBRATE!
Reward yourself at the end of the day, for whatever you accomplished, even if it wasn’t your full list of to-do’s!
While I have tried bullet journaling, I still prefer a traditional planner and making lists that way. But I appreciate the concepts Carroll mentions.
This was my to-do list today:
I have gotten about half way through my tasks, with the most important thing on today’s list being the sixth one down. What a time to misplace my credit card!
And speaking of Christmas and rewarding yourself, check out two of our kids’ wishlists:
Next on my list is some Christmas shopping! I’ll be back tomorrow with this month’s First Friday Favourites!
