My Process for Staying Organized

As of late, I have started to once again use the to-do list as a way of managing my time. For some reason, I go back and forth on using it while utilizing my calendar stays pretty consistent.

In Outlook (work), I am able to use flagged emails or create tasks. At home, I use Google Inbox (reminders), Google Calendar, and now Google Tasks to create triggers for what I should be doing.

My current process involves flagging email and creating reminders/tasks. From this growing list, I then find time to add the task to my calendar. Essentially, I'm cherry-picking items to work on.

While this is great and all, I'm seeing a lot of flagged messages and tasks just sitting (and growing) in my box. Yes, I take time each day to review them, but I fear that it's going to get unwieldy. Come to think of it, that might be the reason I stopped using tasks originally.

Anywho, I'm looking for ideas and strategies. How are you using To-Do Lists and the calendar? What is your process for managing your growing list of tasks? Events? Reminders?

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Procrastination: What Motivates Getting Things Done?

Hi, my name is Damond Nollan and I am a procrastinator.

Yes, you read that correctly. I often delay tasks until the very last possible minute. From as far back as I can remember, there has always been a strong urge to put off homework, chores, taxes, projects, home repairs, and even getting dressed in preparation for the day. It's systemic and it affects just about every area of my life.

Despite the negative connotation associated with procrastination, I still get things done. Ok, before you try and poke a hole in that statement, I will be extremely transparent and reveal that I have yet to finish my doctoral degree. Oh, and if you're my girlfriend, I am very aware of the endless list of tasks that I still haven't completed, like adding all my many books to the four bookshelves you bought last Christmas.

In my mind, I know there are a trillion things that I have to do, but instead of worrying about everything and carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders, I focus primarily on what's most important now. What has to be done today? Better yet, what has to be done right now? If I have time to finish it, then it can wait.

Procrastinators vs. Anti-Procrastinators

When I compare my style of task completion to that of a co-worker, I feel like such a slacker. This particular individual begins work the minute she learns about a task. She almost always finishes the assignments first, which tends to ultimately influence how the rest of us complete our contributions.

In my personal life, my girlfriend, much like my mother before her, always wants me to do stuff right now. "When are you going to finish cleaning your room?" She would inquire. "Soon!" I would reply. At this point, you can replace "cleaning your room" with just about anything and it will resemble what an anti-procrastinator would ask. Here are a few more examples:

• When are you going to file those important papers?
• When are you going to call the company and ask for more details?
• When are you going to hang those new drapes I bought?
• When are you going to clean the garage, paint the girl's bedroom, organize that closet, and get rid of all that junk?
• When are you going to call the repairman and get the washing machine, refrigerator, sink, staircase, and front door fixed?
• When are you going to buy a new bed, dining room table, suit, coat, and shoes? 

While each of those things are important, it doesn't require an immediate action. Most of the time, there is still plenty of time to get the issue or task resolved. For open-ended tasks, as in things without a deadline, they will get done when it absolutely has to be finished. Why waste my time and energy doing something that can wait, may never see the light of day, or serves as busy work to satisfy someone else's need for constant change and attention? No thank you! (add boyish smile here)

Bringing in the Big Guns

It was during a recent conversation that I realized how much contention our differences in completing tasks can cause. From my girlfriend's perspective, failure to finish requests within her expected timeframe meant that I didn't care. If it's important to her, it should be important to me. She argues.

This discussion prompted further contemplation around strategies for personal motivation. I always knew that if I wanted my house clean, I would just invite someone over, but how can I apply that same strategy for other tasks? This led me back to a Success Insider podcast episode, hosted by Josh Ellis and Shelby Skrhak, that focused on procrastination. That is where I was first introduced to Dr. Mary Lamia, the author of, "What Motivates Getting Things Done: Procrastination, Emotions, and Success."

