We live in a world with more responsibilities and information than ever before. This creates stress and a sense of being overwhelmed because our old habits and systems for managing tasks aren't suited to this new reality.
The solution isn’t just better time management; it’s about managing your workflow. This involves gathering everything that requires attention and creating systems to handle it without keeping everything in your head.
- Start Capturing: Create collection points where you can dump everything that comes to mind—ideas, tasks, emails, etc. These could be notebooks, email folders, apps, or physical inboxes.
- Clarify Everything: Once you have all your items captured, start processing them:
- Organize Your Life: Set up lists (e.g., "Next Actions" list, "Waiting For" list) or tools (like calendars) to hold these tasks. Everything should have a clear place so nothing is forgotten.
- Review Weekly: Regularly review your system to keep it up to date. This will ensure you’re always on top of your work and reduce stress.
- Engage and Do: Finally, when it’s time to work, you’ll have a clear understanding of what to do next because your system has already made those decisions for you.
- Don’t keep things in your head: Your brain isn’t designed for holding onto tasks; it’s for problem-solving. Get everything into an external system.
- Break down tasks into manageable next actions: Don’t just write down vague tasks like "plan vacation"—instead, list the next physical action, like “research flights to Hawaii.”
- Use trusted systems: This could be a combination of physical or digital tools that you regularly update and review.
