Conversations about the new normal
June 1, 2020
Plan it into your schedule
August 10, 20202020 is just flying by! It’s already August!! [Seriously WUT?!?] I’ve been working at home since the end of February. The days and weeks seems to melt together. Teleworking also means that my work and personal lives not only overlap, but they sometimes seem to be one in the same.
Prior to February, I’d go home at the end of the workday, grab some food and watch TV. Before going to the office in the morning I’d take some time to get my day and my to-do list organized. But now with everything going on, I’m being hit from all directions with action items that need my attention…from the minute I wake up! Actually it’s what wakes me up some days. My alarm isn’t a beautiful melody, but instead is my phone ringing or a text message dinging on my phone.
Could I block off time for calls, meetings, email, etc? Truthfully, no. I know some people who successfully do this, but is doesn’t work for me.
Going Back to What Works
Let’s go back to Spring 2019 when I first purchased spiral bound planners. They were great until I ran out of room for notetaking. Then I discovered the PetitePlanner and switched to it. I customized it to exactly what I needed. This meant choosing only what was necessary: daily calendar, lined journals, gratitude journals, goals setting, budget, wellness, etc. I have a separate one for work and personal use. An added bonus is I can take out what I don’t need when I travel. [Ah the good old days of traveling!]
I want my team to have the tools they need to succeed. In December 2019 I bought a PetitePlanner for our VP of Business Operations and she loves it. Last week I bought an Erin Condren PetitePlanner for our new business operations manager.
So in explaining how to use it, I realized I already knew what needed to be done to get back in control of my life — use colored pens. [You’re probably thinking “what in the heck?!?”] I’m a visual person (out of sight/out of mind) so the colors help me see at a glance what’s hot and what can wait. Disclaimer: I may be a boomer, but I’m not a dinosaur. Electronic planners are still in my toolbox, but having a physical planner I can see helps me A LOT.
In the video below I talk about what I’m doing to stay organized. I’d love to hear your tips and suggestions, so drop me a line in the comments. Happy Organizing!!
