‘Tis the season to be busy—really busy! How can you make sure nothing gets forgotten or lost in the shuffle?
The amount of time it takes to do our job never seems to be enough. Then, the holidays hit. With everything going on, it’s amazing how we can ever keep up.
With all of the interruptions, we quickly lose track of time. You wake up and think your day is organized, then it quickly evaporates the minute you sit down to look at your email. Scheduled meetings get rescheduled, and rescheduled, again. Then, there are the emergencies, things we kind of plan for but never really can, because they are usually something that shouldn’t be happening. No matter how hard we try, there never seems to be enough time in the day.
The To-Do List
If you have one already, great! If not, then you need it. Why? Because years of research say it can improve your day.
No one wants every minute of their day to be dictated by a schedule. That feels too mechanical and boring. We aren’t machines. But, if you take the time to jot down the most important things for your day, it will eliminate any added stress and anxiety caused by the holidays.
A good To-Do List has to have realistic objectives, yet remain flexible. You will sabotage your list with unrealistic expectations. Remember, this isn’t the time of year to clean behind your refrigerator. Leave that for the spring. It also acts as a visual reminder of what you accomplished during the day or the week.
Use an App
Here is PC Mags top ten list of To-Do List apps. Some of these apps will synch with your computer or tablet. You can also share it with your coworkers or family. Best of all, they keep a record of your activities, so you can look back to see what you accomplished.
Order of Importance
Organize your objectives into order of importance. Then, check them off one-at-a-time. Having a deadline for each task can focus your efforts to get it done. Tasks without deadlines are put off to the next day. No deadline—no sense of urgency. You’ll feel more accomplished at the end of the day with a list that’s crossed off.
First Things, First
Do the things you don’t like to do, first. Highly successful people are successful for many reasons. One of them is that they do the things they don’t like doing. Why do they bother? Because, they know it’s necessary to be successful.
We avoid doing the things we don’t like to do. At the end of the day, you still need to do the thing you didn’t want to do. See how this adds to your stress?
Bring on the Holiday Cheer
Getting organized is how you can gain a few minutes during your day to enjoy the season. No matter how you keep your To-Do List, you’ll be able to do those extra things that make the holidays so special. What techniques do you use to keep holiday stress to a minimum?
