Whether you are managing your family’s demands or running a small business….you KNOW the importance of GETTING THINGS DONE. We as woman sure do balance and juggle a lot of details. Some days we are feeling goooood and like super woman. Other days? We just want to pull the covers over our head. Yep, been there. Getting things done is almost always on our agenda. Kathleen? This girl gets things done and today she is sharing really good techniques and skills that enable her to make things happen.

Kathleen will take it from here…

Life is constantly changing, bringing different stages and seasons, yet one thing often holds true…there is a lot going on. Regardless of where you are, there is often way too much going on in life and we could all use a little help balancing it. Never-ending lists and demands on your time can be overwhelming. For me, when I don’t manage my time well or with intentionality, I start getting scatter-brained and even a little short of breath as time flies by. I have much to learn when it comes to managing time and prioritizing lists, but here are a few principles I do my best to live by.  Some days, I need to take myself aside and remind myself of them. It always helps.

1.
Map out your day (or even your week). This may feel like a waste of time, but trust me, 20 minutes either the evening before or first thing in the morning to create a prioritized list of what you want to accomplish that day puts you on the right track from the beginning. It ensures the most important things get done that day and keeps you efficient with your time. It also can show you that you really do have time to grab a cup of coffee with a friend or finish that book.

“Just always make sure there’s a little room in your day to take a deep breath and enjoy the world around you.”

2.
Stay focused. When you start something – finish it. Don’t go from one thing to the next. It derails you and wastes time as you bring your train of thought back around to what is in front of you. If you need a break and want to peruse Pinterest, definitely take it. Just make sure you completed the task you were working on. Sometimes when I lose focus, before I know it, I can end up with 10 or more screens open on my computer and notes scattered everywhere.  And the faster I jump from one thing to the next, the less I get done. It’s inefficient. Simply complete the task in front of you before moving on to the next.

3.
It’s okay to say no.  We put expectations on ourselves to do everything – anywhere from multiple DIY projects to book clubs and everything in between. It’s okay to recognize that maybe you have enough on your plate and that project can wait. It’s important to recognize what is most important to YOU personally. For example, I love experimenting with making things from scratch…like goat cheese and almond milk, AND I love DIY projects, but in this season of my life, there isn’t enough time to do both. So I need to decide which is more important to me and then let the other one go for now. It’s okay that I can’t do both.

4.
Write it down, and then do it. There are times I find myself endlessly rewriting the same to-do, transferring it from paper, to the calendar and back to a list again. Keep it simple – write it down once and when you reach it on your list – do it; don’t transfer it. There are times when something is on my list for so long I finally realize it’s not important and I will never do it despite my intentions. It’s far simpler if I take a few minutes to decide whether to do it or cross it off when I reach it the first time on my list. This prevents days (and even weeks) of cluttered brain space over something I will never do. Give yourself a limited space of time to accomplish something – this can be a few days, weeks or even months.

5.
Create a routine or schedule. Not every one is geared towards routine and that’s okay…you can create this to whatever levels works for you. The theory is simple – the less time you spend thinking about what you’re going to do, the more time you will spend actually doing and accomplishing. A routine helps you maximize your time without thinking about it. A routine can be enjoyable. Before the start of each day, I like to sit down with a cup of coffee, spend a little time reading, and then water my flowers. This centers me, starts my day well AND keeps my flowers alive.

6.
Write things down. This will help you remember things with little effort. But develop a system for keeping these writings organized so you can refer to them later. Brain space and an uncluttered mind are so important. Plus some of your great ideas can’t be accomplished now and you’ll want to remember them for a different day or season.

Whether you implement all of these ideas or even just one, hopefully they have encouraged you to take a step back and look a little closer at your methods of getting things done!

And most of all (one of intern Laken’s favorite quotes…..:)

Happy weekend, friends!!