Six Organizing Systems Everyone Needs — System #6: Getting Stuff Done

to-do list

How well are your organizing systems working for you?

In the introduction to this series I shared the following:

What is a system?
What 6 organizing systems do I think everyone needs?
What 5 questions can you ask yourself to see if your systems are still working for you, or if they need tweaking?

Now let’s take a closer look at each system…

 

 

What is your system for getting stuff done? Does it need tweaking? Share on X

System #6: Getting Stuff Done

 

WHO is responsible for getting stuff done — You? Another family member? Everyone?

WHAT is important to you to get done — Pay bills? Maintain your home, car, health, relationships? Make progress towards specific personal or work goals? WHAT sort of calendar system do you use – Paper? Electronic? Both? WHAT can you say no to, or simplify, or delegate? WHAT tasks can you group together and schedule a block of time to complete?

WHEN will you sit down and plan your coming day/week/month/year? WHEN will you do the tasks on your To-Do list? WHEN will you exercise, relax, or enjoy a hobby?

WHERE will you keep your schedule, notes, and To-Do list — A small notebook that you carry with you? A binder with sections for projects? A family calendar on the fridge?

WHY do you need a system for getting stuff done? So you can relax, knowing exactly how, and when, you’ll get everything done! There is a time management component to everything we do — working, playing, learning, relating to others — everything. The key is to identify your goals and priorities. Once you’ve done that it’s much easier to make decisions about how to spend your time based on whether or not the tasks and activites support those goals and priorities.

What are your challenges and tips for getting stuff done?

Please share in the comments below!

Previous System: #5 Clutter Flow

Introduction: Six Organizing Systems Everyone Needs

If you need help tweaking your systems, or implementing new ones, ask a friend or call a professional organizer.

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Copyright 2010-2017 by Hazel Thornton, Organized For Life.
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6 Comments

  1. […] Laundry 2. Dishes 3. Launch Pad 4. Flow of Paper 5. Flow of Things 6. Getting Stuff Done […]

    • Hazel Thornton on November 27, 2017 at 10:01 am

      Thanks for linking to this blog series!

  2. Janet Barclay on November 28, 2017 at 3:15 pm

    I’ve tried many different systems, but even when I find one that works well, I seem to have to change it after a while. I think the secret to any system is going through the endless to do list and removing stuff that just never gets done. It’s probably such a low priority that it never will get done, but it makes the list seem too long and overwhelming.

    My current tool is Todoist – I’ve linked to my review here.

    • Hazel Thornton on December 4, 2017 at 10:53 am

      I agree that items must routinely be removed from the list, just like any pile of clutter needs to be purged. Our priorities change, and it’s OK to decide not to do something after all. I also am a fan of not looking at the whole list daily anyway. I feel more of a sense of satisfaction if I’ve planned a few items to accomplish each day — so I can cross them ALL off the list — and only focus on the whole list weekly.

  3. Seana Turner on February 6, 2018 at 5:01 pm

    I remember a colleague (years ago) talking about how he had been having trouble sleeping… he kept turning over issues and “to dos” in his mind. Then he started keeping a notepad near his bed, and every time he thought of something he wanted to remember or needed to do, he just wrote it down. This turned out to be very stress relieving, and he ended up sleeping soundly. That stuck with me… write it down!

    • Hazel Thornton on February 7, 2018 at 10:50 am

      Yep! That’s one of my tips in “Organize Your Thoughts for a Better Night’s Sleep”!

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