Like anything I have two thoughts for "how to do" things.
- Do what is most effective *for you*.
- Undertake it in a way that you will follow-through.
There are many ideas and strategies offered out there. I tell you; I've bought shares in the business stores I'm sure as I go back and buy lovely planner, after bullet journal, after daily diary after another.
I've underlined, colour-coded, dated, timed and any other option - til the cows come home (they took a while, let me tell you) and ultimately at the end of the day I *did* find out a way to be organized in a way that worked for me - that was actually a combination of a few things.
Yet it is this way....that has stuck and to this day I still do.
So, this blog isn't about doing it "my" way as good ole' Frankie sang. It's more about getting you thinking about what would work for you - and then applying it.
And...if you find that one way doesn't work, keep trying since there is nothing more important (okay - there are probably a few things, but for the sake of this blog post let's say nothing 🙂 than getting it out of your head and down on paper/ in your computer/ "in" an organization app or otherwise.
What helped me; hopefully can guide you.
This probably all began a long way back after my very wise Son (must take after his Father 🙂 insisted I read a book by Daniel J. Levitin called "The Organized Mind". Thick book; brilliant read. He's a Neuroscientist yet makes it an easy read for those of us who aren't. It was so effective and had an impact that (a) my Son cleaned out our saucepan drawer and completely reorganized it (and about 8 years later it is STILL re-organized) but even more incredible is - you know *that* drawer we all have in the kitchen? Yes. *that* one. The one where things go to never be found again? The one where....we have no idea where "this" should go, so let's put it "here" drawer? Ya know iphone cables, lipsticks (oh the lipstick) glasses, bands, thermometers, keys, books that come with utensils and so on.
That one.
Well because of this brilliant read, I cleared it out. Re-organized it in the way he offers and.......
to this day (still about 8 years) I have never lost my keys again; or my lipsticks.....and it is still organized the way I had it. You can actually open it and see what is in there in a very organized fashion.
So I digress (this "IS" to do with journals). Why I brought that up is his book started all of this. This "getting it all out of my head" and onto paper thing. Which in turn led to planning my days better. More. Better. MUCH better.
I tried the "time" thing. Blocking off each hour; slotting in what went where. And became overwhelmed if I "missed" doing something.
- I tried the "certain things on certain days" - only to not check my planner and royally screw that up.
- I tried the colour-coding - ran out of colours
- And I tried the colour-blocking (slightly different to the colour-coding.
- Are you confused yet?
I was too. Which led to overwhelm, stress, feeling like I was under-achieving and more.
See where something so "simple" like this can affect our health and wellbeing?
If our mind is affected negatively it can have a whole slew of affects on us/ our thoughts/ our confidence/ our sleep/ our stress....so many thing.
So you can see it IS worth figuring this out.
- What worked for me was a type of hybrid. Or rather...it *was* a hybrid.
- I love colour
- I love feeling like I'm drawing
- I enjoy writing down what I've got to do and being able to check things off as I go.
But what didn't float my boat was putting it all to a set "time". What if noon came and went and I didn't get (a) done..but I did get it done in the afternoon? The other thing for me personally is, my schedule can sometimes change fast so I need to be able to push things off or change the "when".
So:
- I do have a set, colour-coded week.
- I looked at all of the "main" areas I work on each week, ie, Coaching, Admin, Social media creation, blogs, Pound classes and more.
- I then put them each into a "pillar" and these pillars I added to days depending on when I am able to do them.
- Each one has a colour (ie, Pound is a green block, admin is red).
- And I put them on the days and morning/ afternoon that will work or I already do (M/W/F mornings are always Pound classes virtually, so they green there; whereas admin is one day a week (Thursdays)).
Here's the kicker:
I either write the times in that I "know" (ie, 9:30 am for all my Pound classes), or I don't assign a time to them. You read that right! I have them in either the morning or afternoon...but with no time assigned.
This has done the trick. I "know" on Tuesdays I have to get "this" done sometime in the morning - but it allows me to fit it in when it works. Yet I know I can't hit lunchtime without having done it. See?
So having the "freedom" to do things in a morning or afternoon keeps me focussed and on track but if I don't have the exact time in there, I don't feel like I've failed if a certain time comes and goes without doing since I "know" I'll get it done either by lunch or by dinner.
And as a result?
- My mind is clear
- I feel successful
- Stress is non-existent
- Sleep is GREAT (since I'm getting out everything in my head - onto paper)
- I'm organized
- My work is better than ever!
Give it a go. And by "it" I mean....find the hybrid perhaps that works for you.
As always, feel free to reach out to me. I'm HERE for you my friend and something like this - that doesn't on the surface seem to have anything to do with health and mindset - absolutely does.
Fill out the form below and let's chat about how we can help you sparkle with this!
