Hello, friends. It’s mid-December.
I ran into a friend at Costco. If you live anywhere near me, you recognize that as a loaded statement. My Costco is a solid 32 minute drive from my house, so one does not embark on this adventure lightly.
Second, it was a Sunday in December, midday. I know. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I was doubting my sanity as soon as I pulled into the parking lot. Of course it was packed. So, crowded yes, but everyone was actually very pleasant.
My friend and I were both parked on the outskirts of the parking lot. As we walked to the entrance, we discussed an upcoming event we are both volunteering for, for our school district (her much more than me!). And she was kind enough to say, she just doesn’t know how I get it all done, considering all the things I’m involved in. And I marvel at her and her productivity in the same way.
I appreciate her, though, for seeing me in a good light. As in, ‘look at all the different things you’re involved in and the different ways you serve our community, and that you get things done’. Because I got to tell you, friends, I do not always feel like I’ve got it all together.
And this is coming from a professional organizer and organizational coach!
So here’s the deal. I say yes to a lot of things. I successfully manage many responsibilities. I do. And that is a source of pride and it makes me happy to do these things. I absolutely love all the different organizations and activities and ministries that I’m involved in. And even when I don’t, it’s not that I don’t love the things, it’s that too many tasks are coming due at the same time period.
Yeah, that is definitely the truth.
So, I was writing a much different article for today about prioritization and focus areas, about triaging the to do list and starting the January list. And all of that is still true.
But I want to answer my friend’s question honestly, when she asks “How do you get it all done?”
First, the short answer is, sometimes I don’t.
More fully, the answer is, I ruthlessly prioritize, because saying yes to many things means I can’t also say yes to other things. And I know that. So there are opportunities that might come my way that I have to say no to, because I do not have the time or energy to dedicate to that task or responsibility to do it well.
I’m not saying I don’t have time and energy. I have boundless energy most days and the same amount of time that each of us has. But because I have multiple responsibilities, I can’t always say yes to new things.
And that’s frustrating for me, I know. But the other part of that, especially this time of year, is the ruthless prioritization. I’ve already said yes to many things, and so now I need to figure out how to make it all happen. And that is where prioritization comes in.
If you and your December are anything like me and mine, the to-do list might be looking a little long right now.
It is likely time to triage that to-do list. This week, let’s clear the clutter from our to-do lists and brains!
Easier said than done, I know. But to make sure we are getting things done that need to get done, it’s time to ruthlessly prioritize what must be done this month, and also start the list for January and 2024!
That was a long introduction to this week’s topic, how to ruthlessly prioritize the To-Do List!
This morning, I was applying the Eisenhower box to my to-do list – remember that tool? The podcast episode was early on, go back and check it out if you need a refresher! Eisenhower filtered tasks through the Important vs. Non-Important and Urgent vs Non-Urgent lenses.
And we’re going to do this in reverse:
Delete:
Instead of starting with important and urgent, let’s look at the list and get rid of anything that can be deleted immediately. Things like events you don’t have the time or inclination to attend this month (A “No, Thank You” is a full sentence!), a moratorium on facebook or instagram scrolling for a few days, etc.
Delegate:
After deleting the clutter, let’s look to Delegate. In the Eisenhower box, there are tasks that are deemed urgent but not important, as in it’s not important that I be the one to complete them. Consider what someone else could do for you. And let them do it.
We’re hosting Christmas for my family in Michigan on December 23. And I will be outsourcing many menu items. Unlike Thanksgiving for 20, I am not attached to making every menu item from scratch, etc.
If you have house specific tasks, can you hire a service? barter for time? rent a teenager or college student?
Perhaps it is work specific, and I am terrible at this one, but I’m working in it! Is there anyone else on the team with less on their plate that could pick up tasks? And for me, Delegation also looks like NOT saying yes to more tasks, and letting others step up instead.
Decide / Defer:
Next up is the Defer step. Tasks that are deemed important but not urgent are on the Defer list.
A few weeks back in an episode, I mentioned a January list. There are likely items on your task list that are important but they are not yet time specific. So, in the interest of getting the things that MUST be done, done lets look at what we can put off for a bit.
Routine doctor appointments, house projects not related to Christmas, non -holiday related errands – yep, those can all be turfed to January at this point.
As I think about this, I have “find a landscaper” on my to-do list. And guess what? That does not need to happen until at least February! To be honest, I always have a running house project list, and I have to say – if there is a task on there that is not about the holidays, then we can move it to the January to-do list.
Some of my clients will defer organizing until January. Starting early in November, I typically have clients who ask for me to check in with them in January to book our next coaching or organizing session because they know their December is Full.
Medical appointments can also be booked January or into 2024. Booking regular maintenance appointments is important, as in the fact that they are booked, but perhaps they don’t occur for a few months. Just getting them on the calendar and then off your to-do list is the point!
Maybe events with friends or family, and now the December schedule is just packed – January could work! And it would give us something to look forward to in the colder post-holiday glow months!
AND now – Do! Important AND Urgent!
Now I know that the tasks on my list are things only I can do and that are time specific and therefore urgent. That also means that there are other things that won’t get done today, and I have to accept that. I can give myself grace, cut myself some slack, and assign those tasks to other times this week so they actually get done on time. That’s the way this works.
Ask yourself, “What are things that only I can do?” If we’re feeling strapped, we can start with doing the things that only we can do. As you’re looking at that To-Do list and it’s time to clear some clutter, I also want you to ask the question of “What Can Only I do?”
I taught my Organize Your Holidays presentation this past week to a lovely group of parents, and we talked about doing all the things… unless they didn’t really feel the need. For example, do we have to freak ourselves out and spend many hours super-cleaning our home to host guests, or can we relax a little and just host the guests in a clean-enough home?
I really love to bake cookies, but maybe you don’t. And that’s ok. Sending out Christmas cards is a choice, and maybe you don’t choose to. And that’s ok, too.
There are many tasks I loaded onto this coming weekend after not getting them accomplished this past weekend, because we did so many other wonderful things this past weekend. There are many tasks that I’ve already turfed to January.
WE can delegate tasks that can be done by others. We can skip the un-important “shoulds” we feel from others and focus on our own traditions.
We can get things done, AND we can be OK with not getting things done, too. Let’s look at ourselves through kinder eyes, like the eyes and perception of my friend. Be a friend to yourself this week!