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To
Clear a Cluttered Head
A man in Benson, North
Carolina was arrested for attempted bank robbery.
In his pocket the police found a “to do”
list. On that list he had written, “rob a bank.”
The robber explained to the judge that the reason he put this
on his “to do” list was that he had “a
lot on his mind.” If criminals who don’t
have dinner to fix, meetings to attend, or children to shuttle
to soccer games have to keep a “to do” list, then
how are we expected to keep up with everything?
A large part
of our stress comes from head clutter, too
many things to remember. We are trying to remember so much
while at the same time fearing that we will forget important
matters. Below are some steps to organize the clutter
in our head and alleviate the stress it causes:
STEP ONE:
Determine what your top priorities are. Select
two or three and put them on paper. You really must put these
on paper and post them where you will see them regularly,
as well as carry them with you daily. Unfortunately, it is
found that most business executives spend only 20
percent of their time on their top priorities. Having
your priorities in writing allows you to stay focused, committing
more time to what is most important. Now look at what you
think you need to do today. Doesn't
it get you closer to your goals?
STEP TWO:
Put all the scattered thoughts and “to
do’s” that are in your head onto paper or your
PDA. Of course you would not include any illegal activity
as the above robber did. Now, take this list a step farther
and note after each “to do” what category it falls
into, for example office (O), email (@), weekend (W), errands
(E), or mini project(M). By categorizing each “to
do” item you are creating a plan for implementing
the list. You save a lot of time when you focus on one category
of “to do’s” at a time. For instance, when
you are on the computer you will complete all your
emails at once, when you are in the office you have
your list of office activities.
Some to do’s I
call “mini projects;” these are
tasks that take less than 10 minutes. They are quick projects
such as writing a thank you note or balancing
your checkbook. These can be done in the pockets of time we
otherwise let slip away, like waiting in the drive-through
line for your fast food, waiting for a client to show
up, or waiting for the kids to finish karate lessons.
Be sure to look over your list of mini projects and carry
them with you each day.
STEP THREE:
Create uninterrupted time each
day, time for you to focus on your top priorities.
Remember those goals? That means closing the door,
literally and figuratively, on interruptions. Avoid
the urge to let distractions interrupt you. So much
of technology calls for instant responses like answering the
cell phone, fax or email as it occurs. Be sure that you have
control of technology and that it is not controlling you.
STEP FOUR:
Take fifteen minutes each morning or evening
to organize a plan of your “to do’s” with
your goals at the forefront. Studies show
that for each minute of planning for the day you will save
yourself ten minutes of execution. So plan each day and get
back more than an hour of your time.
Practice these four
steps and release that head clutter called stress!
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As
a Professional Organizer, Cyndy Ratcliffe works with home and small business
owners to clear their clutter and organize what is important. She assists
individuals to reduce stress, boost their image, and be more productive
through her speaking, teaching, and hands-on coaching of organizing techniques.
