Prologue from Patti: This post was written at the end of the year, so for some of you, now is the time to think of the new year! Now is the time to reflect on the past and make those resolutions for more productivity! Now is the time to buy the new 2020 planner! For others, you can read this post any time of the year. The new year is an arbitrary moment to start anything. You start this when it makes sense for you. 😉
Anyway, on to the post!
Having taken a lot of personality tests, it’s easy to understand that each test only completes a few pieces of the entire puzzle picture that is you. And with every result configuration being so vast, as well as depending on what life-stage you’re in, it is difficult to find a solution to how you can get into a flowing work-state and manage your time well so that you can get all of the things on your to-do list done. Here are three things to keep in mind before making a decision on what calendar to buy or time management technique to use.
First, it’s important to know that not everything will ever be “done,” so don’t be hard on yourself. Priorities, needs, and desires change. Life stages change. Technology makes work change. Technologies make some to-dos irrelevant or easy to take off your plate and give to someone else. Sometimes you will need to pivot.
Second, it’s critical to be self-aware. Do you have a process to self-reflect and ask yourself how much energy you have and know you’ll get an honest answer in return? Listen to what your body tells you. Do you need more sleep during your menstrual cycle? Are you highly influenced by the proximity of the moon? Do you need more alone time to recharge?
Third, don’t try to reinvent the wheel on productivity or think that one technique or a particular planner will keep you organized and in charge of your time. There are a lot of tools out there and, if you understand the natural way you flow through work and the kind of tendencies you have with holding yourself accountable, you can modify the many tools out to make them truly work for you.
Knowing that in this one life we’ll never be able to do everything so make the most of what you do decide to do and be okay not doing the other things, will give you a sense of ease and ownership with what you say no and hell yes to. Knowing your energy levels will give you the personal forgiveness when your body asks for you to snuggle up with a good book or a movie rather than checking one more thing off the to-do list. And knowing which pieces of which techniques and tools for time management fit your personally will give you the power to supercharge the work output you do choose to do.
Patti is still learning 