What I enjoyed most about the interview was that Dr. Lamia didn't cast a dark shadow over people whose default style is procrastination. In fact, she pointed out that procrastinators are just as likely to be successful as those individuals who get things done early. She even went on to say that procrastinators may even have a higher quality first draft because we ruminate on the job long before we ever take action to complete it.

"Wow! I need to read that book." Says my inner scientist. Understanding motivation would only help me achieve more. Not only that, but I am getting the impression that I will no longer have to walk around in shame because of my default style, but instead can walk around with my head held high as I embrace the natural gifts God bestowed upon me.

If you are interested in reading the book with me or want to engage in a conversation about procrastination and motivational styles, I would love to engage with you. I do have a growing book club on Facebook that you are welcome to join or feel free to comment below.

Either way, I am excited to jump in and devour these 10 chapters:

1. What Motivates Getting Things Done: An Overview
2. Deadlines, Deliberation, and Distractions
3. What Motivates Early Action or Delay?
4. Anxiety as an Engine for Task Completion
5. Why You Should Fear Failure
6. Pursuing Excellence
7. Relationships and Divergent Motivational Styles
8. Optimizing Your Motivational Style
9. Troubleshooting Guide
10. Looking Back and Moving Forward

As I gain insight and contemplate how I can apply the lessons to my life, rest assured that I will be back to share it all with you. Just make sure you subscribe to my newsletter so you don't miss it when it comes.

Until next time...

   

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Manage Life Like You Water Plants

Each morning, upon my arrival into the office, I gather my coffee supplies and proceed with brewing a fresh cup of hot java. If you've ever made coffee then you know that it requires a clean pot, coffee grounds, filter, and cold water.

As of late, I've been filling the coffee pot to its maximum capacity, although I only use 4 cups worth of water. Why? Because the other six cups help hydrate my plants.

I first noticed the change last week and realized how healthy my plants had become. Instead of watering them once a week, like I had done for years, my daily watering seemed to have turned my babies around for the better.

This particular morning, I started thinking about how much easier life would be if we managed it like we water plants.

Examples

• Cleaning House - Instead of cleaning the house on Saturday morning, why not clean as you go throughout the week. For example, when you get out of the shower, wipe the tub before it dries or make your bed as soon as you get up.
  
• Paying Bills - When you get a bill in the mail, why not schedule a payment through your bank. The check doesn't have to go out right then, but once you set it...forget it.

Inch By Inch

You know the saying, "Inch by inch anything's a cinch." Like watering the plants each morning, it takes no real extra effort to hydrate them while making coffee. So too then is life. Let's look around our lives to find ways to do a little work each day.

Feedback

In the comment section below, I would love to hear your thoughts. What other examples of smaller tasks do you have that make life so much easier?

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Putting Your Time Budget On Autopilot

It's Sunday evening and I'm thinking about my weekend. What did I do with this weekend? Was it a complete waste of time? Fortunately, I can say that it wasn't.

Unlike many of the weekends before, my schedule is finally set on autopilot for both Saturday and Sunday. Here, let me explain what I mean.

A few years ago, I adopted a time budget. Essentially, this is where I allot a set number of hours for various areas of my life (i.e. Blogging, working out, school, and the like). During the week, I'm pretty good about following my plan because it's already on autopilot. Unfortunately, that success goes out of the window come Saturday morning.

Why? you ask. I believe it was due to an empty schedule. In the absence of a plan, I did whatever came to mind. If I wanted to sleep, I would. If I wanted to watch a few movies, I did. Come Monday morning, I regretted my poor decisions.

What's Different About This Weekend?

Unlike the many weekends before, I finally filled the calendar with my approved time budget. At the very least, I now have a generic plan of action for all seven days of the week.

Thanks to the Google Calendar "Repeat" option, my calendar is pre-scheduled from now until eternity.

What Happens When Things Change?

If there is one thing we can count on it's that things will change. With my generic time budget on the calendar, I can easily adjust my schedule to accommodate those unexpected events.

