Get Things Done to be Ready for Anything

My crusade to make this the year to “get things done when they need to be done” paid off in many ways recently. Several events, both personal and business, came up at the last minute, and I was able to attend them without missing a beat because I was caught up on everything I’d needed to get done. A year ago at this time, I might have felt stressed and overwhelmed at the prospect of taking time away from my well-planned, yet poorly executed, to-do list.

The first event was the wake of a friend’s father – of course I would have attended no matter what the state of my workload. But it was nice to be able to give her my undivided time and attention without a nagging voice in my head reminding me of all the work that awaited me. The second event was a plea from an overwhelmed client for me to meet with her at the last minute to pull her tax information together for her accountant. Sorry Uncle Sam, no late filing penalties from that (now) organized and timely taxpayer.

The third event involved a road trip. My son, who is working in Washington State, was going to be in (relatively) nearby Michigan for an interview at the University of Michigan’s grad school. My husband and I were able to take an impromptu two-day trip to visit with him, take him out for a decent meal (i.e., not made in a microwave) and give him an in-person hug. Two days away from my phone and computer are a big deal for me, since I typically spend about four hours a day there. But I was able to drop everything and make the trip because I’d taken care of my important tasks when I’d planned to. Last year, rather than completing those important tasks when scheduled, I might have simply ignored some of them and transferred them to the next day’s to-do list. Sound familiar?

I’ve written previously about how to analyze your procrastination tendencies. A written schedule, setting a timer for how long I’ll work on something, and a renewed commitment to focus, have all helped me minimize my delay tactics. I’ve also made a commitment to myself (and several colleagues who help hold me accountable) to end my workday a couple of hours earlier tha
I used to so that I can have more free/fun time. An added benefit of this shorter workday is that it almost forces me to be focused and efficient – knowing I have two less hours to work each day makes me buckle down and get focused.

So what tasks are you putting off? I’d like to challenge you to commit to a day of being focused – staying on task and finishing everything you need to complete that day. Please let me know how it goes.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom.