You can’t do it all, but you can do more than you think. With some self discipline, we can defeat our threatening, overpacked agendas like the champions that we are. Here are some tips on how I balance my to-dos both at work (in senior leadership at a tech corporation) and at home (where I have three kids and a husband who aren’t exactly the quiet, subdued types – plus they’re usually hungry).
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ORGANIZE
Separate work priorities from home priorities.
Trying to fit all of your ‘to-do’ items into one comprehensive list is enough to send even the calmest person into into full blown anxiety mode.
❖ WORK ❖
On my work computer, I use the sticky note app to keep a running list of my to-do items. I keep it visible on my computer desktop throughout the day. I categorize as follows:
◇ DUE TODAY | Things that must be done before end of business day. Try to limit this list to 5 items on a daily basis. List the most difficult/most time consuming item first, and don’t move to the second item until the first is complete.
◇ URGENT | Things that are high priority and important.
◇ IMPORTANT | Things that are important, but not urgent or particularly time sensitive.
◇ FOLLOW-UP ITEMS | Things that are outstanding, but the action item lies with someone other than myself. Follow up on these items daily/weekly depending on the deadline or urgency of the task.
❖ HOME ❖
I use a bullet journal to organize my life at home. With three littles playing multiple sports, tackling homework and school projects, chasing dentist and doctors’ appointments, keeping up with laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, and trying to keep a tidy home while working full time, I have to write it all down.
I love a bullet journal because I can create my own layouts that work for my specific scheduling needs. Plus, it gives me a bit of a creative outlet in terms of overall design and content layout. I keep running lists of gift ideas and wish lists; things that need to be completed around the house; and checklists for any specific events or projects that I am working through. If you’d rather use a pre-fabricated organization layout, which is also perfectly fine, I love Lilly Pulitzer’s yearly schedulers. They come in various sizes and have everything you need to stay on task.
❖
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
◇ 1 ◇ Lilly Pulitzer 17-month hard cover agenda | medium or large
◇ 2 ◇ Dotted grid notebook/journal | neon pink faux leather
◇ 3 ◇ Fine-tip bullet journal planner pens | pack of 18 colors
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PRIORITIZE
If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority.
You must force yourself to truly consider what is most important.
❖ WORK ❖
Consider deadlines to be your first gut check. Ask your manager to help you rank your open items in terms of importance.
❖ HOME ❖
Tackle your hardest tasks when you have the most energy. For some of us, that is before the sun rises. Others are more clear-headed in the afternoons. Keep an overall monthly list of to-do items, and break that list down further by week and day.
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SET EXPECTATIONS
Hold yourself and others accountable by clearly outlining priorities and due dates.
❖ WORK ❖
Send your priority action item list, however you organize it, to your teammates and manager. Outline due dates and owners of any sub-tasks that must be completed. Update the list weekly to show progress against deadlines. This is a critical component to managing multiple tasks with various people involved. A great rule of thumb: when in doubt, put it in writing.
❖ HOME ❖
Use this same method for non-work projects and events too. Hosting Thanksgiving dinner? Email your family action item list with assigned owners. Teaming up with your friends to throw a baby shower? Delegate tasks and ownership amongst the group, and state it clearly in writing so that everyone knows their marching orders.
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CUT THE DEAD WEIGHT
It’s ok to say no in order to prevent yourself from being spread too thin.
❖ HOME ❖
Stop spreading yourself too thin by trying to do it ALL. You don’t have to attend every school spirit fundraiser, birthday party, or social gathering that you’re invited to. It’s ok to spend the weekend at home, hanging out around the house.
When boats begin to sink, the first thing the staff does is toss the non-essentials overboard. Treat your own time with the same thought process.
Stop giving all of your energy to things that, in the grand scheme of things, don’t bring you joy, help your family, or improve your life. Focus your time and effort on what makes you happiest. Spend time with your family. Spend time by yourself.
If you feel overwhelmed, simply cut something out. It is perfectly ok to say “Thank you for asking/inviting/including me, but I won’t be able to help/attend/participate.” You don’t really owe anyone an explanation. Take care of yourself first.
❖ WORK ❖
Delegate. You can’t do it all, at least not effectively. You owe it to yourself, and the company that employs you, to spend your time wisely and doing what best benefits the organization. Involve your teammates and rely on them to help. You don’t have to attend every meeting. Delegate ‘owners’ of projects who can attend meetings, take notes, and manage the follow up/timelines/deadlines. More often than not, people want to be involved so that they feel they have an impact on the greater good of the organization.
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BE FLEXIBLE
Know when to it’s time to pivot.
Always remember to be flexible. How many times have you started full-throttle into an assignment only to receive a change of expectations, deadlines, or deliverables halfway through the project? It is easy to be discouraged and feel defeated.
Don’t allow yourself to continue to press forward into an assignment that has lost its value or importance due to changes in the overall plan. Just because you have invested time into it doesn’t mean that you should continue to do so. Remember, your time is valuable.
Remove emotion from decisions and think in terms of facts. Sometimes, it is better to switch planes than to try to fix a broken wing.
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