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Killing the Clutter-(Part Two)
Getting Ahead by Organizing Taming Your Papers and Your Time
by Lisa Beamer

Last week we looked at what it takes to get all the clutter under control. Hopefully you've had a chance to put one or two of those suggestions into action and have seen some positive results. This week we are going to look at the other half of the organizational puzzle: organizing our time.

"Time Management" seems to be an industry unto itself. There is no shortage of professional speakers who can talk about all kinds of programs and plans that will help you get a grip on your calendar. Just like everything else, however, no one plan will work for everyone. This said, I am going to share with you eight of the most useful tips that I've come across for making the most of the time you have.

1. Writing it down! Make a to-do list, either on a daily or a weekly basis. However you chose to do it, sit down either the night before or first thing in the morning and write up your list. You may chose to make a separate list for your writing tasks and your other "life" tasks, or you can put them all together in one list.

Whatever you put on your list, keep it realistic so that you are not setting yourself up for defeat. For instance, if you do a daily list, try to identify one major writing task for the next day (such as writing a first draft of a 2000 word article), then several smaller but important ones (such as proofing an article or writing a query letter), and then finally some of what I call "fluff tasks"--things that you have to do anyway, but it doesn't hurt to write them down (such as filing, opening mail, etc..).

2. Provide visual reinforcement. As you accomplish your tasks, cross them off. This is very motivating, because you are not only getting the jobs done, but you are getting the visual reinforcement of seeing your list dwindle. The more things that are crossed off, the more motivated you will feel to keep going, hence the reason for having the "fluff tasks" on the list. They are easy things to get done during the times that you may not have a lot of energy, but you will still be accomplishing something.

If, per chance, you do some significant task during your day that you didn't have on your to-do list, add it to the list anyway just so you can cross it off! It may sound silly, but at the end of the day or the week, when you look at your list, it will truly help you to feel better about what you've accomplished.

3. Identify and make good use of your "prime time". Personal "prime time" is that time that allows you to work at your best with the fewest distractions. For example, if you are a morning person, specifically plan to use the early morning hours for your major writing project. If the only quiet time you have to work is the two hours when the kids are at preschool, then dedicate those hours to your biggest writing task. Don't fritter away your prime time hours doing smaller, less urgent tasks that can be accomplished in the midst of background noise and interruptions.

4. Eliminate distractions when possible. When writing during your prime time, turn off the TV, let the machine pick up the phone calls, and (dare I say it?) log off the Internet so you won't be tempted to surf and check email when you have other things to do.

When distractions are impossible to eliminate altogether (such as ones provided by our little kiddies), try creating distractions for THEM that will allow you short amounts of work time. Keep a special laundry basket full of toys and games that they are only allowed to play with while you are working, or perhaps a 30-minute video once or twice a day is a workable distraction for them.

If they are old enough to understand, make a deal with them that if they let you work until the big hand is on the 6, then you will do ______ with them when you are done. Mainly, don't stress out if your children do not cooperate. They are only young once, so enjoy them as much as you can and find your uninterrupted writing time when they are otherwise engaged.

5. Break big tasks down into smaller, more manageable pieces, as they are less overwhelming that way. If you have a feature article to write, break it down into research, interviews, outline, first draft, etc.. By putting "write XYZ feature piece" on your to-do list, you could overwhelm yourself before you begin. But writing "call Dr. So-and-so for interview" is a much more doable task.

6. Vary your activities. If you find that you can't stay focused on one project for long periods, alternate activities. Give yourself a half-hour or an hour (whatever works best of you), for instance, to work on one part of a big project. Then go and do some smaller, more easily accomplished task to give your mind a break for 15 minutes, then go back and do another part of the larger task. Just like children, we all have limited attention spans, and trying to work beyond ours usually turns out to be counterproductive.

7. Set goals and deadlines for yourself. This is where having a weekly to-do list comes in handy. You outline for yourself the things you want to accomplish in the next five days and you can see the progress you are making as you go.

Another helpful thing is to find someone who is willing to be your "accountability" partner. You tell each other your goals for the week and ask them to hold you responsible by checking in with you at certain points. This can be a great motivator for both of you.

8. Set up a system of "rewards" for yourself. All work and no play isn't fun for anyone. Build "rewards" into your workday. The reward will vary from person to person, depending on what your sources of enjoyment are. It might be making a deal with yourself to check your e-mail once you finish a rough draft, or it could be to take a walk or read a chapter of a book after finishing your prime time work. Whatever it is that you enjoy most, make it work for you by using it as a reward for accomplishing your goals.

Along these same lines, be sure to build in downtime each week. As tempting as it is to work everyday when you work from home, it is actually more beneficial to you mentally if you have at least one day a week where you do NO writing at all. This gives you time to rejuvenate your creativity and to enjoy the aspects of life that all too often get pushed aside.

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