Lately, looking at my to-do list, I’ve felt pretty snowed. I’ve got Finger Lickin’ Dead releasing June 7th, a book due July 1, and a complete outline for another book due August 1.
And the children are almost out of school for the summer. :)
I’m good at prioritizing the things I need to do, but when everything is a priority, it makes it tough.
What I’ve found keeps me knocking through the items on my to-do list, is a couple of different approaches.
Some days I’ll put several quick and easy tasks on my to-do list—stuff that I need to do, but that only take a second. So my list could have these things on it: 1) Put sunflower seed in the birdfeeder 2) Water potted plants on front porch 3) Put newspapers in recycling bin
Honestly, I feel so smug after crossing three things off on my list, that I start attacking the rest of the to-do list with renewed vigor. Sad, but true.
My other approach is to put the most loathed, procrastinated task on the top of my to-do list. Then, the whole rest of the day, I’m proud of myself for knocking it out. It gives me more motivation to keep crossing things off my list.
I’m a productivity nut, so please share how you stay motivated and don’t get overwhelmed by your to-do lists. Inquiring minds want to know!
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Finger Lickin’ Dead launches June 7th
Those are a couple of really good tips – I’ve done that myself once or twice. Really, when I was in France, I got the best advice ever. “Write down five things a day you want to get done. Then, be happy if you finish two.” Now, France is much more inefficient that good ol’ US, so maybe it should be ‘Write down fifteen things and be happy if you finish 5.” but the idea is the same. Write down more than MUST get done today, and finish just the necessary. :)
ELizabeth – I know exactly what you mean! It is hard to stay motivated when there’s so much to do. I try to start by doing the things I least want to do. Then I feel at least a little more “charged up” to do the other things that I have to do. I also try to do “mental work” things in the morning when I’m at my peak and “physical work” things like housework later when my brain yells for a break.
Our RWA chapter had a speaker on time management who recommended breaking to-do chores into dots and dashes for ones you can crank out when you have just a few minutes. So your approach does give that satisfaction of making progress.
I have trouble getting re-motivated when I have a break in routine, such as our overnight to Cripple Creek this week. Catching up, even when it’s barely 24 hours always overwhelms me.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
I do try and do me least favorite things first and get them out of the way. But with summer vacation coming I’m going to have to schedule and set realistic expectations.
I used to get overwhelmed very easily with my ‘to do’ list and as a consequence nothing but the essentials would get done. This of course would stress me even more. So now, what works for me, I focus on one thing at a time, tackle it, and then like you said in your post, I feel great, hopeful and not overwhelmed. I think we can become bogged down in mind by all we have to do.
I definitely cheat and put stuff on my ‘to do’ list that belongs on my ‘done’ list. It is all a mental game to keep up motivation and energy and everything is worth it. I will also say to myself ‘just clean one surface in the bathroom’, ‘just write one sentence’ ‘just walk the dog one block’ and once I’m moving, I’m moving.
I think you gave me the idea to get up earlier to get my writing done so now I rise at five and have my writing session before the family wakes. I LOVE IT! I usually finish my word or chapter goals everyday because I’m a morning person and I feel stress free during the day because the thing I worry about accomplishing the most is done.
Do the worst first. The glow of accomplishment will ease anyone through the rest of the day.
I keep mine short. Or I ignore the list. Either way works!
IF I make a list I use the Rule of Three. Only 3 items and that way I always (almost always) complete the list.
I too tend to amass a bunch of small things and then do them all at once, leaving me with more time to tackle larger things. Best of luck with your promotion efforts (and everything else). I’m sure you’ll do fine, even with the kids home from school. I know I’m always impressed with everything you manage to do online.
I love your idea of putting easy things on the list to knock out and motivate you to keep going. I may try that with my writing! I usually tackle things in stages, which means sometimes it doesn’t all get done. ;)
I always have a to-do list. I usually start with the routine, then the difficult, then the fun. (Because if I leave the difficult to last, it gets shoved to the next day.) And if I do something not on the list, I write it down and then cross it off – LOL!
Bethany–Although I can see the case for a short list, I totally see what you’re saying–I have to do a brain dump of ALL the things I need to accomplish in the near future or else I worry I’m forgetting something.
Laura–My expectations definitely shift during summer! And I get a LOT more flexible. I take my laptop everywhere…
H. L. Banks–I think I can get easily overwhelmed if I look at the big picture. You’re right–breaking it all up into small tasks and knocking them out one by one is definitely the best way.
Jan–So you sort of coax yourself into doing it. I’ll have to try that. I can spend 5 minutes doing *any*thing, it’s just the thought of the big stuff that makes me freeze up.
Margot–That’s a good idea…dividing the work load into mental and physical tasks. I think I need to try that. Half the time I’m good for nothing after 4 p.m.
Clarissa–It’s really the best time of the day to do work. The phone *never* rings at 5 a.m. Most people are not online, sending emails at 5 a.m. No one needs to be fed at 5, either!
Alex–I tend to lose my lists a lot, myself. :)
Terry–I have to see a light at the end of the tunnel or else I tend to get sucked into this indecisive vortex where I’m not sure what to work on next! Good luck getting back into your routine. :)
GigglesandGuns–That’s brilliant! I’m going to have to try doing that.
Bluestocking–I was able to juggle it pretty well the last couple of summers, but I have a feeling this summer might be a littler different–my son is gone most of the summer and my daughter’s best friend will be out of the country, too. I think boredom is going to be an issue!
Heather–And it’s really easy to do with writing, too. My list might say, “Have April explain to James why she was in the vicinity of the murder.” Quick bit of dialogue, easy to cross off. :)
Elspeth–It just makes me feel so SMUG the rest of the day!
Diane–Ha! I thought I was the only one that put already-completed tasks on my list so I could cross them off! Glad you do it, too.
I don’t have any productivity tips to share, other than just don’t quit, no matter how hopeless it seems.
I wanted to say, however, you’ve inspired me to start making and using a to-do list. I think I could help myself by being more organized.