Strategies to stay ahead this spring
Spring is my favorite season. The air feels warmer, the flowers start popping out of the ground, and my energy to get things done begins to surge. This year is particularly exciting because we are experiencing our first spring in a new house. Whether you like it or not, spring is on its way. It's time to shake off the staleness of winter and get a jump start on spring tasks.
If you're anything like me, spending more time outside helps my mental health and mood. Cleaning the flower beds, dusting off the sills, and washing the windows can be satisfying; however, spring brings a massive influx of work. The to-do list begins to grow, and the workload makes it easy to feel overwhelmed.
How do we combat this additional work?
Of course, in concept, it should be easy to make a list, prioritize tasks, set goals, and delegate responsibility. Still, the optimal word here is "should," which never comes easy for most people. In my work, ‘should'‘ implies a feeling of unmet expectations and self-judgment, which never feels good and can almost prevent you from taking action. The harsh reality is that changing or doing more is hard.
A healthy approach is to identify natural and organic strategies to simplify (or make easy) the things we need to do. It's taken me years to figure out how to keep up with my spring workload, and it boils down to two key areas:
Centralizing my action items (or tasks) into one place
Incorporating tasks into my time system
As long as I maintain these two systems, my workload stays constant, and I can manage my load. Here are a few strategies that help keep these two systems working well:
Centralize my action items
Use one to-do list system. This method has saved my life. It's like my second brain. I document anything and everything that requires me to act. I use one list management tool, which is typically digital (simply because I always have my phone), and within that tool, I have multiple lists.
Group lists by topic or location. Lists can be specific to an area of your life or organized by topic. Currently, I have thirteen active lists ranging in topics. I keep my lists general and create sub-lists to break them down further. These lists act as my mental filing cabinet.
Share lists with stakeholders. Shared lists can save many marriages by eliminating the pressure of reminding a partner to complete a request. They also create buy-in and ownership of what each person is responsible for.
Organize and prioritize tasks. This feature has been a game-changer within my task system. Each task is assigned a due date, no longer requiring me to review all my lists. I use the “Do Today” feature and have peace of mind that all the work will be done. Reducing the hundreds of tasks to four or five priorities for the day or week.
Manage my time
Incorporate tasks into a time system. This is an essential strategy for staying organized. Tasks or action items, in essence, require you to do something physically, ultimately requiring real estate in your schedule. So, incorporating blocks of time in your calendar is one way to ensure you will have the time to get the task done.
Using scheduling tools helps manage time. Electronic reminders, recurring alarms, or handwritten lists will support your effort to organize what you should be doing and when. The key is to document the action and assign a date when it needs to be completed. As mentioned, I track tasks in a list, assign a date, and schedule time to complete the work on or before the scheduled date.
Including transition time means incorporating buffer time into everything I do. I plug travel time into my schedule before and after anything that requires out-of-office appointments. If I need a break between meetings, I schedule a break. I easily stay ahead of my workload when I build breaks and downtime.
Make time to plan. Each week, I spend about an hour reviewing my lists. I make updates; I cross some things off, add new ideas, and cross-reference that into my schedule, blocking out time to complete my workload. I evaluate priorities and build a schedule that feels manageable. Taking time to plan can be the most productive time in your week.
No system is foolproof, and there will always be unexpected things that pop up and instantly become more critical than you had planned. The trick is to keep what's most important moving forward while adding (or removing) things that can wait or be put off.
As I watch the daffodils pop up from the ground, my list of spring tasks continues to grow. I will continue to add to that list, and when time allows, I will start pecking away at what needs to be done. With more sunlight, I will have more time (hopefully).
