Getting things done (when you're stuck)
Lately, my brain has felt akin to multiple tabs open in an internet browser. Between client commitments and, well, life, I feel pulled to really get organized.
One of the ladies on my advisory board (which I wrote about here), recently featured a post about a book called “Getting Things Done” and mentioned it transformed the way they approach their days and running to-do lists.
I finally got around to listening to the audiobook, and I have to say, the steps I’ve taken so far have already helped.
Here are my three favorite takeaways:
1️⃣ Don’t skimp on the “brain dump” as far as getting all tasks out of your head (later you’ll organize them). The other day I remembered our ice machine is broken, then I thought about the steps to fix it everytime I went to the freezer. The point is, that one small task takes up so much brain space. Just get it out of your head by capturing it on your list.
Bonus: eventually, I plan to go through my old text messages, voicemails, Evernote notes, notebooks, etc., to really have everything I need in one place.
2️⃣ Once I’ve grouped tasks into projects, I like to spend a few minutes outlining the following for that particular project:
- Purpose & principles
- Desired outcome
- Brainstorm
- Next Actions
3️⃣ Next Actions allow you to focus on just that one next step to move your projects forward. Start by picking an organizational tool that works for you. I began consolidating everything in Asana a few months ago.
I group my tasks by project and then create two additional projects, one titled “Next Actions” and one titled “Waiting For”. After I complete my brainstorm in Step #2, I add the one “Next Action” from that project to the Next Action list so I can focus on moving all my projects forward. The “Waiting For” list allows me to capture things like “Did I hear back from so-and-so re: the proposal?” as a reminder so I’m not constantly ruminating on it.
If you want to chat more about what a system like this could look like for you, I’d love to connect:
And if you know of a friend who might benefit from reading this, please do forward this email on.
Interested in other book recommendations? I’ve started a Bookshop.org list and plan to update it regularly.
Have a wonderful week,
Jenny
