Category: Productivity

Managing Transitions: Your Daily Commute

Where do you go every day?  And how do you get there?

Do you drive for your commute?  Maybe it’s 3 minutes, maybe an hour.   Perhaps you take the train, or perhaps you work from home.   No matter what your situation, you probably spend at least some time every day or week in transit.  So, let’s spend some time this week managing the transitions of your travels!

First, some environmental organizing.  Meaning – Clean out your car,  for goodness sake!  You wouldn’t sit on the couch or sleep next to a pile of garbage, why drive around with it?  And if you carry a bag (or many) with you, take a few minutes and clean that out this week, too.  Don’t carry around with you what you don’t need!

Create routines and hacks that make your commute flow more smoothly.  If you drive,

  • Take guess work out of your gas tank.  Some people aren’t bothered by the low fuel light, but I am!  I’ve found that filling up once a week, typically on Friday morning (my errand morning), means I don’t have to think about it any other time of the week.
  • Invest in an IPass if you haven’t gotten one already.
  • If you drive more than 15 minutes, check your route before you go, or use Google or Apple Maps or the Waze App every time you drive.  I have a client 40 minutes away, and Google Maps has routed me 5 different ways (that I never would have known) to her home based on traffic and construction congestion.

What You Can Do On Your Commute:

  • Get informed. Listen to your news of choice IF and ONLY IF it enhances your day.  If your chosen news source is negative or creates more stress in your life, consider other options.  I like NPR.  If you take the train, load your news sources, podcasts or newspaper subscriptions onto your kindle, IPad or smart phone and read or listen on your way to work.
  • Read up.  Check out Play-Away books at your local library, or purchase audio books on ITunes or Amazon.
  • Pray.  I carry a rosary with me.
  • Practice your deep breathing.  Get energized and arrive at your destination relaxed, for a change!
  • Dictate emails or articles.  I start a new voice memo on my smart phone while I’m still parked and talk through article ideas as I drive.  When I’m back at my laptop, I can transcribe the ideas and content.
  • Eat breakfast.  I make my smoothie (yogurt and fruit) before I leave and drink it on my way.
  • Listen to music.  I sing professionally, so I’ve been learning new wedding music as I drive.
  • Charge your devices.  I have charging cords in my bag for my devices and accessories (my fitbit, blue tooth earpiece, etc.).
  • Think deep thoughts.  If I have a problem I’m trying to work through, some days I will dedicate my commute to considering different solutions.
  • I have to insist on hands free, people.  If your phone and car can pair up, take the time and set it up.  Holding a phone 6 inches in front of your mouth instead of up to your ear is NOT hands free and IS ILLEGAL in Illinois (and elsewhere).  And getting stopped and a ticket, or worse, getting in an accident with distracted driving, can be the WORST way to spend your time!

So, this week, think about how to make your travel times more organized and maybe even enjoyable!

Managing Transitions: Get There First and THEN Goof Off.

This past Monday, I spent half an hour working from a local park.  It was a lovely early Fall day, so it was nice to be outside with a great view.  I checked my email, scheduled and confirmed client appointments, checked in with a couple of program sites about upcoming classes, .

More importantly, the park was exactly 4 minutes away from my next client’s house.

Why did I have half an hour to goof off at a park in the middle of a weekday?  Well….

I had a morning client appointment that ended early.  According to my GPS, I had a 35 minute drive from client #1 to client #2’s house, and about 75 minutes to make the 35 minute drive.

The first inclination, of course, is to stay where I am.  Right?  Now that I have a few extra minutes, perhaps I find somewhere to grab a snack, run an errand or two, make a couple calls and then get on the road about 35 minutes before I need to arrive at my 35-minute-away destination.

