Getting more organized

Michael Hyatt recently wrote an article for the January issue of Getting Organized magazine entitled 10 Reasons Why You Aren't Done Yet.  He's listing 10 reasons his tasks aren't getting finished as often as he thinks they should. 

His obstacle list includes having too many unnecessary meetings, being distracted by online pings and mindlessly surfing the web.  I can relate to the last one can't you?  There's not enough time to read all the great articles you want or pin as many pictures as you want. 

He mentions our modern culture being addicted to urgency and we easily become consumed by the urgent.  We often don't set up our personal boundaries and we allow others to eat up our time because we can't say no. 

Simply Organized often sees clients who are perfectionists. They are frustrated that their system doesn't work 100% of the time forever.  We are evolving humans and as our lives change our systems need to change with us.  Perfectionists have got to learn how to gage "good enough" and be happy with that.  Not everything has to be perfect. 

Michael also mentions that he struggles with delegating, starting the day with a to-do list, not committing to an end-time, and not scheduling time for work.

As a business owner who offices at home these last three ring true for me.  You have to schedule time for work or you spin your wheels and at some point you also have to declare that you are "off the clock" and are not going to check that other thing on your i-phone or your email.  Because doesn't that just lead to even more tasks?  The best way to get stuff done is to spend about 10 minutes thinking through things at the start of the day, but I often just jump in without thought and hours later remember the most important task I needed to get done and worry I won't have time to complete it. 

Something I seem to do well is delegating.  I trust that my husband is going to bathe and brush my kids teeth good enough.  He won't do it the same way I do it and that is absolutely fine.  Teaching those around me how I do things but giving them the room to tweak the system as they see fit is a gift I give to all of us.  But I am not a perfectionist, which makes delegating much easier. 

If you're feeling like your work and life balance is out of kilter, Michael suggests you make a list of reasons you aren't done yet.  Make a plan to get better at your list, to be more efficient, and mostly be much more mindful of how you are spending your time.