Managing Your To Do List (for Overly Committed, Perfectionist, Somewhat Structured Creatives) - When I Grow Up

Dealing with Your To Do List (for Overly Committed, Perfectionist, Somewhat Structured Creatives) - When I Grow Up Get your own custom, printable Feelgood list at up imaginative. This post has been bound to happen. I really needed to hold up until I found The Answer to my time the executives needs, and afterward post The Answer and have the entirety of my individual excessively dedicated, fussbudget creatives love me and my praiseworthy time the board techniques. Reality of the situation is: I dont feel that The Answer exists. Goodness sure, theres Getting Things Done. Gracious sure, theres Toodledo and Remember The Milk. Goodness sure, theres Moleskine scratch pad and the trendy person PDA and GTDagenda.com. Ive attempted them all. I could make a five page post of constantly the executives apparatuses I attempted, what worked and what didnt. In any case, I wont, on the grounds that Im tired simply pondering it. Its depleting. What's more, miserable. Along these lines, rather than posting The Answer or a survey on the various apparatuses Ive use, I needed to impart to you my present strategy for time the board, as it appears to really be, uh, working up until this point (she says with anxiety). Presently, I do tend to make each spreadsheet more entangled than it ought to be, so don't hesitate to remark away regarding whether Im a virtuoso, or how I can improve, or whether Im crazy.Id welcome everything. To start with, I start with an old fashioned mind dump with a pen and some paper (and truly, I do it in my Moleskine scratch pad, which I convey with me consistently. I like to utilize the movement one for the isolated areas, at that point utilize a labeler to make my own darn segments. Im a radical like that). I truly record everything that is swimming in my mind: stuff in the shallow end (companions I have to call, messages I have to return, cleaning I have to do), stuff in the doggie paddle region (papers I have to compose, web journals I have to post, tributes I have to get up on my site), and stuff in the profound end (showcasing thoughts for When I Grow Up, obligation disposal plans, thoughts for another book).* At that point I go to my trusty companion, Google Docs, which I can access from any PC. I open up a spreadsheet called Michelle Master Tasker (I like senseless names and things that rhyme), split my knuckles and get the chance to work. The main page of the spreadsheet comprises of 16 (indeed, 16) sections: Objective (This is the huge by and large objective Im attempting to accomplish, ie Be a guaranteed life mentor! Sidenote: for reasons unknown, each objective must end with a shout point!) Venture (This is the littler objective that gets me to the Goal, ie Graduate from ICA) Undertaking (This is whats expected to occur so as to finish the Project, ie Finish Written Exam) Target Completion Date (This is the date in Michelle World that I might want it to be done, ie 2/28/09) Cutoff time (This is the day its totally due, ie 4/20/09, which is the point at which the entirety of my prerequisites are expected so as to graduate in June) Need (This is the place the assignment falls in accordance with the Goal. In this model, I have Finish Written Exam as a 1, since its the most squeezing contrasted with different Tasks in that Goal) Errand Number (This is the place the assignment falls corresponding to the next undertaking. In this model, it fell at 4. This is the fourth To Do thing on my rundown, as in there are 3 To Do things I should do before it that are of higher need) Notes (ie Doc kept in the netbook, so I realize that Im not chipping away at it through some other stage like Evernote. These notes can be anything you have to, uh, note) Next Action (This is the following stage I have to take so as to push the undertaking ahead, ie Complete all inquiries) second Action (This is the second step required so as to push the errand ahead, ie Email it) third Action (This is the third step.ie Celebrate!) fourth Action (This is the fourth stepie clear, as the task is finished at Celebrate!) fifth Action (see above) sixth Action (see above) seventh Action (see above) Presently, when I first move an objective/venture/task over to the Google Docs spreadsheet, I dont allocate it a Priority or a Task Number. Typical 0 bogus Heres a print screen of the initial 8 sections after the mind dump: Its lone when everything is moved onto the spreadsheet that I sort by Goal. At that point, I can see the entirety