But you know what happens, right?  The logic seems solid and then you run into traffic,  or the errand takes longer than it should or you run into a friend at Panera and chat, and now POOF! that extra time you thought you had is now gone, and you run late for an appointment that you TOTALLY could have made on time.  You’re left apologizing to the client or the office staff at your doctor’s office for running late, and feeling frustrated because you HAD left on time but…

Even my son pointed out something funny the other day.  He had seen a meme on YouTube, where a guy showed up late for a work meeting complaining about the traffic with an iced Starbucks in hand.  My son is 14, and even he can see that it’s not necessary to be late.

So, as we learn to manage our transitions better, I suggest getting to your destination FIRST, and then if you have extra time, spend it around your destination so that you can still arrive on time.

A dear client of mine once had to explain to her houseguest WHY I was sitting outside of her house at 12:50 pm for a 1 pm appt.  She knew my habit of ARRIVING first, and then using any extra minutes to check email, make phone calls or check texts.  At the stroke of 1 pm, I knocked on the door and we all had a good laugh about my habit, but I still stick with it!

Before the play last week, my friend and I made sure to get to the theater and pick up our tickets before the show and THEN we found some lunch.  I’m not suggesting skipping the lunch or caffeine break or whatever else altogether,  just use your smart phone to scope out places near your destination to visit if you have the time.  Life and traffic and planning and everything are just too uncertain sometimes, so get where you are going and THEN goof off!

Managing Transitions: Leaving The House. What’s On Your List? 

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This week, let’s look at that very busy Transition Time, Getting out the door in the morning!

What’s on your list?   Your short list of Very Important Items?

Yesterday, I received a phone call just as I was heading out to my first client appointment. Typically, I would not answer a call at that time of day, but this person only calls when there is something important to discuss.

I answered the call, and then asked her to wait a second as I continued to gather my things to head to the car.  “Phone (obviously)… lunch bag…water bottle…coffee … backpack, keys, extra shirt… um, ok, I’m good, now we can talk”.  She may have thought I was a little nutty (she’s probably right!), but that was a typical morning and my typical mental check list before I leave the house.

Earlier yesterday morning, my freshman went zipping out the back door, took about 10 steps, stopped, turned around and came back in, shaking his head.  He sheepishly grabbed the form off the table he needed to turn in at school, plus his wallet and keys that he had left behind.  In his haste, he forgot his mental check list before he went out the door, but luckily caught himself before he got too far!

What’s on your list?   You know, that short list of VERY IMPORTANT ITEMS that you ABSOLUTELY NEED to make it through your day?  The omission of which could REALLY mess up your day?  Typically…

  • Keys
  • phone
  • wallet
  • glasses
  • sunglasses
  • lip balm, handkerchief, other optional personal items for you

Maybe you have the mental check list for the family, for kids’ backpacks or diaper bags or trumpets or gym uniforms.  What’s on your list?

I had a great teenage summer job working with a nice woman on her food cart (Le Dog!) in downtown Kalamazoo where I grew up.  She was the first person I knew who had an index card posted above the door handle on the exit door to her work space.  On it was a check list of the things she needed in-hand to head out to sell her gourmet hot dogs (keys, money apron, etc.), and also the list of things to remember as she left for the day (turn off the warmers, unplug the drain overnight, keys and umbrella, etc.)  Right above the door handle, so she would see it every day.

This week, give some thought to YOUR LIST, those 4 or 5 items you really can’t do without.   Then, create a habit of checking in mentally with your self before heading out the door.  Better yet, establish a physical space near your exit, whether at home or at work, where those items live, or can be lined up as you prepare to leave.  And if it would help, consider a post-it or index card near your exit that helps you remember to bring your vitally important items!

What’s on YOUR LIST?

Will You Ever?

I spend a lot of time in the decision making process.  For myself, of course.  But even more, time with my clients, guiding them through the decision process.  Sometimes, for some people, decisions are difficult to make.

It is easier for me to help guide the decision making process with other people’s stuff because I can be objective about it.  When facing a pile of clutter, there are questions we can ask ourselves to help make decisions on what will stay and what will go.

Ask yourself, “Will You Ever?”.

Will you ever… use this?

