"Insanity is expecting a change
when you're doing everything the same way."
-- Albert Einstein
I read dozens of different articles about time management and spent too much money on books about managing time and getting organized. I was spending so much time trying to get organized, I didn't have time to get anything checked off my list!
I made it a priority to get stylish new calendar pages at the beginning of each new year, always faithful to write family birthdays, annual events, and anniversaries on the crisp clean pages of my new calendar! Then, something would happen and my priority lists, carefully labeled with "A", "B", and "C" priorities were soon vast lists filled with "A" priorities...most of which were "C" priorities at one time that weren't accomplished on the day I assigned them to myself so I moved their priority level to "B"..... then to "A"!
After several years of doing this, I realized I was spending more time trying to manage my tasks than I was actually spending doing my tasks! That's when I began making a list of tasks based on my mindset, temperament and personality. My organizational style may not match yours, or anyone else for that matter, but even when I catch myself getting behind and tasks seem to be overwhelming me, I can sit down and tackle my list and my calendar and work it all out based on changes I made in my organizational style.
Some of the best advice I got as I was reorganizing my priorities and my busy schedule was from Dan Chiodo of Impact Training and Development. http://impactbydan.com/ He showed me a sample calendar with time set aside for family, career, self-improvement, professional development, and relaxation. The times and dates were clearly marked and his advice was to keep my calendar balanced, give each area of my life its proper time and focus on becoming the person I wanted to be.
I accepted the fact that I would never be the A, B, C priority type person and I began to simply block out specific times for faith, family, work, study, community service and relaxation. I found that I had more time for everything when I set specific times for each of those important things in my life.
Think about your style of organizing. Are you a detail person who works best with prioritized lists, or are you someone who might appreciate the visual organization of color coded markers on your calendar pages?
Take the time to find your own style of organization. You might find one particular style that's already been tested, you might develop a combined plan of several different methods, or you might come up with the next "best thing" when it comes to a way to keep a busy person organized!
Blessings,
Sharon
P.S. Dan Chiodo also has a great book dedicated to the task of organizing your busy day entitled Perfect Timing: Here's the Secret to Gaining Two Hours in Your Day available at http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Timing-Heres-Secret-Gaining/dp/1449737390/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375822166&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=dan+ciodo
