Managing your tasks

"the right tool is simple and does what you need"

Have you been overwhelmed by the number of items on your to-do list? Or have you ever found yourself flagging and wondering what to do next? If anything, this should have made it obvious that there is an advantage to being organised. And yes, I know that there are those who feel restrained by too much pre-planning while others need the structure to be able to function.

How can you organise yourself and the regular or one-off tasks? You’ll be familiar with many of the tools: calendars, lists, bullet journals, electronic calendars, task managers and that collection of scribbled sticky notes on the fridge. Then why is it that you still feel disorganised?

When it comes to planning and organising, every single person needs to find and apply the tools they are most comfortable with, and it helps to be aware of the pros and cons of all these tools.

Lists are probably the most commonly used tool, but they can be overwhelming when more tasks are being added than are ticked off. This can lead to a complete mental block and the list will be discarded only to lead to the creation of another one soon after. Lists are also one-dimensional and don’t offer much in the way of structure.

Bullet journals are more organised lists that help you pace yourself and structure your tasks. However, you spend a lot of time transferring and rewriting the same stuff over and over again. If you are used to writing a journal, this might appeal, but is it just an elaborate form of procrastination? Writing things down and getting them done are two different things.

Electronic calendars and task managers allow for access from multiple devices, so you to manage item entry from your laptop but also quickly access them on your phone and tick them off. Tasks can be assigned to one particular time slot rather than appear as a long list, limiting overwhelm.

I have focused on these simple management tools because we all know how to write lists and most of us have dealt with a calendar – electronic or otherwise. There are good reasons to stick to the basics, but here is the most important one: you have given yourself a sense of control over the process because you already know what you are doing. This is the exact opposite of overwhelm and the best way to be productive about your tasks!

Clear and neat surroundings help your mind stay on track, as you don’t get distracted by “all the other things”. The same is true when it comes to the tasks you are supposed to finish: keep your task management clear and simple, and you won’t get distressed quite as much. Of course, cutting big tasks into smaller ones also helps, and it will give you that regular boost of adrenaline when you tick that item off your list.

All this said, we have to address the elephant in the room: no level of organisation will keep us going if we aren’t addressing those tasks, right? In next month’s blog I’ll be explaining a more complex task management tool…