Will you ever… wear that?

Will you ever… read those?

Will you ever… complete that?

Will you ever… get those pants shortened?

Will you ever… get that broken lamp repaired?

Will you ever… display these, refer back to this, re-read that again, look at this again?

Will today be the day that you wake up and are suddenly motivated to do things, wear things, take care of things, that you never have before?

If you answer “No” to these questions, the items in question… are clutter.  And they need to go.

If we were in your closet or kitchen, office or garage today, facing a pile of clutter, we can make decisions and progress clear clutter by honestly answering “Will You Ever?”.

So, what will it be?  Yes or no?  Will You Ever?

My Message to the Graduates, As We Start a New School Year

This past  May, I had the distinct honor of giving the following commencement speech for a middle school graduation.

“My name is Colleen Klimczak, and I am a School Board member of Evergreen Park Elementary School District 124.

On behalf of our school board and superintendent, I would like to welcome you all.

More importantly, and this is more important, especially tonight, I am also a parent of one of our graduates this evening. My Son is sitting out there, robed in green and probably shaking his head at his mom right now.

Sorry, kiddo. I wish I could say that this is the last time I will embarrass you, but we both know that is probably not the case.

I want to say
Thank You
to all of you here
for coming.
And not just coming to this graduation ceremony.

You see, as a parent – my graduate this evening is my youngest of three – I know all that goes in to getting to this point.

Thank you to our teachers and staff who have instructed and guided our kids along the way. These students have benefited immeasurably from these dedicated, passionate educators.
As a board member, I thank every one of you for your service.

And as a parent, I thank each of you that has had a hand in guiding my son.
These educators arrive early, stay late, they’re in the classrooms and hallways, at extra events on evenings and weekends, they are always available via email. Trust me, I know.
And they truly have our students’ best interests in mind. We are so fortunate, and I am so grateful.

Thank you, parents. And grandparents and aunts and uncles and all those folks who also show up.
Every.
Day.

I’m not even going to finish the equation, of number of mornings multiplied by number of school years so far! Lunches packed, backpacks, homework, gym uniforms, sport uniforms, band instruments, car pools, field trips, forms completed. Then there are the games and concerts and events that we are seriously SO happy to attend. A shout out to John’s grandparents who are here, and who have showed up to EVERYTHING for my three boys over the years.

Students – yes, tonight is about you, but some time this evening, please stop and look your parents and grandparents and significant adults in the eyes and thank them for helping you get to this occasion. They love you so much, trust me.

And now, Students!

All of you here may not know this, but this an amazing group of young people.
I have known some of them since kindergarten, and even before that.
I’ve been so blessed to spend time with some of them over the years, and watch them all grow. They are smart, funny, engaged and curious, civic minded and involved.

Students, I have three things to ask of you this evening.

First, Do the right thing, even when no one is watching.
Don’t bother with easy, or just skating by, just because you think no one will notice.

YOU will notice.

And once you know you can count on yourself to do the right thing, your confidence and capacity for doing the right thing will grow.

Perhaps you’ll find yourself in a situation and you’re not sure what the right thing to do is?

Go with kindness. Justice. Fairness. Thinking and thoughtfulness. Those are always going to be the right thing. And the Right Thing might not be what everyone else is doing, but that’s ok, they are just waiting for you to set an example.

Second, Find your people.
Look around, and see the people that are doing what you want to do, what you aspire to do.

Surround yourself with good people who will lift you up, build you up.  Who aren’t about drama, who are also the ones doing the right thing even when no one is looking.

Find and appreciate those people, and
more importantly, strive to be that best person for others.

Finally, Start and end with gratitude.
Be grateful for your natural born talents and your diligently honed skills.
Be grateful for your family who loves you, for the education you are working for, for your friends and our community.

Imagine, remembering just one thing you’re grateful for as you start and finish your day every day.  Imagine how great that would feel, and how much that small habit would positively impact your life.

