It is impossible to get everything done, particularly during this busy holiday season. Plus, when you pile one task on top of another it is easy to feel overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious during the holidays. You know there’s always one more thing to do. We, at Release Repurpose Reorganize are experts at time management. We have tips to share with you so that you can get almost everything done and avoid feeling overwhelmed at any time of the year and especially during the holidays.
Tips to get almost everything done & avoid feeling overwhelmed
Wake up an hour earlier
Even if you are not at your best in the morning, set your alarm for an hour earlier. You can get some of those little tasks done first thing in the morning after you have your morning tea or coffee.
Avoid feeling overwhelmed and do the worst thing first
Sometimes we add tasks on to our list of things to do so we can avoid doing something we either don’t want to do or that is challenging. Get it over with and do that thing first. You will probably find that it doesn’t take you as long as you thought. Plus, it will probably be easier than you anticipated.
Doing the worst thing first will bring you a sense of relief and help you avoid feeling overwhelmed. That task will no longer be hanging over your head. It will be done, and you will have the rest of the day ahead of you.
Focus on one thing at a time
Multi-tasking is a myth. You cannot do more than one thing at a time and do it well. When you split your attention, you work more slowly and there’s a high risk of making mistakes.
For example, if you are on the phone listening to a client it’s difficult to also be reading and answering email. To listen intently and learn about the client’s concerns you need to focus on that conversation. If you are reading an email and crafting a response, you will not truly hear what your client is sharing with you, and you will probably miss important details.
Work better and faster by focusing on one task at a time which leads me to our next tip.
Make a daily to-do list
Create a daily to-do list. I like to make mine in the evening. I think about the things that didn’t get done today. Then I evaluate if they are important to do the next day. If possible, I delegate the one or two tasks.
I check my calendar to remind myself of my upcoming appointments. Then I think about the next day and prioritize the top 3 things to do. I use the planner My List Simplified to help me stay on track and get almost everything done.
Doing this in the evening takes everything off my mind. Essentially, I put my work to bed so that I can relax into the evening and be confident that I am set for tomorrow.
Tidy my desk
The last thing I do before leaving my office for the day is clear my desk. I file any papers or projects that I have gotten out during the day. Put away books and pens and wipe off my white board.
When I walk in my office in the morning my desk looks as ready for work as I am. Nothing is out of place. I don’t have to sift through papers to figure out where I left off and what I need to do today.
I have my list, my priorities are set for the day, and I’m ready to get to the hardest thing first.
Life happens
Sometimes, no matter how many lists you make or priorities you set, life happens, and the plan flies out the window.
When you have a system that works you can modify your plan to accommodate the unexpected. This is how you can get almost everything done.
- Focus on one thing at a time
- Do the hardest thing first
- Make a daily to-do list
- Delegate some tasks
We are experts at helping clients create systems that work specifically for them so that they can get almost everything done. If you want to avoid overwhelm and learn how to get almost everything done sign up for the clutter support group Jonda Beattie and I run. This group meets once a week for four weeks.
Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.