of the Tasks that identify with one Goal and organize them in like manner. The most significant Task gets a 1 in the Priority box, and on until the Tasks for that Goal are done. At that point onto the following Goal. Furthermore, indeed, on the off chance that I have more than 1 Project related with a Goal, I despite everything organize the undertaking by objective. With me? Hell, I aint even with me! Alright, Ill give you a model. Under the objective, Make WIGU** an all day work (yahoo yippee!), I have WIGU: Website, WIGU: Marketing WIGU: Financial as Projects. Yet, I dont feel that WIGU:Website is a higher priority than WIGU:Marketing, so all the Tasks are given equivalent weight. I allocate them Priority numbers against a definitive Goal of making WIGU my all day work. Heres a print screen of every one of my Tasks sorted out by Goal. For this model, I bolded the errands that are a piece of the Goal Make WIGU an all day work (whoopee yahoo!): Once Ive alloted each undertaking its Priority number against the Goal, I take a gander at it against each other Task that I have on my spreadsheet. To do this, I sort by Target Completion Date. I at that point go down the rundown and imprint the most noteworthy need Task with #1 under the Task Number segment, and descend from that point. Ordinarily its not actually in Target Completion Date request, yet its generally entirely close. Heres Michelles Master Tasker arranged by Task Number. Note how the Target Completion Dates are nearly all together here: Once Ive arranged by Task Number, I feature Task Numbers 1-3 out of a brilliant yellow. Ive made an arrangement with myself that I cannot go do whatever else on the rundown except if these initial three are off the beaten path. Be that as it may, I can take a shot at these three without a moment's delay, which permits me to pick what I need to do at some random time. That is critical to me since I dont like to be enclosed to one specific errand that I HAVE to do. For me, that is a formula for tarrying, weariness, disdain, and additionally disappointment. Yknow, the Not So Good stuff. These are my initial 3 Task Numbers, featured. Duh: Ive come to acknowledge, however, that there are times when Im looking out for another person to finish my next activity for me. Its at that point and at exactly that point that I feature that task with a dark shade, and proceed onward to the following assignment in the errand rundown to feature with yellow. This permits me to concentrate on something that is in my control, while not neglecting the other errand through my fingers. Truly, every time I finish something I need to re-organize by both objective and assignment number. In any case, up until this point, this spreadsheet has given me what I need: structure, an approach to see the means that go into finishing an undertaking (and gauge to what extent it should take me to arrive), center, equalization, and prioritization. In any event, going in and re-organizing keeps me refreshed with respect to what I ought to be taking a shot at. Its removing me from that equation that has been my reality for such a long time (busy=productive=success) and permits me to return to the center (which is my statement for 2009). Does my mind despite everything swim at times? Sure. Yet, do I feel like this is my approach to complete things, to recollect the milk, to toodle-do? Its not very tightened, or too loosey goosy, or excessively befuddling, or not visual enough. Its Michelles Master Tasker. Furthermore, you can discover a demo of it to mess with here. Obviously Ill update you as often as possible as it develops or I overlook it totally. Since this is such an all-devouring piece of my mind recently, Im going to burn through the vast majority of March discussing time the executives and the different parts that make it up. One week from now Ill show you the agenda otherwise known as Check Yoself B4 U Reck Yoself that I made to keep steady over my week by week undertakings. The week after Ill show you an apparatus to help Block Yo Time So You Dont Lose Yo Mind. All through, Ill be poking you, searching for remarks. Im an expert nudger and a Jew that has been modified with a lifetimes worth of blame, so please contribute. In any case Ill need to return to my schtetl and eat some homentashen bit without anyone else. In any case, that is awlright. You nevah come visit any mawh. Murmur. * Wasnt the pool relationship great? I know, isn't that so? Much obliged. ** WIGU = When I Grow Up. Its additionally enjoyable to state. WIGU. Attempt it! Youll like it.