I have many an idea on how to keep things tidy, carefree, spacious, etc.
If you take a glance at my house, you'd probably notice that well, I'm not taking my own advice!
I'm currently running a 12 week challenge for getting the life and home organised on facebook. Not only (so I hear) is it inspiring others... It's motivating me. I mean, how can *I* be useless and not do it if I'm the one running it?!
So, this week for me is to keep on cleaning up new spaces, cleaning out things etc, but on top of this, I want to just briefly sort the spaces I've tidied. If I spent 1 min a week going through them, it'd be a massively smaller job 1 year on when things have piled up and up and up.
Now to take my own advice, and see how it goes this week. I must say, cleaning the computer desk tonight, sure hasn't been the mission it was a mere month ago!!
Monday, April 14, 2014
Thursday, April 3, 2014
The great big "to do" list.
I could find many ways to write about this... What others do, what can be done, what works for some etc, but I don't "do" what everyone else does. My way of doing a to-do works so well for me, that writing about the way I manage one is likely the best way that you can understand it.
First up, what tools do I use. I use ToodleDo (I'll call it Toodle from now on) online and on my android phone through Ultimate Todo List (Toodle is free, the android app is not). I also use a paper list when I don't have my phone handy, more accurately, a note book and memo cube.
The key aspects of my system is
Assuming I was starting from scratch, as many are (and I do when I've gotten way behind, i.e. After having Miss Is), I would sit down and write down all that I need to do. Yes, dishes, washing as well as the other things... Things to think about as you sit down and write this list are...
...Phone calls, emails to check/sort, paperwork that needs to be sorted/put away/filled in/posted, posting to do, sewing to do, things to tidy, basic day to day tasks, big jobs around the house (repairs, maintainance, things to change around or alter), errands, things that you need to return to people, things people need to return to you, money that needs to be saved by a certain time (approx or exactly), things you need to buy, or sell, or give away, taking stuff to the op shop etc.
When inputting them into the system, if its something that will be finished say in two weeks, but you need to do things in the meantime, it can help to break it up into steps. For instance, today I finished a community services card application. This required
Then, once you have your master list (don't be afraid of the size of this monster!!), you can start sorting it. This can take time at first, but once running smoothly, it's so easy to use, so don't skip this step.
With each item. Pick a date you are going to have it done by (due date column). The date can be a flexible one. If it's next month approximately that you need to do it, just set it to be 1 month. Then when you get closer, you can alter the date if needed. The other thing I do, is I use a repeating to-do list (by due date or completion date depending on what sort of thing it is) to manage things like basics around the house (when I'm not having a good month, a reminder to do the dishes HELPS!) and things like warrent of fitness, registrations, birthday presents for family, checking road user charges monthly for our van etc.
If it needs to be done when you are out of the house, set up a context called "Out" and put it in that context. Sometimes things need to be done at work (returning something, taking something, etc) so add a "Work" context if that suits you or other "contexts" that suit your life (volunteer work, when you see a certain friend/family etc). I also have a "Hubby" context for those jobs I want to keep track of (such as big things around the house that need to be done) but that he is doing.
I also have a Someday folder to put those jobs that need or I want to be done at some stage, but no urgency (i.e. this year or next).
Now, everything should be sorted into a context if it needs it (I don't do a context for stuff at home) and a due date.
I have a lot of emails so use gmail "starred emails" function to remind me what needs to be posted (for trademe), replied to, sorted out etc. I have a repeating todo
In the real world, I use a paper tray above my computer desk that has all the paper that needs to be sorted/done and this is on my list to sort weekly.
Next up, you need to DO it. I find using stars on the things I need to do urgently helps when I've gotten behind on my list, otherwise, try and clear your "today" list each day. Reschedule the items that need to wait til another day, and do the items you can do. When you go out, I find using the context option on the left side helps to work out what I can or need to do whilst out (as I try and do my errands in one go where I can).
The final step, is make sure that you are very regularly putting things on your todo list. This might be on a note paper, on a note book, a list on your phone etc, just make sure as you think of things, they are going on your list so you don't forget them.
First up, what tools do I use. I use ToodleDo (I'll call it Toodle from now on) online and on my android phone through Ultimate Todo List (Toodle is free, the android app is not). I also use a paper list when I don't have my phone handy, more accurately, a note book and memo cube.
The key aspects of my system is
- A memory dump - aka writing the big list
- Sorting this memory dump
- Having an emails to sort and paper to sort system
- Then doing it and continuing to put it all in the system
The idea of the memory dump is that currently in your head if you have no lists, you may have 10-50-100 things running around that eventually or urgently need to be done and they take memory power to remember. By having them on a *trustworthy* system that you continue to use, you can start to "forget" the things you need to do and relax yoru brain a bit using the system to remind you.
...Phone calls, emails to check/sort, paperwork that needs to be sorted/put away/filled in/posted, posting to do, sewing to do, things to tidy, basic day to day tasks, big jobs around the house (repairs, maintainance, things to change around or alter), errands, things that you need to return to people, things people need to return to you, money that needs to be saved by a certain time (approx or exactly), things you need to buy, or sell, or give away, taking stuff to the op shop etc.
When inputting them into the system, if its something that will be finished say in two weeks, but you need to do things in the meantime, it can help to break it up into steps. For instance, today I finished a community services card application. This required
- Finding paperwork I needed
- Taking it to WINZ to be verified
- Filling in the form
- Getting hubby to sign said form
- And finally, posting it off.
These were all seperate tasks on my list. Once I finished the first, I decided on the next bit I needed to do of it and then put that on the to do list.
Then, once you have your master list (don't be afraid of the size of this monster!!), you can start sorting it. This can take time at first, but once running smoothly, it's so easy to use, so don't skip this step.
With each item. Pick a date you are going to have it done by (due date column). The date can be a flexible one. If it's next month approximately that you need to do it, just set it to be 1 month. Then when you get closer, you can alter the date if needed. The other thing I do, is I use a repeating to-do list (by due date or completion date depending on what sort of thing it is) to manage things like basics around the house (when I'm not having a good month, a reminder to do the dishes HELPS!) and things like warrent of fitness, registrations, birthday presents for family, checking road user charges monthly for our van etc.
If it needs to be done when you are out of the house, set up a context called "Out" and put it in that context. Sometimes things need to be done at work (returning something, taking something, etc) so add a "Work" context if that suits you or other "contexts" that suit your life (volunteer work, when you see a certain friend/family etc). I also have a "Hubby" context for those jobs I want to keep track of (such as big things around the house that need to be done) but that he is doing.
I also have a Someday folder to put those jobs that need or I want to be done at some stage, but no urgency (i.e. this year or next).
Now, everything should be sorted into a context if it needs it (I don't do a context for stuff at home) and a due date.
I have a lot of emails so use gmail "starred emails" function to remind me what needs to be posted (for trademe), replied to, sorted out etc. I have a repeating todo
In the real world, I use a paper tray above my computer desk that has all the paper that needs to be sorted/done and this is on my list to sort weekly.
Next up, you need to DO it. I find using stars on the things I need to do urgently helps when I've gotten behind on my list, otherwise, try and clear your "today" list each day. Reschedule the items that need to wait til another day, and do the items you can do. When you go out, I find using the context option on the left side helps to work out what I can or need to do whilst out (as I try and do my errands in one go where I can).
The final step, is make sure that you are very regularly putting things on your todo list. This might be on a note paper, on a note book, a list on your phone etc, just make sure as you think of things, they are going on your list so you don't forget them.
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