We’re in the thick of holiday season and I am hearing from a lot of clients how they are struggling to get everything done.
One even said she wished she had a 28-hour day so she could find time to rest. When she said this, another leader in the room said she had a secret to “slaying the day”.. She said you need to commit to going through the learning curve and then it will click and it will be second nature, freeing up your day. Here are the seven simple steps my client shared.
1. Plan your day the night before
At the end of each work day, write out a list of all the things you need to do the following day. Pull together all the information you’ll need, including agendas and any other relevant paperwork.
2. Prioritize the list
Number each item and do the harder jobs first. My client said that there’s always the temptation to do the easy jobs first. However, the hard jobs will hang over you as you do the easy stuff and that thought often slows her down. She feels more motivated to do the smaller things and can usually squeeze those in easily during the day.
3. Stick to your list
Check off each item as you go and avoid distractions. You don’t need to answer every email/text as they come in, especially when you’re working on the bigger things. Set a schedule to check your email/notifications once every hour.
4. Remember the Three "D's"
Do it, Delegate it or Dump it. Handle each piece of paper only once. Either do something about it now, delegate it to someone else or throw it in the trash. And remember only do it if you are truly the only one who can do it.
5. Don't procrastinate
Procrastination really is the “Thief of Time”. It’s so easy to put things off until another time; however, things pile up. Set a timer if you need to and start working on that item as soon as the timer goes off.
6. Plan your leisure time
Schedule out time for you to relax, workout, or go shopping.
7. Be honest with yourself
Keep asking – “Is what I’m doing now getting me to where I want to get to?” if the answer is “no,” change what you’re doing.
Work with me
If you’re stuck longing for a 28-hour day so you can get it all done, then it’s time to try something new. Click here to schedule a time to talk about how I can help you.