| ||
| ||
|
Organizing Information | |
|
|
The Problem With To-Do Lists
Do you use to-do lists? Do you find it satisfying to check off the items on that list? Too satisfying perhaps? More than once I've found myself adding something I've already done to my daily list. I get to check it off then, you see. I get "credit" for all the things I've done. Whatever satisfaction this may give, it's also an indication I'm confusing effectiveness with just being busy. Do To-Do Lists Help? Of course it helps to write down meetings and events and necessary tasks. The problem is we sometimes start to work for the list, and then the list may not work well for us. It's easy to feel like you're getting a lot done when you have a list to "prove" it. The question is whether you are getting the important things done. It seems so reasonable to sort my files again right now. I would feel good to cross that off the list. I have many such things that show up on my to-do lists, giving me plenty of opportunities to avoid more dificult things, like writing this article. This is what I need to be doing, however. A Better To-Do List Prioritise your list. You can put the more important things at the top, or put a mark next to them. Then start doing the important things first every day. If, like myself, you need the satisfaction of crossing off the small things on the list, do those only as a reward - after you do one of the important tasks. Make sure the most important things get on your lists. That big trip to Nepal you're going to take "someday," may never happen until you break it into steps you can put on your list. In fact, it may be worthwhile to stop list-making altogether, until you clarify what IS important to you. To break my list-dependency, I put things on my list just so I can ignore them to do more important things. You don't want to just "get busy," do you? If you want to move towards real values, you need to make your to-do lists work for you. Put that on your list for today. Steve Gillman writes on many self help topics including boosting brainpower, losing weight, meditation, habits of mind, creative problem solving, learning gratitude, generating luck and anything related to self improvement. You'll find more at http://www.selfimprovementnow.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Do You Have A To-Do list? I have a huge white board in my home office, about 4ft x 3ft.. The Psychology of Being Organized Individuals who are organized in their personal lives most generally constitute efficient and organized employees in their work environments, succeed in their personal endeavors and are, more often than not, financially secure.Once an organizational state of mind is established, your status of efficiency in all areas of your life will ultimately benefit. Stress Management: 10 Universal Laws to Get and Stay Organized 1. The Law of the 1st StepA good first step in getting organized is to 3-pile everything:pile one is for those things to throw awaypile 2 is for those things that need immediate actionpile 3 is for those things that can be taken care of later, or filed, or both. Organizing Lessons from a Bookstore The store reminded me of a well-worn slipper - tattered and dusty, but obviously used and loved. I toured the aisles and backrooms with storeowner and publisher Britton Trice. Organization Tips - How to Organise Your Computer Files Everytime Mary had to find a file on her computer, she always had great difficulty. And it was no wonder why. Organization Tips - How to Set Up Your Database What's in a Name?Everything.What do you do with all the contacts you make in your organisation? Do you:Collect business cards and throw them in the bottom of your desk drawer hoping one day one of these people will ring and do business with you? Have any system for keeping information on your clients and prospects? Do you enter all their details into your database so that you can communicate with them in the future?Do you enter all your clients into the database with information about what they've bought from you and conversations you've had with them? I'm astounded that so many business people keep no comprehensive records of their clients, general contacts and prospects. How Much Is Your Time Worth? Does Your Present Internet Filing System Work?Do You Really Know for Sure How Much You Earned? Do You Really Know for Sure or Just "Think So"? Do You Really Know for Sure Which Ads Work? Do You Really Know for Sure Where your URL's Are? Do You Really Know for Sure? DO YOU ??We have all wasted precious working hours, sometimes frantically looking for an article or business letter saying "that's where it was last time.. Organization and the Opposite Sex In many of the companies I have worked in, there is a very high proportion of male managers to females. This causes a major challenge in the work environment, (although many of them are unaware it is an important issue). A Simple Effective Tool To Get And Stay Organized Often we are in overwhelm because we are holding too many things in our brain. We are trying to make everything a priority and get it done now. Organizing Your Day One of the hardest things for most individuals working from home is to stay focused. One of the best ways to stay focused is organization. Organize Your Children & Save Your Sanity It may be difficult to relate saving money with organization but the two terms really go hand in hand. If you are able to organize right down to the smallest detail, then not only will you save yourself countless panic headaches, but you will have more time on your hands allowing yourself to be more productive and get more accomplished. Can You Make a "Torpedo" Out of Personal Junk? How to Optimize What You Have "Junkyard Wars," a TV series showed two teams of experts contending for a title. The aim of the competition was for teams to construct a torpedo that can hit a target. Clutter Campaign - Commit Your Time Decide When And Where To StartDecide when and where to start. You have the same amount of time each day as did Thomas Jefferson, Einstein, and Mae West. Breathing Life Into Dead Spaces "I don't have enough room!" -- this is a common cry amongst the disorganized. But sometimes, they just aren't looking closely enough. Family Management Tip #3: Getting Ready for the New School Year Clothes. Check. Clutter Control Remember when you charged into the office that first day, all primed to make the new year the best ever. You made a New Year's Resolution that you would definitely get organised to start the coming year with a bang! So what did you do? You cleaned out all the clutter that had accumulated throughout the past year and in some instances, the past decade!And once you had completed this mammoth task, you felt fantastic. Can You Really Improve Your Organisation Skills I'm sure most of you have heard of Zig Ziglar International Sales Guru. Well in one of Zig's weekly newsletters, there were a number of comments about the habits of well-organised people which I couldn't resist sharing with you. Managing Mealtime Madness It is 5:00 pm and Cindy has no idea what to make for dinner. In the process of searching through the freezer, she causes an avalanche of frozen foods to fall to the floor. Getting Organized For The New Year - Part 1 The following procedures will insure an organized and well run office. 1. Create A Working Mail Center I talk about the mail a lot in my newsletter, Organewz, and to my clients. I write about it again because I have seen so many people still without one place for their mail.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