Using the example above, I have scheduled the Techmonks Podcast for 9 pm each Sunday night. Unless I change the plan, this event will repeatedly show up on my calendar during the 9-10 pm hour. Now, let's assume that a more pressing matter requires my attention. How would I handle that?

Step 1: Add the new event to the calendar

Step 2: Delete or reschedule the podcast during a different time. It is important to note that a repeating event is attached to a string of other similar events. When you make any changes to a re-occurring event, you will have the option to change only this event, following events, or all events (both before and after). Typically, I only adjust the single event because I assume that I'll be back on schedule next week.

Final Thought

I know, it's really just a minor adjustment but I think it will make all the difference in the world. The real test comes in the weeks that follow. Will it help or fall flat? We'll find out soon enough.

Until next time...

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Three Tips To Maximize Your Time Budget

A couple of years ago, I wrote an article titled, "Get More Done Today With 4 Steps to Budget Time." Within that post, I shared how I manage time to insure that all priorities are given my undivided attention.

In this article, I would like to go a little further and provide three tips for maximizing the time budget.

Create A To-Do List
Once you have a time budget in place, it is time to start filling your calendar with to-do items. The easiest thing to do is pull those items from a list.

The list can be a piece of paper, notebook, notepad, Word document, voice note, or Google Doc. It doesn't matter which one you use as long as it's convenient and available. In photography, the best camera is the one you have with you. I'd use that same idea with to-do lists. The best list is the one you have with you.

Personally, I keep my list within a Google Doc. I like it because I can update the list while on the go using my smartphone or while sitting at my desk. The benefit of Google Docs is that I'm always working from the most updated list.

The purpose of a to-do list is simply to capture items as they arise. For me, I find that I come up with to-do items while busy with something else. I could be shopping, eating, reading, or sleeping when a nagging task presents itself. Once I get it written down, I can let my brain rest.

An example of my To-Do list looks like this:

To-Do List

• Write article on time management

• Clean fish tank 

• Pay cell phone bill 

• Read journal on Organizational Commitment  

• Write article on the slow-carb diet

Schedule Tasks On A First-in First-out Basis
With a to-do list established, it is time to take those tasks and schedule them on your calendar. I assume you've designed your time budget already. If not, visit the aforementioned post and create one now.

Thanks to my budget, I know that I can only devote an hour and a half to blog articles per day. To write an article on 'Time Management,' I have to visit my calendar and decide when I can fit it in.

Let's say I can afford some time tomorrow afternoon. To book it, I simply write the task from my list on to the calendar between 2 - 3:30 pm. Voila!

Let's assume that later on tonight, I come up with another blog topic. Looking at my calendar, I see that the next possible date to begin writing will be the day AFTER tomorrow. I'm ok with that, so I book it.

As demonstrated above, any subsequent article that comes into my head can now be scheduled as I think them up. To put it another way, first-in first-out.

The concept of first-in first-out works with meetings, chores, and even telephone conversations.

Prioritize Tasks As Needed
The first-in first-out method works the majority of the time. However, there may come a time where something more important requires my immediate attention. At work, for example, my boss may request that I attend a meeting or complete a project today. If it wasn't planned on my calendar, I may have to readjust my schedule in order to accommodate. When this happens, I will review my calendar and prioritize as needed.

In the case of a meeting, I know that I can only schedule two hours a day. Assuming I have meetings already on the calendar, I may be forced to call and cancel. However, before I do, I determine if the new meeting is more important than the meetings already on the schedule. If 'Yes,' then I adjust accordingly. If 'No,' then I ask if I can schedule a meeting to another day.

It is important to note that unforeseen tasks will show up. However, I found that it is much easier to say 'No' to a last minute request when the calendar is already full of items. Additionally, having a plan in place allows me to maintain control over my time.

