How Super Achievers Get It All

“I don’t have time to get organized!”

One of the most common comments that I hear from a new customer is that they simply don’t have the time to get organized. Unfortunately, this is true for so many people. It has become a way of life that there is more to do than we are capable of doing. If you are riding the treadmill of life and all you have the energy for is to keep putting one foot in front of the other, you are not alone. For many, it really seems impossible to do anything beyond what they are currently doing.

So, if this is the problem, what is the answer? The answer that I’m about to give you may surprise you (unless you are one of the customers that I’ve talked through the process of getting control). You only have a few options to work out of this dilemma. First, you can do more than you are currently doing. The inherent problem with this solution is that it’s a little like digging sand. The more you are able to do, the more you have to do. Let’s face it, we have more options than we’ve ever had. So, there will always be an abundance of things to do. So, if this won’t work, what will?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “Choices are the currency that converts the present to the future”. So, the only way you are ever going to feel that you are controlling your schedule rather than the other way around is to CHOOSE to stop doing some things. Keep in mind, this is for the person that already has a plate that is overflowing. If you have downtime, then, the answer is to use some of the downtime to catch up.

Stephen Covey was right on target with his Time Management Matrix. He says that we spend time on activities in four ways: Urgent and Important, Not Urgent and Important, Urgent and Not Important, and Not Urgent and Not Important. The problem that most people have is that they have an addiction to URGENCY. The real key to getting control of your life is to identify what is IMPORTANT to you. But, you say, “I don’t have time to think about what’s important”.

Action ITEMS

If that’s you, here’s what you do to create the time.

1. Right now, take out a sheet of paper and write this down in the top center: CRITICAL TODAY.
2. Under this heading write the 3-5 tasks that are both URGENT and IMPORTANT that must be done today.
3. Now, under those items, write: SHOULD DO TODAY.
4. Under this heading, write up to 20 items that are IMPORTANT but not as URGENT as the critical items.
5. Last but not least, on a separate page, write: I WANT TO DO SOMEDAY. On this page (it could be multiple pages), write all of the other tasks that you would like to do this week or in the next few weeks.

Here’s how to create enough space to make what’s important to you a priority. Each day, review the list of SHOULD DO TODAY and move 3-5 up to the CRITICAL TODAY. Each week, review the I WANT TO DO SOMEDAY and move the more important and/or urgent items to the SHOULD DO TODAY list.

Forcing yourself to make choices about what you will focus on in the short-term will help break your addiction to urgency and give you SPACE to do more of what you really want to do.

When you hear the “ding” on your inbox or see the “new” message pop up on your task bar, do you immediately go reply to it? If you are caught in the never-ending cycle of constant distraction, whether it’s a buzzing BlackBerry, instant message, or e-mail alert; you are not alone. Most people have totally lost their ability to concentrate because message interruptions are ruling their time and attention. In today’s workplace, attention is your most precious asset. If you are squandering it by constantly checking for messages or replying immediately when you recieve one, you are wasting your time.

How Much Time Are You Wasting?

According to Basex, an information-technology research firm in New York City, interruptions now consume an average of 2.1 hours a day, or 28% of the workday for the average knowledge worker. With the addition of Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks; this number is expected to climb even higher. These near-constant interruptions increase stress, distract workers from their most important tasks, stifle creativity, and drastically reduce the ability to fully concentrate. Even worse, multi-tasking while working on critical objectives increases the likelihood of mistakes in the finished product.

With so much riding on the productivity of today’s information worker, what can you do to reduce the problem of interruption overload?

Multitasking is Limited

Intuitively, you know that you can’t completely focus on more than one thing at a time. Yet, when it comes to texting, e-mail, or instant messaging; it somehow seems different. However, the fact that many states and municipalities feel the need to ban the use of cell phones, and especially texting, while driving; it is clear that your focus deteriorates with additional tasks. Even if the attention is evenly divided, at some point, there is simply not enough attention available to distribute to everything.

While there are some activities you can do simultaneously, such as walking and talking to a friend; many activities compete for the same parts of the brain. For example, if you are on a conference call, and you have to have the person asking you a question repeat themselves, it is likely you were reading your e-mail when you should have been listening more intently. These two tasks both use the brain’s language cognition. Think about it next time you read a text or an e-mail, did you “say” the words of the message in your head? By using the same parts of the brain at the same time, you are forces to switch between the two. This mental switching causes an overall delay in your cognitive processing. The two tasks combined will actually take as much as 40% longer to complete, than, if they were done one after the other. Additionally, the quality of each task when done concurrently will be degraded making mistakes more likely.

Manage Your Focus

To ensure you are as productive as possible, it is necessary to manage your focus. If you want fewer interruptions, here are some helpful tips:

• Turn off alerts. You can and should disable the message “ding” and the pop-up visual alert (if you are using Outlook, Go to Tools, Options…, E-Mail Options…, Advanced E-Mail Options…, then changes the settings under “When new items arrive in my inbox”)
• Limit compulsive e-mail checking. Only check e-mail 3-5 times per day. Resist the urge to check your e-mail every 15 minutes. (If you have critical messages or certain people require immediate urgent action, set up a rule that plays a sound when you get a message from that person or with a certain subject.)
• Reduce your outflow. Only reply to all if essential. Don’t send unnecessary replies. Tell the reader if no reply is necessary.
• Pick up the phone. If a short phone call will eliminate ten e-mails, then, by all means make the call.

