More Too Much to Do?

Here are some more ideas for getting more organised.

• Put everything you need to deal with (could be work, household or fun) in your in-tray. If there is no paperwork, write a note for it.
• Go through each item and bin or file anything that doesn't need action, delegate where possible and deal at once with anything that will take less than two minutes to do.
• Put everything else on an 'actions' list. Write time sensitive actions (those that have a deadline) in your diary.
• For jobs with multiple parts, set up a project folder and put one task from it on your 'actions' list. 
• Review the list daily.

From Getting Things Done by David Allen.

Stop putting things off

•  Instead of setting yourself unrealistic targets, aim to do no more than 30 minutes of work at a time.
• Schedule sleep, meals, leisure and appointments in your diary and don't feel guilty about enjoying that time. 
• Don't schedule in work - it just creates stress. Only add it in after you have completed it, so you can record what you have achieved.
• Set a reverse calendar. Think back from the goal (a party, a wedding, an ambition) and set deadlines to the present.

From The Now Habit by Neil Fiore

[Both in a feature on self help books in Good Housekeeping July 2013]

Too Much To Do?

Life can get very busy, so how do we cope? Here are a few ideas.

• Prioritise: Choose three jobs each day that you must get done. Anything else you achieve that day is a bonus.
• Concentrate on one thing at a time: Multi-tasking is a myth - you are actually flipping from one task to another. Each time you switch activities, you brain takes a moment to catch up - which slows you down.
• Control your email checking: Only check emails twice a day. Keep replies to five sentences.

From The Power of Less by Leo Babauta

Successful people cultivate useful habits, such as the following:

• Get up early - you'll feel less rushed and less likely to forget things.
• Keep your phone charged.
• Watch the news - but only once a day.
• Schedule appointments (e.g. haircuts, dental appointments) well in advance and note in your diary or on your phone.
• Keep receipts and minutes of meetings or lists.
• Service things before they break rather than fix them when they go wrong.

From The Edge by Michael Heppel (he calls successful people 'Edgers')

[Both from a feature on self help books in Good Housekeeping, July 2013]