Articles for Wiggle Room
Guest Post by Beverly Coggins
We all have big projects we must accomplish at different points in our lives. It may be a normal part of your job or a fund-raiser for your child’s sports team or doing a home improvement project. Whatever the case, if you plan ahead, you can eliminate much of the stress that could accompany a big project. Here are a few tips:
1. Break down your project into categories and then to specific tasks in each category.
2. Estimate the time it will take do each task. Err on the side of over-estimating rather than under-estimating.
3. Add up the time it will take to complete your project so you will know how much time will need to be devoted to the project.
4. Set a deadline for the completion of your project.
5. If your project allows, delegate. Assign tasks with clear instructions and deadlines. Plan to follow-up periodically.
6. Working backwards, schedule the specific tasks/deadlines and follow-ups, allowing some extra wiggle room for unexpected delays. Plan to finish your project a couple of days ahead of schedule to reduce your stress level.
7. Know your peak energy times and schedule your tough jobs then, if possible.
8. Do big projects during big chunks of time and small ones during small scraps of time.
9. Do projects that require concentration at times when you won’t be interrupted at a place where there are few distractions. If you work in an office, consider going in during an evening or weekend when no one else is there. Make sure to take some time off during the week to compensate yourself.
10. Inform others of times when you do not want to be interrupted and when you will be available. Record this information on your voice mail. Give polite, but firm reminders when you are interrupted during your no-interruption times.
11. If necessary, go to a location away from your office or home where you are unlikely to be disturbed.
12. CELEBRATE the completion of your project!! If others are involved in your project, make sure to involve them in the celebration.
Beverly Coggins is an organizing expert, speaker and author of the 1-2-3…Get Organized series – books, workbooks, and ebooks written for the organizationally overwhelmed. Her blog provides tips on organizing time, the office, and home.
She is also a Myers-Briggs facilitator and conducts retreats, seminars, training, and coaching for businesses and individuals on the topics of team building, conflict resolution, vision/mission, career satisfaction, time management and organization.
MomAudience.com, her latest venture, is a weekly email showcasing free listings of businesses, blogs, products, and more that appeal to moms.
Guest Article by: By Liz Rapelje
I’m a terrible procrastinator. Without a specific time management strategy, I think I’d put life itself off, while I play some Solitaire on my computer. Unfortunately, procrastination is a very real issue for many people, and it’s often responsible for the majority of your lost productivity.
Do You Have a Procrastination Problem?
- Do you feel like you work, but never get anything done?
- Do you plan to clean, but it never gets finished?
- Do you start projects, but never see them through to completion?
If you answered yes to these questions, you probably have an issue with procrastination.
There is good news: You can overcome procrastination by implementing some time management techniques into your everyday life. Once you beat the procrastination monster, you’ll become much more successful in all areas of your life. You’ll also have more time for doing things you enjoy. One of the first steps to avoiding procrastination is to have a plan for your day. Whether you make a formal schedule, or just use a simple checklist, it’s easier to stay on task when you have something to refer to.
Sometimes people procrastinate because they’re feeling overwhelmed by a big task that seems impossible to complete. Instead of dealing with it, they simply avoid the task, finding other ways of spending their time. If this sounds familiar to you, you can break this cycle by breaking the task into smaller pieces. It won’t seem as unmanageable, and you’ll feel a greater sense of accomplishment as you finish each piece.
Set Deadlines
You can also avoid procrastination by creating task deadlines for yourself. By setting your deadline a little earlier than the real deadline (or creating one when there isn’t a specific date for completion) you create a sense of urgency for getting the task done. You also set yourself up for success, as you’re building in “wiggle room” for the unexpected.
Treat Yourself with Rewards
Give yourself a reward when you’re effective at meeting your goals and staying on schedule. Sometimes, a simple reward is all the motivation you need to stay focused on the task at hand. By combining all of these methods in your fight against procrastination, you’ve got a better chance of getting those things that are important to you, in both business and personal life, completed. You’ll feel less stressed out, and better about yourself over all. You’ll also have more time to enjoy life.
Procrastination is one of the worst culprits in poor time management – Click here for a free report entitled 5 Quick Time Management Techniques.
