So much to do. So little time.
Know thyself. Me? Type-A personality & ADD. I need goals, lists, and stick notes to help keep me on track. I try to remember I can only do one thing at a time – successfully. I get bored easily and I can be hard on myself. I’m grateful for having a sense of responsibility that gives me a motivational kick in the pants to persevere. And I’m grateful for my sense of humor. Once you know who you are, the world opens up to you.
Forced focus. I force myself to focus. I set goals. This could be as small as I’m going to get out of bed and go to the gym tomorrow to as big as I’m going to tackle those bills today.
I prioritize. I heard about a concept last year that makes sense to me – but is very hard to do. Swallow your frog first. Have you heard of this? The concept is to, every morning, tackle your biggest thing first – so that the rest of your day goes easier. I will assume, swallowing a frog must be pretty hard.
I create lists. I have stick notes with tasks that need to get done. When I remove the stick note, there’s a sense of accomplishment. I have lists of things when they apply to one bigger project. Lists help me keep on track and help me get things done.
I check in with myself and take an inventory of my time. I have a tendency to get side tracked. So if the lists and priorities didn’t keep me on track, recalling the time or time limit I have will usually push me back on track.
What else can I do? I also take a stress inventory. Why? If I’m overwhelmed, I have a hard time keeping on track and moving forward. I’ve been practicing mindfulness and working on keeping my emotions in check. I remember things like this too shall pass and to not take things personally. Deep breathing a few time per day helps. I also take a Pinterest break. I can focus on humor, food, spirituality, or anything.
I also need background noise. I play the radio or listen to movies. I’m known to break out in song and dance. Luckily I work with and live with great people who do the same.
The point is – take joy in what you are doing, break things down into manageable tasks, and feel a sense of accomplishment when you get things done.
~I’m here to help
Tina