Well, you guys know me - always looking for the next organizational tool. And I am so excited to introduce you guys to my new friends...the brain dump! It's a list that I use for mental clarity so that I no longer have to start to my day with a freakishly to-do list that you have no idea how to even start to the point that I spend an hour just trying to decide what to even work on and then BOOM, I've fallen way behind with my schedule and become overwhelmed on how I'm going to get it all checked off. So that I can try to be more intentional with my days. Kind of like a reset button for your mind. And here's how I do it..
Step #1: Start with a List of Whatevers
I'm definitely a paper person, but you can also do this digitally if that's what feels right to you. Then try to write down whatever is on your mind without filter of second-guesses. The goal here is to clear out all of the nooks and crannies of the brain.
Step #2: Dive Deeper
To make sure you’re not forgetting anything, here are some things to think about:
What’s due in the next few days, week, or even month?
What appointments are upcoming or that need to be made?
What home tasks do you want or need to do?
What work tasks do you want or need to do?
What miscellaneous tasks do you want or need to do?
If anything new has come to mind, add it to your list.
Step #3: Eliminate, Delegate and Postpone
At this point, your list may look a little intimidating. But to avoid getting overwhelmed, now is the time to review your list and make adjustments by eliminating, delegating, and postponing by...
Eliminating any tasks that you genuinely don't need to e worried about.
Delegating to someone else tasks that they can do with your guidance.
Postponing by taking tasks off your list that aren't relevant to the foreseeable future.
Step #4: Create Some Categories
Your brain dump list might be a little all over the place which is completely fine. But now is the time to make it less daunting by organizing it. By taking each item into consideration and writing next to it which category that it belongs to. Here are some that I use:
Faith
Home
Family
Health
Finances
Hobbies
Step #5: Create Separate Lists for Each Category
In another spot on your paper, create columns labeled with each of the categories that you came up, adding the tasks to the corresponding category.
Step #6: Prioritize
Now that there's a more organized and less overwhelming list of tasks, it's time to figure out the WHEN to them all. And the easiest way to decide is:
Today means that it is due soon or it is a personal priority.
Upcoming means that it needs to get done soon, but doesn't necessarily need your attention today.
And later means that it doesn't really need attention for at least 2 weeks or so.
This will give you a time framed schedule so that the ones that you need to work on later can be penciled in at the appropriate time, and you can stop worrying about them. And now you're free to only think about the tasks marked for their certain days.
Step #7: Plan it Out!
Which leads into this step...taking ACTION. Today could still be a pretty long list of to-dos, so you may need to decide what to work on first. Which means priority setting. And based on that, you can figure out the order in which to do stuff. For example, my priorities right now are faith, health, family, home, and blog (in that order). So if I need to spend time with God, work out, get my son's preschool done, clean the house, and then write out a blog post, then I'm going to do them (in that order). Because knowing your priorities are what help you run your schedule and day efficiently so that you don't waste time.
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