So:
Do the Right Thing; 
Find Your People; 
And Start and End with Gratitude.

I’m going to take my own advice here, and say thank you, Central Middle School class of 2018, for letting me get to know you. I can’t wait to see what each of you will continue to achieve in big and small ways, in the years to come. Congratulations and Well Done!

To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
Discover the benefits of Organizational Coaching;

Please contact me.

Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
www.Facebook.com/MColleenKlimczakCPO
Via Twitter, @ColleenCPO

Did You Know? August Is National Wellness Month

Did you know?  August is National Wellness Month!   Let’s take an organized look at wellness!

What does Wellness look like to you?  When I talk to clients about time management and strategic planning, there are recurring wellness themes that often accompany clearing clutter and getting organized.

 

Nutrition.   

Get back on track:  Perhaps you had healthy habits working for you earlier in the year, but maybe you’ve lost intensity or focus.  Every day is a great day to start fresh!

Let today be the day to: order a salad for lunch instead of a sandwich and chips; make an effort to increase your water consumption; check out your local farmers market for seasonal produce; or get back to tracking your food choices (my personal plan for this week!)

Better yet, set some goals:  Setting a deadline can boost your motivation, so choose a date in the next month or two to achieve healthier outcomes or weight loss, and map a plan per week to achieve those goals!

 

Better Sleep

We read articles in August about adjusting children’s sleep schedules for Back To School bedtimes.  Let today be the day we try this as adults, too!  Binge-watching summer shows messing up your sleep hygiene (Game of Thrones for me)?  Or maybe those yummy iced coffees?  Back off the caffeine, step away from the screens, head to bed a little earlier!

Traveling last week, I was reminded how much I really love my bed.  Now is also a great time to review your mattress, pillows and sleep environment in general, and make sure everything is working towards the goal of better sleep!

 

Appointments and Screenings

We’re over half way through 2018 (unbelievable, right?!).  Grab your calendar and make some phone calls or go online to schedule any remaining required screenings or appointments for the year, such as:

  • your annual physical;
  • suggested preventive health screenings, appropriate for your age; 
  • your annual flu shot;
  • an annual eye doctor appointment, especially for students and teachers heading back to school;
  • your twice annual dentist appointment;
  • visits to the chiropractor, podiatrist, etc.

 

Exercise.

What activities do you like?  How can you weave them into your schedule as exercise?

Our morning walk today was pleasant, with the cooler morning temperatures. I enjoy seeing my community’s lush yards and beautiful flowers.  I read a book while on vacation called Deep Work, and the author was just talking about the benefits of being outside in nature to boost our moods and productivity.

Last week, we rented bikes and biked the 8.2 mile loop on Mackinaw Island (see picture!).   I highly recommend the experience, and it reminded me how much I love to bike.  So on my August list is “make sure my bike is road ready”, and start biking for errands and leisure!

Now is a great time to sign up for exercise classes for Fall, too!  Some local yoga classes have caught my eye, and are starting soon.  What is calling to you?  Go and do it!

Get up, get out, get involved!

 

Self Care

I am negligent when it comes to self care, but I am working on it!  It has been an stressful summer for me, and I have come to realize that Self Care can’t be optional!  Yesterday, I had a massage along with my chiropractic adjustment, and made sure to schedule my August appointments for both before I left the office.

I talked to a friend about meditation yesterday, and she suggested YouTube for short meditations for affirmation and for better sleep, so I will check those out.

Other components for self care for me have been respecting my boundaries (and occasionally saying No), fueling my body with healthy foods and relaxing with reading.  That may not seem like a lot, but for me, it’s progress!

What could you do this week, to treat yourself kindly?

 

For National Wellness month, set goals and take action, or at least get back on a healthier track after some summer shenanigans (or is that just me?)!

Any Day – EVERY DAY – Is A Good Day to Start Fresh

It’s a new week.  A new month.  For some, it’s a new fiscal year.  It’s the second half of the calendar year.  It’s a holiday week.  It’s a Tuesday.

