Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Check-In at 6:30 pm

Last checked in Friday evening. At that point I mentioned a list I threw together of action items with flags to indicate challenges associated with each task (consequences if ignored, avoidance issues, some sort of organization needed).

Now I'm sitting here with the list in front of me, wondering what to do with it. Here's where I stand on the tasks I flagged for the past weekend:

Plan                                      Outcome:
  Events: 1 (Optional)                 Skipped (wasn't important)
  MUTs: 18 Line items                 Completed 7 + 2 partial 
  MITs: 8 Line items highlighted   Action taken on 2 planned + 1 other

At least there is some action but it's disappointing, especially considering that this is now weekend + 2 days past.

Also, the completed MUTs were mostly routine chores.

I'm currently a bit paralyzed looking at the list, and realize:

1) I'm in a quandry over whether to maintain this list by editing it in it's current form (a straight text file which is a little clunky to edit), or try to adapt it to an oganizational tool (e.g. tasklist software).

As soon as I say this, it sounds nit picky and trivial. But I also know that unless the system I use is sustainable I won't continue to use it.

2) Whatever form my tasklist is in, my default operating mode is to:
    Haphazardly accumulate new action items
    Only re-organize the list with a lot of effort
    Routinely scan the list for the items that are screaming for attention, either because there's about to be Big Trouble if they aren't handled right now or they have become enough of a Big Nuisance to get my attention.

For now, I've identified the "Big Trouble" MUTs for tonight and will how many of those I can address tonight.

In the meantime, my crisis-oriented self-management system gives me plenty to ponder.

Followup CI at 8:45 pm

Got partway past my tasklist paralysis:
- Updated my Friday tasklist. May not stick with this format but it serves for now.
- Identified what HAS to be done tonight and highest priorities to address in tomorrow's planning.

With respect to how to handle the list, I spent a little time spinning my wheels looking at tools. I've done this before. I've got a hardcopy organizer and software that can be used for tasklists. Getting them to co-exist is a challenge and it's easy to spend too much time spinning my wheels on it. I generally gravitate toward a standard solution which I will expound here as a reminder to myself not to keep trying to reinvent everything.

What seems to work best:

- Stick with standard products (e.g. Outlook) that are universal.
  Fancy products cost more, add to learning time and are potential future update problems

- Don't get too ambitious making the software make a pretty page that looks exactly how you want it. Too much fuss to make it work and maintain it.

- Let each product do what it does best:
    Hardcopy organizer is "always on" and available
    so use for immediate access: active tasks/appts, jot new items and notes

    Software has lots of capacity so good for master organization,
    such as all the tasks in a project.

- Hand entering in the hardcopy organizer each day is tedious but less so if you pick a realistic set of prioritized tasks: the items actually feasible to address TODAY.

The biggest psychological hurdle (for me) in all this is finding a way to keep the big (software) list organized so that the important things show up, and then making myself review the list. Getting the frequency right is important to make sure important things don't drop but that planning doesn't consume too much time. Right now it feels like a weekly review and update of this "big picture" list is about right.

I hope no one minds my taking up so much CI space with this essay to myself, but I'm trying to get past my mental block over the planning stage itself. Writing what I've already decided is intended to keep myself from spending more time "deciding how to start."

-=-=-=-=-=
"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of."
Benjamin Franklin

Hi everyone! :)

After a crappy weekend I had a pretty productive Monday!

Slow start to Tuesday but ready to roll:

• RF proposal
• HS proposal
• 3 web ads
• 1 hr. revising online shop
• fold laundry
• dishes

Thanks so much Lucky & Huma for your amazing & uplifting responses yesterday. Just the boost I needed.

Today:
-design my doggie business flyer
-log-in food
-balance checkbook
-laundry
-tdf - tickets
-water
-meds
-401(3)(b)
-p.t.
-arrange tomorrow
-who is next on the list for amends
-look into opening business account
-start writing down business expenses
-call dr. k re: new meds

(Prayers for good business to come in for my boss)

Last night was feeling overwhelmed, then the thought came to my mind to just start somewhere, which ended up in doing 1 load of laundry...where do you think that thought came from....answer: HERE!!!

With gratitude,
hope

♥"Together we could do, what we could not do alone.♥

Thanks for starting the thread kromer

Done:
Up and
Emails and post
Wrote up journal and needs and wants
Out to buy fruit and veg - walked there for the exercise
Checked web advice on exercise and tried some
Wrote to solicitor (and posted it) after checking the file - I want the whole thing finished and I need to do my bit in that
Washing machine on and washing out when it was finished
Checked internet for household things

Todo:
A little rest
Craft stuff
Cook supper and clear up afterwards

Regards Rexroth

Having a 'so motivated I think I don't need to check in' phase, but I know how dangerous THAT can be, so... here's what I've already done:

(Edit: checking in was a good call - the super motivation did NOT last all day!!)

Before work:
Try on/sort clothes

Commute:
Read some of new book
Full makeup

Work:

I have no idea what I've done today...

Lunchbreak:

Email/facebook/lj/forum - Mostly done
Buy dog food
Call DFH

And here's what I still want to do:

Work:

Process as many contract letters as poss (Okay, that was not as many as POSS - I dawdled)
Talk to L re intranet
Get CD
Red flagged tasks
Tidy desk

Commute home:

Prayer time
Creative writing book  

Home:

Finish email
Forum post re pub
Sewing
Exercises
Tell C re J drinks
Ask C to draw plan & put in bag
Check through books for Mother's Day present
Vitamins
Clear kitchen
Tomorrow's list
Wash face/brush teeth -  floss - clean contacts properly
Pick tomorrow's outfit
Email report
Check in
BED straight after check in!