6 Tips for Getting Organized in the New Year
Posted in Productivity
New Year’s is a time for making resolutions and trying to get behaviours under control. If you are still experiencing problems with your productivity and time management, January 1st is a good day to make a fresh start.
Here are six tips to help you get organized:
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Keep a time diary – One of the simplest time-management tools is a daily time log. By selecting a typical week and gathering data on your daily routine, you can find areas where you could improve your use of time. Instructions For Keeping Daily Time Log.
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Stop Procrastinating – We all put things off. Generally, we put off tasks that are boring, difficult, unpleasant, etc. When faced with something we don’t want to do, we can find a dozen jobs of no consequence to fill our time. However, procrastination can be a complex issue, not easy to resolve. Click here to read, “Inside the Mind of a Procrastinator.”
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Learn to say no – We all face the fact that there are times when we have demands on our time that exceed our ability to handle them. Learning to say “No” is a critical –yet difficult– skill that needs to be mastered. Taking on more than you can manage only leads to frustration as nothing gets done very well. How to say no.
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Use a to-do list – A to-do list can be as simple or as complex as you need. Write down the tasks that you have to complete. If some of these are overly large, break them down into component steps. If the steps still seem large, break them down again. One you have a workable list, assign priorities to each item and get to work.
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Use Time-Management Tools – Whether it’s paper-based or software, you need to see where your time is being used and planning future time use. A planner should let you quickly see what is on your schedule, easily add new events and provide fool-proof reminders/alarms for upcoming items.
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Reward Yourself. – Even for small successes, celebrate achievement of goals. Promise yourself a reward for completing each task, or finishing the total job. Then keep your promise to yourself and indulge in your reward. Doing so will help you maintain the necessary balance in life between work and play. As Ann McGee-Cooper says, “If we learn to balance excellence in work with excellence in play, fun, and relaxation, our lives become happier, healthier, and a great deal more creative.”
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