Are you making a to-do list at the beginning of the week? I’m a little extra, so I have next week’s to-do list already on my desk starting Monday each week….meaning I am guarding my time and planning each week’s vital tasks well in advance. Why do I do that?
I got tired of working all day Monday through Friday (and then even a little on the weekends). As I mentioned yesterday, Hallmark gave me an unrealistic version of what business ownership was going to be like. So, I started limiting what I allowed on my plate each day.
Don’t get me wrong. I hustle. But I’m also realistic about how many tasks I can take on each day. I make sure I don’t have more than a few big items on my list each day. I also give myself a period of time for each task. I’ve learned – if you give yourself an hour to do something, it’ll be done in an hour. But if you give yourself two hours for the same task, it’ll definitely take longer than an hour. Human nature is funny like that.
Today put a pad of paper on your desk for next week. Keep that pad of paper on your desk for the following week too and start planning out your to-do’s as you think of them. Don’t let things go overdue, and don’t let them fester until they’re emergencies. But, plan ahead and say, “This task can happen Monday and be a priority at that time.”
For me, it made all the difference. Now, off to my favorite coffee shop to hang out with a friend for the day. Have a great weekend!