Like anything I have two thoughts for "how to do" things.
- Do what is most effective *for you*.
- Undertake it in a way that you will follow-through.
There are many ideas and strategies offered out there. I tell you; I've bought shares in the business stores I'm sure as I go back and buy lovely planner, after bullet journal, after daily diary after another.
I've underlined, colour-coded, dated, timed and any other option - til the cows come home (they took a while, let me tell you) and ultimately at the end of the day I *did* find out a way to be organized in a way that worked for me - that was actually a combination of a few things.
Yet it is this way....that has stuck and to this day I still do.
So, this blog isn't about doing it "my" way as good ole' Frankie sang. It's more about getting you thinking about what would work for you - and then applying it.
And...if you find that one way doesn't work, keep trying since there is nothing more important (okay - there are probably a few things, but for the sake of this blog post let's say nothing 🙂 than getting it out of your head and down on paper/ in your computer/ "in" an organization app or otherwise.
What helped me; hopefully can guide you.
This probably all began a long way back after my very wise Son (must take after his Father 🙂 insisted I read a book by Daniel J. Levitin called "The Organized Mind". Thick book; brilliant read. He's a Neuroscientist yet makes it an easy read for those of us who aren't. It was so effective and had an impact that (a) my Son cleaned out our saucepan drawer and completely reorganized it (and about 8 years later it is STILL re-organized) but even more incredible is - you know *that* drawer we all have in the kitchen? Yes. *that* one. The one where things go to never be found again? The one where....we have no idea where "this" should go, so let's put it "here" drawer? Ya know iphone cables, lipsticks (oh the lipstick) glasses, bands, thermometers, keys, books that come with utensils and so on.
That one.
Well because of this brilliant read, I cleared it out. Re-organized it in the way he offers and.......
to this day (still about 8 years) I have never lost my keys again; or my lipsticks.....and it is still organized the way I had it. You can actually open it and see what is in there in a very organized fashion.
So I digress (this "IS" to do with journals). Why I brought that up is his book started all of this. This "getting it all out of my head" and onto paper thing. Which in turn led to planning my days better. More. Better. MUCH better.
I tried the "time" thing. Blocking off each hour; slotting in what went where. And became overwhelmed if I "missed" doing something.
- I tried the "certain things on certain days" - only to not check my planner and royally screw that up.
- I tried the colour-coding - ran out of colours
- And I tried the colour-blocking (slightly different to the colour-coding.
- Are you confused yet?
I was too. Which led to overwhelm, stress, feeling like I was under-achieving and more.
See where something so "simple" like this can affect our health and wellbeing?
If our mind is affected negatively it can have a whole slew of affects on us/ our thoughts/ our confidence/ our sleep/ our stress....so many thing.
So you can see it IS worth figuring this out.
- What worked for me was a type of hybrid. Or rather...it *was* a hybrid.
- I love colour
- I love feeling like I'm drawing
- I enjoy writing down what I've got to do and being able to check things off as I go.
But what didn't float my boat was putting it all to a set "time". What if noon came and went and I didn't get (a) done..but I did get it done in the afternoon? The other thing for me personally is, my schedule can sometimes change fast so I need to be able to push things off or change the "when".
So:
- I do have a set, colour-coded week.
- I looked at all of the "main" areas I work on each week, ie, Coaching, Admin, Social media creation, blogs, Pound classes and more.
- I then put them each into a "pillar" and these pillars I added to days depending on when I am able to do them.
- Each one has a colour (ie, Pound is a green block, admin is red).
- And I put them on the days and morning/ afternoon that will work or I already do (M/W/F mornings are always Pound classes virtually, so they green there; whereas admin is one day a week (Thursdays)).
Here's the kicker:
I either write the times in that I "know" (ie, 9:30 am for all my Pound classes), or I don't assign a time to them. You read that right! I have them in either the morning or afternoon...but with no time assigned.
This has done the trick. I "know" on Tuesdays I have to get "this" done sometime in the morning - but it allows me to fit it in when it works. Yet I know I can't hit lunchtime without having done it. See?
So having the "freedom" to do things in a morning or afternoon keeps me focussed and on track but if I don't have the exact time in there, I don't feel like I've failed if a certain time comes and goes without doing since I "know" I'll get it done either by lunch or by dinner.
And as a result?
- My mind is clear
- I feel successful
- Stress is non-existent
- Sleep is GREAT (since I'm getting out everything in my head - onto paper)
- I'm organized
- My work is better than ever!
Give it a go. And by "it" I mean....find the hybrid perhaps that works for you.
As always, feel free to reach out to me. I'm HERE for you my friend and something like this - that doesn't on the surface seem to have anything to do with health and mindset - absolutely does.
Fill out the form below and let's chat about how we can help you sparkle with this!