Final Thought
As I bring this article to a close, remember that this calendar is yours. What you accomplish in life depends heavily on what you spend time doing. Therefore, take control by actively adding tasks to your list, schedule items on a first-in first-out basis, and, when absolutely necessary, prioritize tasks as needed.

You may also enjoy:

• How to Build an Emergency Fund

Photo provided by JJThePooh

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How To Be More Balanced And Responsive With Tasks

Today, I woke up with this crazy idea. What would happen if I were to spend shorter amounts of time doing a number of different things. In the health and fitness area, we call this a circuit, but could it work for managing tasks?

How Does It Work?
My current process involves a calendar and a time budget. Each day, I block off a period of time to focus on communication, meetings, work, and other important tasks. While this works, I find that it can be a little rigid.

Throughout a normal day, people will call or email me and expect a prompt response. For me, this means the next morning. For everyone else, this means within the next hour. If composing email is not in my schedule, the recipient will have to wait until the next day.

"Success, I believe, is built on things we do, not on things we hope to achieve."

At first glance, this is great for controlling distractions, but it does little for responsiveness.

The idea I came up with this morning was to use shorter intervals to cycle through daily tasks. Instead of spending all 60 minutes at one time to talk on the phone or compose email (say, from 7 - 8am), I can cut up that hour into smaller chunks of time, which can then be disbursed through the remainder of the day.

Having tested this concept, the following section captures my initial reaction and recommended next steps.

Pros
More responsive: The first thing of note was the speed by which I was able to address tasks. Instead of waiting 24 hours to address a concern, I only had to wait until the cycle repeated itself. Depending upon the number of tasks, it could mean a wait of 30 to 40 minutes.

Increased visibility: Some of the tasks include managing social networks. Prior to this new process, I would check my various networks once or twice a day. Today, it felt like I was on all the time. This gave me an opportunity to speak with a variety of people I might have missed. The benefit as I see it is an increased visibility in both the office and online.

Cons
Not enough time: Today, I gave myself about 5 minutes per task. It didn't take long to realize that five minutes wasn't enough to get into the groove and complete anything. By the time I started, it was time to move on to the next task. In hindsight, I would probably give myself between 10 and 15 minutes per task.

Too hectic: Again, at 5 minutes per task, I found myself jumping around in somewhat of a scatterbrained approach. At times, I didn't know what was next on the agenda. By the end of the day, I just addressed what was yelling the loudest. Unfortunately, that's not a very proactive approach to task management.

Not balanced enough: Spent too much time on social networking, which affected my time in other areas. Instead of grouping Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Empire Avenue, YouTube, and the like into a similar category, I ended up spending 5 minutes in each network. Clearly, this was unfair because I ultimately spent 30 minutes on networking and only 5 minutes in other areas.

Moving Forward...
...I will increase the alloted time from 5 to 15 minutes. This will allow me time to adjust to the task, engage, and let it go.

...I will group similar tasks into larger categories (Blog, Communication, Dissertation, and Work). With each 15 minute interval, I will move between one of the four areas. During the course of an hour, I would have touched all major tasks on my list.

...I will work from my task list to ensure that I am completing the highest priority items during the alloted period.

Additional Thoughts
Unfortunately, the circuit concept doesn't work for everything. Meetings, commute, meals, and similar actions are better suited for larger time blocks.

For anyone who has been around the time management block, breaking tasks down into smaller chucks is not new. In fact, I am aware of the egg timer approach and writing the dissertation in only 15 minutes per day. What I think is different about the circuit concept is that it continues all day long, minus the scheduled blocks of time.

Mentally, 15 minutes on anything is pretty easy to do. It is easy enough that even a career procrastinator like myself can use it.

At the end of the day, when I am asked what I have completed, I can easily review my many smaller tasks and say, "I did it!" Success, I believe, is built on things we do, not on things we hope to achieve. The difference is ACTION. Now, get out there and change the world 15 minutes at a time.

