I subscribe to a few blog posts I was convinced would help me get organized, manage my time effectively, and bring a peaceful efficiency to my life and my routine.
These are my favorites:
Goodlife Zen: practical inspiration for a happier life
zen habits: smile, breathe and go slowly
mnmlst
Time Management Ninja
Over the last year, almost one year to the day, I’ve been sending those posts into folders, confident I would check the folders weekly to read and learn. I thought this was efficient and organized.
Not so. The folders are full of unread posts and articles. Out of sight, out of mind.
Visiting my favorite blogs has also fallen by the wayside as I’ve focused on other projects. I can’t let that continue. For one thing, I value the friends I’ve made through blogging and don’t want to lose them. Besides that, I’ve signed up for the 2011 A to Z April Blog Challenge (see the logo and link in my sidebar). Participating in that challenge requires a commitment to check out the blogs of other participants, to cheer them on in comments.
If you have mastered the art of doing it all in an organized and non-stressful manner, please help me out here. How do you do it?
Mary — you’re absolutely right, but I’m still hoping someone like me will have a solution, so…
I’m going to try Jan’s tomatoes. Thanks, Jan. I even have a timer by my computer, so maybe this will work.
Hmmm…as I look around the disaster of my office I can’t really honestly tell you anything. But I will anyway. The couple of things that have worked for me:
Choose three things you want to do daily – mine are write, meditate, and walk. Don’t let the sun go down without having done two of them.
http://mytomatoes.com/ – register and do tomatoes – You can do anything for 25 minutes. That is how I get through all writing jobs and it works for cleaning and organizing too. there.
It’s all well and good to read of others “order” but I think it’s different for every person. Every one is different. Why then would one way to do something like organizing your life be the same for everyone?
I’m just glad to know I’m not the only one unorganized. LOL
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
I like to think of myself as loosely organized even though I don’t get as much done in a given time period as I used to.
One thing I’ve gone back to is making a list. A brief list of three-four things to do. Surprisingly I’ve been getting them done. Of course, two of them are writing at least 300 words on new manuscript and revising a chapter of another.
I use Google Reader like Alex does – but I never feel like I’m keeping up with anything these days!
MIchelle — maybe it’s a spring fever thing. This Northern Colorado weather makes me want to grow something (I mean, besides dust bunnies and cobwebs).
Alex — I’ve always wondered how on earth you do what you do. I’m almost relieved that you finally had to slow down so you could get the real stuff (like writing and revisions) done. You were making me feel terribly incompetent.
Well…
I keep all blogs in folders in my Google Reader and hit favorites first, and then the rest are broken down from that point. Once a day, I delete everything.
However, as I’m trying to catch up on my revisions, even my favorites are falling by the wayside…
I’m usually pretty organized, unless I’m on a deadline, which is lately all the time! I like to-do lists and the little homework organizer calendars that they sell at back-to-school sales.
Did you see my post today? It was on cleaning my beading table and the things that will drive me to do it. Sounds like we were sharing some blogging ESP . . .
LOL. I guess I’m in good company here. We all want it, we know what we need to do to make it happen, and yet….
As I slipped on a stack of papers this morning on my way to open the blinds in my office, I realized I needed to at least throw the clutter in a file box and move it out of my way. That’s going to be my Sunday project.
No help from me. But I’ll be watching to see if anyone offers hints that I can use. I’ve got stacks of things waiting for the ‘right place’ and can never find the piece of paper that’s been in my way for weeks once I actually need it.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
I am not so organized as I was but I could be worse.
Yvonne.
Hi Pat .. like you and the others I strive to be organised and was .. but life is life .. and I do like to hear/read what others are doing .. and perhaps pick up some tips .. but seems we’re all much the same .. living on & enjoying the blogging and commenting .. & I to am doing A-Z .. I can see one lines dominating!! Cheers Hilary
All my life I have been extremely organized, making lists, checking things off. But now, not so much. I am beginning to feel that the priorities will rise to the top and whatever doesn’t rise will, you know…sink. There’s just so much time. I’m learning to focus on what is important in any given moment and some things are slip sliding away.
Karen
Pat – I think all of us have to find ways to balance things like work, writing, blogging and blog-hopping and so on. There’s only so much one can do in just one day. The good thing is that all of us here in the blogosphere are in a very similar situation, so we grok your challenge. We’re proud to be your friends even on those weeks when your life gets in the way of, well, your life.
I’m not organized, but I refuse to stress about it.
Usually, that works.
😉
I’m here to say, you are not alone! I always thought creative types, were more messy, but I guess I am wrong. I have seen neat, creative types, too. Thanks for sharing these blogs; they look interesting! I struggle with this. I live with a military man, that would like to probably put me throw organization boot camp. He likes things neat, but funny he can never find his receipts, or this or that, and is constantly forgetting stuff. I file the receipts I think are important;he thinks I will lose them and keeps them(car batteries,etc.) ;-D I’m a messy organized person…lol
I’ve done the same thing, Pat. Printed out things to read, and there they sit in the folder!
I’m trying to figure out how to keep good track of the blogs I want to follow. I’ve been bookmarking them, but there they sit! Though in the ten months I’ve been blogging, I now really know many bloggers. I can see them as if they’re sitting in my living room.
But, getting organized with all this…I’m still working on it. I’m determined to do it since like you and others, I’m going to to the A-Z challenge, my first time. And I don’t want to lose touch with blogging. My current post is about the future of blogging, and the consensus is that it’s here to stay, in way or another.
Ann Best, Author @ Long Journey Home