WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE TOO MUCH TO DO

This is my life these days.  I'm not expecting it will change anytime soon.  Here's a few thoughts on how to keep your crazy life from making you crazy.

If I'm honest, I'm actually just using this blog as a counselor for me.  If the shoe fits, you can wear it too.  But for right now, LISTEN UP BRIAN... and do this!!!!

GIVE UP:  if you started your day with more than can be done in a day, at the end of the day you'll still have more to do. So give up the idea that you can get r all done and just get some of it done instead.

THINK BEFORE YOU MOVE AHEAD:  take 5 minutes and make a list.  A brief list.  What must get done TODAY.  What would you like to get done.  Look at the calendar and schedule some long term stuff a couple of days from now.  Sometimes the very best thing you can do before you get at it is survey the big picture.

BLOCK OUT TIME: block out and hold critical some times when no one can interrupt and when certain tasks are going to be done. Like an appt with a friend, just block out an hour and call it a meeting with a certain task if you need to.  Like, "meeting with message prep" or "meeting with e-mail" :)  But whatever you do, know that when your boat is below the waterline, if you schedule no time to do a task, you'll have no time to do it cuz other stuff will fill all voided spaces.

AVOID MULTI-TASKING:  when you try and do two things- especially important things- at once you just do two things poorly.  If you do less at one time, you'll get more done and better.

DELEGATE:  If you can give it away.   Do.  Even if it's a 5 minute job.  You're wasting precious time on stuff someone else could do.  Why is that again?

GIVE YOUR BEST PROJECT YOUR BEST TIME: When you give your best thinking hours to menial tasks, you're killing your productivity.  If a phone call can wait to be made on your way home, then don't do it during your prime teaching prep time.

ok... I'm going to bed... with my list no where's near done.  Tomorrow I'll try and practice what I preach.