When I first decided to begin blogging again, I reached out to a few of my friends and asked them of all of the things I could write about, and as my friends, what they would feel was worth the read. One of the things that seemed to come, more often then not, was my ability to get things done. My friends were curious about how I managed to always get the things I set out to do completed. Up until that point, I had never really given much thought to my process, but realized that I don't just think of ideas and then supernaturally they appear and that I do indeed have a way to work through my "to do" list and get things done.
The last couple of days, as I have stared off into space processing the Corona Virus reality, I have found myself revisiting my process to getting off of the couch and getting to work. So below, five simple steps to getting things done (or at least, what works for me):
How To Get Things Done
1. Start With A Clean Space
For the type A personalities in the world, it is so much easier to get things done if you start with a blank canvas. For me, having a clean desk, table, room to work in makes it so much easier for me to think. I can then begin to dismantle, break apart, brain storm, build or connect my ideas from a place that is clear. Anyone else?
2. Brain Dump on a piece of paper
Write every thought you have about your idea, your "to do" list, your concept OR in your head and put it on a a 8.5x11 piece of paper.
Dream, envision, unload all of your thoughts and ideas about whatever task you are trying to do on a piece of paper so that it is all in the same place. I suggest using paper, instead of a calendar or a book/journal because it is all on one piece of paper and can be hung up in a place where you can see it, left on your desk, pinned to the fridge, tapped to a mirror. This piece of paper becomes the jumping point of all of your ideas OR your "to dos."
3. Categorize similar ideas and themes
Take your "brain dump" paper and categorize similar ideas and themes. Because you dumped everything you were thinking on paper it might be a hodge podge of things that don't necessarily go together. Find like concepts, tasks and subjects and put them together on the paper. So if its an idea related to home, create a "home" category, or if its related to school, or your children, or clothing - define those groups and separate the items.
4. Organize your ideas
Take your categories and organize them by importance. Decide what must get done first by the timeline of completion, by the tasks that will make you money, save you time, or make you happy and list them out. If you are like me, you'll do a little "check box" next to them to so you have the gratification of checking those boxes once the item is completed.
5. Decide what you can accomplish
Once you have your list, decide which part of your list you can accomplish. What 3 things from your list can you get done today, this week, this month, this year. What can you outsource? What can you let go of? What can you put off for later? What do you need to make that idea, task or project happen? Is this the right time? Do you even want to do the task at hand? These are all questions and ideas to consider and will help to put things into perspective.
6. Do One Thing At A Time
Once you have your tasks and know what you want to attack, for lack of better words, assign 3 tangible steps for each task along with a date for completion and get to work.
If you are a small business owner, service worker trying to figure out what you could be doing to support your business and stay afloat during this outbreak, my friend and business woman Feuza Reis, came up with an amazing blog on her site Get Found With Fuze of Business Tips For Creatives During Covid 19. Be sure to check it out and be inspired.
I hope these tips help jumpstart you on the road to getting whatever you need to get done. If you find these tips helpful, tell me in the comments OR if you have found tips that work for you, drop them in the comments for others to read! We are all in this together!
with strength, courage and wisdom,
Tash
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