Is Your Day in a Mess?

There are days where things spin out of control.

I believe in freedom of expression, creativity and allowing the emotions I experience from time to time to dictate the work that I do.

In a way that I ride my emotional wave — I am motivated to do what I have to do at that point in time.

It is brilliant at the individual level.

Only problem? It is not scalable, especially when there is a lot of good work to be done.

I tend to scribble my thoughts into a journal which I carry along with me wherever I go.

Standard recommendation for a content contributor, right?

Scribbling down the thoughts and observations I capture as I move.

However, I don’t only have one journal and I don’t only have 1 purple cover journal.

In order for me to keep track of my latest ideas, I have to retire the older journals and keep the latest one on my work desk.

I used to write my To-Dos on Post-It notes too.

Kaiban right?

What we see is what will get done.

What if more and more tasks surfaces?

Then my working desk starts getting buried by layers and layers of Post-It notes.

So I learnt to cross them out when I am done with them and toss them into the bin by the end of the day.

That is my Sundown rule.

Even the way I think about To-Do Lists has changed.

Previously, what I always do is just to enter the tasks, initiatives, assignments, meetings to attend, follow-up messages into the “Reminders” mobile application.

As the amount of work completed is always much less compared to the amount of work that needs to be done, the “Reminders” application has ballooned to 50 overdue reminders.

It is silly and a blow to motivation.

So, I don’t do that anymore.

Instead, I would segregate ideas from tasks.

All ideas require time to develop and expand.

That goes into the journal.

Only when they are ready to be executed on, I will place them into the “Reminders” mobile application.

Every line item in “Reminders” has to be actionable, such as setting up a call / meeting, complete this task by this time.

Then I get to structure my day which leads into productivity.

This is the lesson I learnt.

Do you share this experience?

Related Stories from the Author.

About the Author:

As a Consultant by training, I believe in making the complex simple.

Because simplicity adds value.

Simplicity helps us gain clarity, and clarity helps us to grow.

And if we are not growing, then what’s the point of anything else?

What do you think about the article? Comment Below!

This is more about me as a Content Contributor on Medium.

Do reach out and say hi on Linkedin!