Lead by Example

While you may not be able to change everyone in your company, you may have more of an impact than you realize. Modeling different behavior often has a rippling effect in organizations. Hyper-urgency can be addicting. Like most addictions, there are some serious negative consequences for this behavior. It has become such an issue that even technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Intel are members of the Information Overload Research Group (iorgforum.org) whose stated purpose is to reduce information pollution. While information overload has become a global problem, don’t let that stop you from changing your little corner of it.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has. — Margaret Mead”

Choosing the right planner to help you get organized can be a scary proposition.  There are many types and various styles available. To top it off, the planner that will work for you may not be the planner that works for others. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to say, you are unique with your own personality, learning style, and demands on your time. This uniqueness maybe why you haven’t found a solution, yet.

Who Are You?

In addition to being a mother, your personality and individual style will impact how much time and effort you will put into using your planner. By using a planner system that is contract to your natural style, you most likely won’t use it. Don’t change who you are for your planner!

Don’t buy a mom organizer just because it looks good. Instead, choose a planner that works WITH your personality. Here are some things to consider:

• Do you rely on visual cues to remind you that something needs to be done?
• Do you have a tendency toward action?
• How much do you need to plan to be comfortable with what you need to do?
• Are you able to organize in your head or do you need something in your hands?

Now, determine how your lifestyle and work requirements affect your planner choice:

• Does your job schedule appointments electronically, i.e. Microsoft Outlook?
• Do you need to see your days in great detail?
• Is a page per week or month enough?
• Do you have many deadlines?

Finally, there are some practical matters to consider:

• Do you need to have your planner with you at all times?
• Does it need to fit in your briefcase or purse?
• How often do you need to look at it?
• Will you enjoy using it?
• Does it seem intuitive to you?
• How comfortable are you with technology?

Software, Paper, or Both?

While technology can be a real time-saver, it’s not always the best choice for time management. It’s okay if you are not able to use an electronic system, smartphone, or handheld device. You are not alone! Many people have reluctantly decided to go back to paper. There are a couple of reasons that an electronic organizer may not work for you. First, you may be a visual-spatial learner. Over half of the population are visual-spatial learners and need visual cues to stay organized. A handheld, phone, or computer needs to be on the right screen and be physically available to provide visual cues. While computers are making progress in these areas, they are still not sufficient for most visual learners. Second, paper seems more tangible to many people than the bits and bytes that computers offer.

There are some definite advantages that computers provide, though. For one, technology does allows you to back up your data. So, if you are linear, or you want the security of a backup; Outlook, Google, or Yahoo may be the right choice for your calendar and address book. However, if you are visual and want to manage your goals, projects, and tasks visually, you will want to use a paper planner for those activities.

Mom Organizer Options

Here are a few planner options that work well for mom. Some are specifically designed for mothers, while others are adaptable for many lifestyles:

Google Calendar. If you use your computer most of the time, Google Calendar is an excellent option. It offers the ability to set up recurring appointments and reminders for events well into the future such as birthdays or dental appointments. One of the best things about it (for an electronic solution) is that you never have to sync. The data is kept on Google’s servers in one place. Additionally, you can check your calendar from any computer with an internet connection.

Microsoft Outlook. Outlook is the calendar of choice for virtually everyone in the corporate environment. It allows for group scheduling and synchronizes with BlackBerry and many other smart phones. Usually, the data is kept safe as well because it is backed up by the company. The calendar and address book as excellent and offer many printing options. The task management leaves something to be desired, though, as it is a challenge to remember to look at them. Also, organizing them in categories can get a little overwhelming.

momAgenda. If you want to keep your calendar in Style, the momAgenda may be what you need. The calendar offers a unique week-at-a-view format with space for mom and up to four children.

Bubbles for Busy Moms. Of course, we are partial to this option. Our focus is on goal setting, project management, and task management for Visual learners. If you haven’t been comfortable with a traditional calendar approach or feel like you can achieve more in your life, give us a try. We offer a full 90 day, no hassle guarantee. Seriously, use it for 90 days, if it doesn’t change your life (and you’re the sole judge), let us know and we’ll give you a full refund including shipping.

There are many other mom planner systems out there. No doubt, one of them will work great for you. The most important this is that you USE IT!

It’s Easter here in Texas and I received this video in my e-mail this morning, and I want to share with you.

Many of you know that I’m a Christian.  Being kind to other people and treating them right is important to me.

On this Easter, I thought I’d pass it on in hopes it brightens your day a little, and maybe makes you want to be a little kinder to those you come in contact with.

==> http://www.bigtommovie.com/

David’s trying to make the world a better place. Watch the video and you’ll see what I mean.

There’s no marketing message here. It’s just a short, inspirational video.

While mind mapping is not the only secret in many of our products, it is one of the most powerful. I came across an article the other day from the website of the master of mind mapping, Tony Buzan. It provides some great research that supports the benefits of mind mapping. Here are a few of the benefits that it lists:

• Radiant Thinking (i.e. mind mapping) is much better than linear thinking (i.e. lists) at stimulating and extracting ideas from your brain.
• Improves memory by up to 32% compared to lists.
• Enhances creativity by increasing the generation and organization of ideas.
• Increases learning because it is fun.
• Clarifies context thereby helping with critical thinking and problem solving

The article is full of references to studies and the reasoning behind each of the benefits listed above as well as others. If you get a chance, it is good reading.