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Strategize Organize LLC
Newsletter Volume 4, Issue 10

Purposefully Using Time - Planners, Calendars, & Mental Schedules

Background


Often times we are so busy that we don’t end up doing what we want to be doing or accomplishing the things that make our lives run more smoothly. We end up spending a significant amount of mental and emotional energy thinking about these things, often feeling guilty.
 
This aim of this newsletter is to help do what you want to get done. 

Steps

Assign each day a title.

Purposefully think through the time in your week and assign each day of the week a title or description of one task that you want to do that day. List the time when you will do it.  Here is an example of a week that includes tasks for both work in the home and work outside of the home. 

  HOME   WORK OUTSIDE
OF HOME
 
Monday Laundry Day 6-10 PM Blogging Day 9-10 AM
Tuesday Pay Bills and File Day 9-9:30 PM File Day 4:30-5 PM
Wednesday To-Do List Day 5-5:30 PM Update spreadsheets Day 3-4 PM
Thursday Project X Day 8-9 PM Report Writing Day 9-10 AM
Friday Plan for next week Day 5-5:30 PM Plan for next week Day 1-2 PM


Notice what happens during the week.

 

If you find that you aren’t doing the specific task that you assigned to that day, think through why.  Perhaps you:
  • forgot to look at your calendar.
  • didn’t assign enough time for the task.
  • aren’t in the habit of prioritizing what you have put in calendar/planner/ metal schedule, and other things came up and knocked the planned item out of its space.
  • realized that the task doesn’t work on that day and time because of x,y, and z. 

Regroup and move on.

Whatever the situation, it is helpful to observe what happens during the week and make an informed decision about how you want to move forward with your next week.  This analysis of how you end up spending your time is important.  It most likely will force you to make tough decisions and prioritize what is really important. But the good thing about doing this work is that you are making decisions about your time rather than getting to the end of the week and thinking, “I was so busy but I didn’t get to anything that I really wanted to do.”

Summary

By assigning each day of the week a title or description, you concretely name what it is that you are working on.  The title helps maintain your focus. 


Good Luck,

Susan

Thank You

A shout out to Julia Friesen, a client who fleshed this idea out and gave permission to share it.


You can find my website at http://www.strategizeorganize.com
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