Working the Plan

You go into the living room and think-“This room is a mess. I have got to tackle this today.” You pick up some magazines and put them into the magazine holder. You pick up your dirty dishes from this morning and take them to the kitchen. You notice that your dishes from last night are still in the sink. You load the dishwasher and wash the pan. When you put the pan away you notice that the plant on the counter looks like it needs water and if it does, probably your other plants need water too. You fill a container and start to water all of your plants. When you get to the office you notice that one of the plants has dropped some leaves. You pick up the leaves and carry them to the compost container in the kitchen. While in the kitchen, you realize that you are hungry. You look in the cupboards and the fridge and realize there is nothing there you want. You put together a grocery list and plan to pick up a sub at the deli as well. You do your shopping. When you return you put your groceries away and munch on your sub. You do not want to forget your cloth grocery bags at home so you decide to hang them on the door handle in the living room to remind you to get them to the car. As you hang them on the handle you look around the living room and think-“This room is a mess!” If you don’t have a plan for your day, the day can be quickly gone and you have no idea what you did. First thing (after coffee) write down the big tasks you want to accomplish that day. Decide when you want to do them and how long it will take to complete the tasks. Don’t forget time taking items like lunch. Allow transition times between tasks. Use a timer to keep yourself focused and to realize how long you are working on the task. You will surprise yourself with how much more you accomplish! Congratulate yourself and celebrate at the end of your day.

Jonda S. Beattie Professional Organizer

#organization #calendar #timemanagement #priorities #transisitons