Feedback
What do you think? Would something like this work for you? Let talk about it in the comment section below.

Photo credit: by SFB579

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Be The Master Of Your Day, Not A Slave To It

Being productive during the day is as simple as deciding to make it so. Many of us walk through hours, days, weeks, and even years, doing nothing. We may have been busy, but not effective. We may have been out of breath with activity, but traveled no where. Today, you can make a difference in your life to maximize the minutes we are given. In this Cinch, I share one idea that can help you take control over your day. Interested? I hope you enjoy!


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Related Posts

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• Make Your Bed: The Secret To Finding Balance
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Getting Things Done With Lists

When we are unmotivated, nothing seems to happen. Our to-do items continue to grow until we get fed up. In this cinch, I talk about how I use lists to get those important things done.



If you cannot see the Cinch player, please click here.

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Get More Done Today With 4 Steps to Budget Time

In my life, I find that I go through cycles. What is a good idea today gets swapped out for another good idea tomorrow. At some point, I end up returning to a past idea in hopes of solving whatever problem I am currently facing. Budgeting my time is one of those things I have repeatedly done, undone, and then done again. I do it because it makes sense and it works.

In this article, we will look at a time budget. Specifically, the article will describe what it is, reasons for using it, and finally steps on how to apply it in your life.

What is a Time Budget?
Similar to a tool used in personal and corporate finance, a time budget is a resource for managing the use of ones time. In finance, a budget helps to limit the amount of money one is allowed to spend. I love watching movies and, if allowed, I would probably go to the theater every weekend. Unfortunately, my allowance for entertainment only provides enough for one visit per month.

Similarly, a time budget helps to manage how one spends time. If left to my own devices, I would probably spend most of my day doing all the fun stuff. As a result of this careless behavior, I would never make time to workout, cut my hair, pay bills, or clean my car.

Why Should I Use a Time Budget?
Ultimately, time budgeting is about finding a balance between doing the things we like to do and the things we must do. For me, I find work, school, family, fraternity, free-time, and God as important. If I give too much time to one area, then all the others are negatively affected. Therefore, in order to address each one fairly, I need to manage my time strategically.

4 Steps to Budgeting Time
By now, you should at least see the value of time management. For students and busy professionals, managing time is a must. In this section, I will provide four easy steps to budget time.

Step 1: Make a list of daily activities
First, make a list of daily tasks. An easy way to start is by reviewing your calendar. Take note of tasks you commonly find yourself doing and write it all down on a piece of paper. Examples include: Shower, commute, eat lunch, check email, develop report, meet with staff, etc.

Step 2: Organize list into groups
Once your list of activities is complete, group items together. For me, I group email, phone calls, and conversations under a communication group. Other areas may include: Meetings, free-time, school, work, family, etc.

Step 3: Attach a time limit to each group
Now that the groups are organized, assign time limits to each group. We know that we only have 24 hours in a day, so start with the easy groups. For me, sleep automatically gets 8 hours, which leaves me with 16 hours to spend. When you are done with this step, you should have no time left over.

Step 4: Plan your day
With your time budget set, pull out a calendar. I prefer Google calendar, but if you use a paper version that is fine, too. The idea of this step is to place tasks on your calendar and schedule them like you would an appointment.

Remember that each task is apart of a group and that each group has a limited amount of time. For me, I have a time budget of two hours for meetings. If someone tries to call a meeting on a day where my meeting times are full, then I move on to another day.

Time Budget Example
Weekday

• Meetings: 2 hours
• Communication: 2 hours
• Management: 1 hour
• Blog: 1.5 hours
• School: 1.5 hours
• Commuting: 3 hours
• Sleeping: 8 hours
• Get ready for day: 1 hour
• Get ready for bed: 30 minutes
• Workout: 1.5 hours
• Family: 30 minutes
• Free-time: 1 hour
• Devotion: 30 minutes
  

Weekend

• Sleeping: 8 hours
• Free-time: 2 hours
• School: 4 hours
• Communication: 2 hours
• Work: 4 hours
• Get ready for day: 1 hour
• Get ready for bed: 30 minutes
• Devotion: 30 minutes
• Family: 2 hours
  

Final Thoughts

Respect your plan
In order for this to work, you need to treat each task as an appointment. This means you should play close attention to the start and end times. Stick to your plan!