Some of you may say, “Whatever, Coll.  It’s a Tuesday.  What’s your point?”

My point is… well, I guess I have a couple of points.

First, time is completely arbitrary.   It’s all relative.  

I know, that is a weighty statement.  But, weighty or not, it’s true.  Time is a human construct, a way of conceptualizing the phenomenon of Time Passing.  Even though I coach lots of people in Time Management, I am still the first to say that Time is arbitrary.

However, and here is the real point of today’s post, Any Day – EVERY DAY – is a good day to start fresh.

We’ve had a busy few months.  I’ve mentioned the two graduations and accompanying round of award banquets / events / concerts / ceremonies / parties.  We’ve also had a health challenge or 2 (everyone is fine), some work and service challenges, and everything in between.  And it’s all good, and we’re doing fine.

Everything I mentioned has required mental and physical energy, and I have been glad to spend both!  But this week, after a big event this past weekend, I am feeling a shift in my focus.  I must admit, yesterday I was just feeling a lack of focus :), but today  – I am looking forward with a new vision.

I am feeling motivated to mentally clear clutter and make plans to move forward in a number of areas, and I invite you all to do the same!

Accept that time moves, and moves quickly, whether we want it to or not.

I was chatting with a friend yesterday, her oldest son and my youngest son are both heading to high school in the Fall.  I was talking about the boys preparing for college, and then apologized for rushing, to which she wisely replied “It’s 4 years, we have to think that way.  Just yesterday, they were in 5th grade”, and it really does feel that way.

Take a few moments to appreciate where you have been.

One of my favorite exercises around Time Management and Productivity is writing my Done List.  Mine is typically a day or week at a time, but imagine what your list of major accomplishments in life so far would be!

Appreciate all the moments that lead you to this place in this time today.  Be grateful for the good, forgive the bad, and learn from both.

Next, take stock of where you are today.  How are you doing?  What is awesome, and what could be a little better?

What areas do you want to work on?

  • Personal Wellness
  • Financial Wellness
  • Work, in general
  • Professional development
  • Nuclear family
  • Extended family
  • Fun!
  • Spiritual development
  • Community Service
  • (Fill in yours here!!)

And, Where do you want to go? Looking at your focus areas above, what more do you want to do with your

  • week?
  • month?
  • summer?
  • year?

Today (and this week, this month, this season) is a new opportunity to make positive change.  What will you do with your opportunity? 

A new idea occurred to me the other day, to change our shopping habits to save time and money.  EXCEPT… that is not actually a new idea.  It’s a goal I stated wayyyyy back in January (and probably last year), but I think it’s time to create a plan and task list and deadline for it, and make some progress in that area.

Same thing for my personal wellness.  Good habits slip sometimes when life is especially crazy, so this week, I am also re-committing to some neglected wellness goals.

These are just a couple of examples from my own mind.  What will yours look like?  What do you want to do with your time, arbitrary or not?  Today is the Day!  Any Day – EVERY DAY – is a good day to start fresh!  Got get ’em!

Big Summer Organizing Projects – You Need a Plan!

I presented my Large Organizing Projects presentation the last two evenings at local libraries.  This is a popular class this time of year because those big organizing projects we tackle in the summer, like garages or basements, can be intimidating!

It is understandable to feel overwhelmed, but don’t let that feeling stop you from positive action!

You need a plan.  

  • Set a date, create a deadline!
  • Don’t get overwhelmed!
  • Enlist aid.
  • Plan your attack.
  • Assemble your supplies.
  • Don’t be a butterfly.  (Get to it, and if you get distracted, get back to it!)

