Tips to Organize Your Time

We all have a million things to do in a day's time and the same 24 hours in each day. Since we're right in the middle of the darkness of winter, I feel like bedtime starts about 5 p.m. It's dark y'all at 5 P.M. Like not just dusk, but pitch black dark. I don't know about you, but that signals to my brain the day is DONE. Given that it's already really hard to get to everything I need to in a day and I like to be in bed by 8 p.m. (kidding, no I'm not kidding :). So here's a few tips I use for organizing my days.

1. Set reasonable goals

When you set out to organize your day, the best way to get frustrated is to assume you can get 10 things done in a day when realistically you can do about three main things. I like to dump all of my to do items into a list. (I use https://todoist.com/ to manage my tasks.) I organize by type of task, project or time-based event, like a meeting. All of those tasks end up in the "today" pile. I then spend some time thinking about what I actually feel like doing, what really needs to be done or has a deadline attached, what can be put off, what's the energy expenditure to get the tasks done and what I'm actually really excited to do. Then, I prioritize and narrow down to three or four things that I plan to get done that day.

2. Be specific about the next step

Don't put large projects with multiple steps as one task. Spend some time thinking about what actually has to be the very next step you take to move the project forward. For instance, if you need to get new health insurance, don't write, "Get new health insurance," on your to do list. Think through what has to be done first, i.e. "Text Daniel to get the name of the agent/agency he uses." That's it. Don't put the next step on your task list until you're ready to "go online and fill out the application" or "call the agent."

3. Know thyself

Identify when you are the most productive and schedule the hardest tasks for that time. For me, I have the most energy in the mornings. I try to do the hardest tasks then or tasks that take the most energy.

4. Do the Hardest Tasks First

For instance I start with writing, which takes a lot of focus and brain space, or ugh, dreaded phone calls. Being an introvert, I have to be in the right frame of mind for phone calls. So I try to batch those together. If I've got three or four calls to make, I save those for a time when I can just knock them out all at once and then go lie down. (Ha! But seriously.)

5. Take Breaks

Sure, we could all just work incessantly with the internet, work from home and our phone pinging at all hours. But our brain needs breaks. The longer you work at the same type of task the less effective you become. Take a walk or read an actual book, play with your dog, etc. The time away will help you reset, your brain will recover and when you get back at it you'll have a ton more clarity.

I hope these tips help you frame your day and get more done!

Here's a few additional resources, if you'd like to learn more. I'll also do a deep dive later on about how I organize with ToDoist, if anyone's interested.

Laura Vanderkam's 168 Hours

David Allen's Getting Things Done