Invest in the future
Even if you have nothing scheduled, use the time to invest in future projects. For example, I do not have meetings everyday. Instead of using that time in another area, I can spend that time to schedule important meetings that have fallen through the cracks.

Use color
Try using color on the calendar to easily separate one group from another. This tip makes it much easier to view and calculate remaining time for individual categories.

Plan ahead
Spend time on weekends or at the close of business to plan ahead. This tip will save you time and help prepare you mentally for upcoming tasks.

Let's Discuss
In the comment section below, let's talk about time budgeting. Do you have any particular questions, concerns, or issues with the idea? If not, how has this tool helped you better manage your time?

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Image via ToniVC

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Get Up, Get Out, and Get Something

The clock on the computer reads, "12:38 pm." Currently, I am sitting at the dining room table looking across the street at the neighborhood pool. No one is swimming yet because the water remains relatively calm.

From the far reaches of the house, I hear the closing minutes of C3's church service. Upstairs, I hear Dakota dropping toys and singing another one of her lovely songs. Repeatedly she sings the same parts over and over, which causes a slow smile to find its way across my face.

I understand that today is Sunday. There is a sense of freedom in knowing that I have the rest of the day, as well as tomorrow, to play. At the same time, I know that I have a dissertation to write, a mile to run, and a written response to compose for the Middle Eastern Province Senior Vice Polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

As the day grows older, the house will find new ways to make noise. That means I will lose precious moments to be alone and capture my thoughts. Not that family noises are bad or unwanted, but rather a confession that time waits for no man. If I am going to complete that which is required of me today, I'll need to get moving.

As silly as it may sound, I am deeply interested in processes. In the absence of others, I turn to explore and discover my own habits. This morning, I seek to understand how I might motivate myself into action.

During the week, I follow a set routine. I get up, take a shower, get dressed, and walk out the door. Because it is so late in the day, I've already lost my opportunity to complete the aforementioned tasks at the early predawn hour. I feel very much like the bird that didn't catch the worm. I feel like the world has already fought for that pole position and I'm just accepting leftovers.

At this point, I have to get up, dust myself off, and start making moves whenever I can. That means right now.

In writing that, I feel there is a lesson to be learned here. As in life, we are not always early adopters. Sometimes we are Johnny come lately and forced to make the best of what little time we have left. We can either sit there and do nothing or seek to be productive. Remember, it's never over till it's over.

So, I sit here thinking of how I am going to get this day moving. How will I accomplish my goals today? I can just hear someone yell, "One step at a time!"

I'll start by making a list of things to do. Second, I'll put the items in priority order. Third, I'll check each one off as I accomplish them. There is something very inspiring about scratching off completed tasks. I tried doing it online with Toodledo, but it's not as exciting as physically scratching off a list. With each finished task, I find that I acquire more energy. It's contagious.

That brings me to another point. I believe the act of physically changing has tremendous power over mental and emotional changes. Have you ever watched how nurses approach sick people? I did because I grew up with a nurse (my mother). They like to open windows, encourage showers, and organize a room into perfection. As a result, the physical demand of acting and looking healthy promotes internal healing. It's a domino effect.

So, as I stare off into the remaining portion of the day, I encourage you to take a step with me. Make a list of things you would like to finish by the end of the day. Then, once prioritized, start with item number one. When finished, immediately move onto item number two. Continue to approach the day like that until either you’ve finished the list or the day is through. As a final task, come back and let me know how the day went (good, bad, or other).

Until next time...

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