Someone once asked me, “You’re a professional organizer, what’s the most common issue you see with your clients?”
That’s an easy one: not having a plan for their day.
It’s not only the most common issue, it’s also our biggest issue.
What I mean by this is, too often, we walk into our office, open up email first thing in the morning, and let whatever fun surprises are in the inbox direct our day. We may know of one or two things we need to accomplish, but often we are too casual with our time and those things get set aside. Without even realizing it, we become reactive, dealing with problems as they arise each day, and failing to prioritize more important (yet quieter)objectives.
I’m not a naturally disciplined person, but I’ve learned the importance of walking into my work day with a purpose - my mission to accomplish x, y and z. And I always knock out at least one of those top priorities, before doing anything else that day, including checking my email. While it’s not a natural habit (neither was flossing, but I finally adopted that habit, too!), the results it brings me are well worth the effort. My clients echo this opinion.
If we don’t decide how we want to use our time, someone else will decide for us. Would you let someone else make decisions on how to spend your money? Of course not! Same goes for your precious time: it’s hugely valuable, yet irreplaceable, so you must have a plan for how you’re going to spend it. If we aren’t consciously choosing how to use our time, it will disappear wastefully, leaving us wondering at the end of our day, week, year, or life – where did it all go?!
If you face this challenge, it’s easily fixed: select your top 3 priorities for completion (or progress) each day, and ensure that at least one of them gets the required attention at the start of your workday, before you do anything else – including email. Especially email. Did I mention email?
Good luck, and please share your results with me!
