Get Organized Now

Here is the news flash - there is always going to be more to do than you can do. That's just the way it is due to the speed and access of information available to us these days . So, the trick is to get off your own back and free up some of that mental RAM of yours so you can focus and be more effective on what's important to you.

So, how do you do that?

The answer is - Understand your G.P.A. to maximize your Lists and don't use stacks to remind you of what needs to get done.

First, let's take a look at lists. Most people have a "To-Do" list. However, for most people, many of those daily to do's go from one day to the next, to the next, to next week, to next month and to . . . oh why bother? I will explain how to create and work with your lists effectively in a moment. But first let me share with you some reasons why most people's organizational strategies fail them and what you can do to avoid the pit falls.

Avoid the stacks. When I coach people I am always curious about the stacks of stuff on their desk, credenza or floor or for that matter, all three. What usually happens is something is mission critical and they keep it out to remind them to take care of it. Then more stuff comes in at them. They don't know where to file it and it ends up taking space on the desk. Pretty soon the stacks are a repelling blend of action and reference and the client has no idea what's in the stack. All they know is there is something important buried somewhere that is creating a gnawing sense of anxiety because it is not getting done. The problem is they don't know what is not getting done.

You can actually be more effective when you know what is not getting done and consciously decide not to do it versus not knowing what's not getting done and worrying that something important that should be getting done is not getting done. The solution is to file reference items in an A-Z filing system when they come in and to file action items in a holding file titled Actions. Then create a To Do list that corresponds with that Actions file. If you want to take this concept to the next level I would suggest you get 31 folders- one for each day of the month and file the action items in the corresponding day that is best suited for getting that item completed. You can also get 12 more folders - one for each month of the year. Then when something comes in and it doesn't need your attention until 4 months from now you stick it in that corresponding folder and at the beginning of that month when you need to see it you will see it and it hasn't taken up any desk space nor mental RAM during the interim. If you work this system I guarantee you will have more energy!

Besides losing track of your work in all the brain-drain stacks, here is the reason why you may not be turning your To-Do's in to "Ta Da's!" Your To-Do list is filled with more projects than actions. For a To Do list to be effective and get completed it must contain only action items and it helps if they are segmented by context and time. Here's what I mean. The important thing to know is that a project has more than one action item to it. It can be as little as two or three actions. However, that's the trap. Here's why. If you don't consciously know what the next action, within the project, is you will avoid engaging in the project. That's called procrastination! That's why what you think is a To-Do on your list never seems to get done unless perhaps an emergency erupts and you have no choice but to think through the project and become consciously aware of what the next action steps are. Can you relate to this?

The way to effectively use lists to get more done in less time is to understand and apply your G.P.A. No, not your grade point average. GPA stands for your Goals-Projects-Actions. If you visualize the completion of your Goals and think the process through from end to beginning you will have a high level overview of what's needed to accomplish your goals. To achieve your goals the completion of various projects is necessary. Projects are made up of various action items which must be completed So think GPA. Once you have thought through each of your goals and become consciously aware of the projects needed to support the achievement of those goals and the action items to support the completion of each project you are on your way.

If you do this you will have more energy because you are not trying to keep it all in your mental RAM. Your brain works the same way a computer does. If you open up too many files what happens? That's right, your computer either slows down or crashes because it is using too much RAM. When you try to keep it all in your head you are essentially doing the same thing. It is draining you of energy and efficiency. Write it or type it down on a list and free up your RAM.

Once you have identified all the single action items to do , you must segment those actions items on to your To Do list in a way that you won't become numb to your list and not see what's on it. Here are some suggestions on how you may want to segment your list:

Phone Calls

Things you can only do at a Computer

WWW's to check out

Things you can only do at the office other than at computer

Things you can only do at home

Books to buy

Videos to rent

Things to do with kids on the weekend

Waiting For . . . (Things to follow up on once you have delegated them)

Someday Maybe . . .

In this way you can scan that portion of your list and see what is the best next action to do based on what context or environment you are in and how much time you have currently to do that something off your list.

You must be somewhat aware of how much time each action should take and how much time you have available to put towards that action. You see, if you only have 15 minutes until your next appointment comes in you are going to make a different decisions of what action item to do than if you had a 2 hour block of time and your computer is down.

If you can get in the habit of taking an hour or so each Friday and updating your list you will be amazed at how much more you can get done in the same or less amount of time than you did before. The real benefit to this system is you will not be so wiped at the end of each day or the end of the week and you can enjoy life with the important people in your life.

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