Give your self a deadline, and stick with it.
“Everyone needs deadlines… If we didn’t have deadlines, we’d stagnate” – Walt Disney

Without a deadline, we may never feel the urgency, the drive, to accomplish a project.  Real or imagined, deadlines get us moving!  Create your own if you don’t have one!  Finish the project by: July 1.  July 31.  The time the kids go back to school, the time your company comes in (insert month name here).  Make an appointment, if that would help!  Order the dumpster to be delivered, or the donation truck to pick up!  Schedule a friend or family member to come and help you on a certain Saturday morning for a designated couple of hours.  Having that scheduled time in mind will help you get things done!

If your big project is intimidating, imagine it as a series of little tiny projects!  For example… “cleaning the garage” may feel like a major undertaking, but imagine setting a timer and tackling one small pile of stuff or one small area every day, instead of jumping in all at once.  Conquering a shelf or drawer at a time, and then allowing a break or a change of task, can helps us make progress in small steps towards a big finish line!

Enlist Aid.  Some folks like to organize alone, but many of us benefit from having company!  Your assistant doesn’t have to be a professional organizer, they might be a friend who’s opinion you value, a family member or two that are willing to do some heavy lifting, or even a paid service like movers or junk haulers.

Plan your attack.  If you have helpers, plan the work around skill and activity levels.  And DO NOT START with opening up every cabinet or dumping every box.  Pick your starting spot, and move steadily from there.  No zig zagging, no making a bigger mess!


Once you have your plan of attack, consider your supply list.  Plan on having garbage bags to bag garbage or items to be donated, boxes for oddly shaped items that need to go, storage containers for the items you plan to keep.  I always have sharpie markers, post-it notes, packing tape and scissors with me, too.  Have cleaning supplies on hand – for example, if you’re working in the garage, plan to sweep up in the spaces you clear before putting stuff back!

Don’t be a butterfly! 
In my organizing classes, I remind people that butterflies are not very good organizers.  They fly lightly from here to there and may be lovely to watch, but we won’t get very far in our organizing projects if we fly from here to there without getting anything done.  So, when your work day arrives, Get To It!  And if, during the process, you get distracted, Get Back to It!

Real and Imperfect, That’s Me! But Continually Improving!

A reader shared the following with me last week:

“… Even though you are a professional and experienced organizer, I love the way you admit your own struggles and challenges. It’s not like you try to paint yourself as this perfect person who has it all together all the time. There are so many ‘gurus’ out there who speak in a way which tends to cause the average person to feel like they could never live up to their standards. You, on the other hand, are very relatable. So, thanks for that.” – T.

Wow. Just Wow.  This review means a lot to me.

T. – thank you and you’re welcome. And trust me, I am as real and imperfect as everyone else!  I am always organized, though.  And I am always looking for ways to improve.  To improve me, improve my situation, improve the lives of those around me.  And I would suggest that you can, too.

The following phrase keeps coming up, as recently as this week’s coaching call with my accountability partner Jan!   “What is the learning here?” or “What  did we learn from this?”

Last week’s article focused on how I identified a challenge I was having and some steps I took to improve the situation. And that is what I want for all of you (and me).  Continuous improvement.

It’s important for all of us to keep improving. We all are real and imperfect, beautiful and flawed and divinely created.  And we all are capable of growth until the moment we stop breathing.   The 90+ year old retired priest at my parish says “If you can’t find anything in yourself that needs to change, you’re not looking hard enough”.  This, from a century of living.

My clients often call me in the midst of overwhelm or chaos.  But they still call me.  They make the conscious decision to make things better.  They have assessed their situation, at home or at work, and have realized that getting life organized will improve the situation.

This week, I celebrate my 400th blog post and my 15th anniversary in business.  Yet, there is so much more to do! So many more ideas to be explored!  So many areas I can still improve upon!

To continually improve, we need to be aware of our self and of our current situation.  Sometimes that means we have to step back a bit and look at the big picture.

We need to objectively look around.

We assess our situation, and identify opportunities for improvement.

We use our creativity and imagination in coming up with solutions, or we ask for help from friends or experts.

Once we find solutions, we commit and dedicate resources (like time, energy, money and space) to the solutions.

We maintain the solutions, all the while being aware of our selves and our situation, and possibly starting the process over and over and over again.

