I don't usually like organisational tips. They bring out the worst in me. I find myself frantically trying to live up to them, falling in a heap, then abandoning all hope and all efforts to be organised in future.But something about this simple little organisational tip appealed to me: How Seinfeld's productivity secret fixed my procrastination problem. It's really, really simple:
- Choose your goals. Pick three things you'd like to be doing more regularly. Later, you can add a fourth.
- Set daily minimums for each goal. Decide on a manageable daily goal: for example, exercise for at least 15 minutes.
- Set some boundaries. You might decide, for example, that sick days and vacation days are exempt.
- Keep a record. Every day, you put a red X on a calendar when you achieve each of your goals. The aim is not to break the chain of Xs.
(I say "Phooey!" to that last one - I don't need that amount of pressure! - but I do like the idea of aiming for a small amount of something every day).
So here are my four goals (just put "at least..." in front of the times):
- 15 minutes prayer (I'm not that keen on treating prayer as a daily chore, but I do want to set aside time for it, so on it goes!)
- 15-30 minutes exercise (walk, weights - not that I've got the second going yet this year)
- 15 minutes household management (an extra job, on top of the weekly cleaning, like wiping down the kitchen cupboards, decluttering a drawer, or getting something fixed around the place)
- 15 minutes reading a Christian book (something I love, but often forget)
The good thing about this is that, instead of thinking "I can't exercise/pray/clean now, I missed the time for that", I think, "I haven't done that yet today, why not do it now?"
I don't expect to do all these things every day. I'm not keeping track on a calendar. But they're on my mental checklist. It means I get around to them more often. And that can only be a good thing.
HT Take Your Vitamin Z