We can be real and imperfect, but still improve every moment and every day.  I look forward to my next 15 years in business, and my next 400 blog posts.  I look forward to all the different ways I can improve our world and how I can help you to do the same.  Thanks for being with me on this journey.

It’s Time to Prune Time Clutter. Less Really is More.

Thanks for the feedback regarding my article a few weeks ago, “I’m Not a Gardener, But I Know How to Prune”.  It seems the imagery resonated with many of you.  This topic was always intended as a two-part post because we can’t address physical clutter without talking about Time Clutter.  We can prune away unproductive time practices just like pruning away unproductive clutter!

Do you ever feel like you’ve got a million things to do today and you’re scrambling to just get something done?  Yep, me too.

About a month ago, I started to prune my To Do list.  It had become a dumping ground and, even though I really love my list, that habit was NOT serving me well!  I had unrealistic expectations of myself and my time, and I set myself up to fail daily by leaving too many tasks on my daily list.  Failure feels rotten, as does scrambling and stressing to complete tasks.

I added the following to the top of every day’s To Do list:

“TASKS MUST BE ACTIONS: Review; Prioritize; Allot time; Emails / Calls – 5 minutes or less; Actually schedule; Make June list.”

So, what does this mantra mean?

“Tasks Must Be Actions:”  My To Do list holds a lot of information, but only actionable steps or errands.  I keep ideas elsewhere.  “Change The World” is a great idea, but it’s not helpful on the To-Do list.  Only actions are permitted – “Send graduation announcements”, “call the chiropractor”, etc.

“Review”: Multiple times every day, I review my schedule for the day (and maybe week) and my To Do list.  If I have a full day of clients and appointments, I cannot reasonably expect to complete 20 tasks or run 10 errands.  If I happen to find a couple of hours free, though, I can fill that time with productive tasks.   “Review” means I have a clear idea of what my day may hold.

“Prioritize”:  We all know that not all tasks are created equal, especially when it comes to productivity. A strength of my To Do list is that I list EVERYTHING that needs done – today and tomorrow, next week and next month.  All these tasks are important, but they don’t all need to be done RIGHT NOW.  I set my tasks for the day based on the urgency of the task and the time available today.  And tasks that aren’t a high priority for today are assigned to another day.

“Allot Time”: How long do tasks really take?  This is very important information for us to have!  For example, “text client to confirm appointment” takes 30 seconds, while “Write blog and newsletter” usually takes a couple of hours.  Yet they are listed on today’s list one after the other.  Allotting time for tasks lets us know what we can fit in the time we have.  Daily, I look at my task list and assign 5 / 10 / 20 / 30 or 60 minute time allotments to each Errands or Task.  If I allow too much time, I’ll have some wiggle room.  If I don’t allow enough, I’ll have to wait to complete other tasks until later (which is why prioritizing is SOOO important!)

“Emails / Calls – 5 minutes or less”:  I was stopped by a train this morning.  In the few minutes I waited, I checked my To Do list and made two phone calls.   Very often, I will tackle 5-minute tasks first, just to see how many I can check off!  And I only give them 5 minutes!  So I try to be clear and succinct in my phone calls and my emails!

“Actually Schedule”:  These past few weeks, I’ve been more specific about actually scheduling tasks.  Meaning, I’ll spot a clear 30 minutes on my schedule between clients and plan 6 5-minute tasks for that time.  Or a couple of 10 minute tasks.  Just one more way to make my To Do list work for me!

Finally, the “June List”: Or July, or Autumn or next year.  I have lots of tasks I want to complete and goals I want to reach, though some of those don’t need to be completed any time soon.  I keep the Task or Errands, but I assign in to a day far in the future.  Yes, I have a September list already, with a couple of house projects I want to tackle then.

We all have time and productivity clutter we can prune.  Look closely at your tasks and time this week, and see where you, too, can cut away the unproductive branches to help you grow!