Planning and Preparation

 When you have a busy period, what's your "Go to"?  

For some of us it's a list (or several), scheduling tasks, a diary (paper or digital), maybe sticky notes.

I am a list person.  I make lists for all sorts of jobs.  It may be planning an event (or even a BBQ), meeting deadlines for acquittal purposes, ensuring that people are contacted for meetings, making sure that travel itineraries are submitted on time.

Whatever your reason, having some form of reminder is helpful, especially in today's fast-paced; information overload world.

Learning how to use technology to assist you and make life easier is a must.  Scheduling emails, texts and reminders can mean that your time is better utilised so that deadlines can be met, reports or documents reach the recipients on time.

You may find that a simple list, or scheduling reminders can help free up your valuable time.

A monthly planner, a few highlighters and a decent pen, plus a few minutes each week can make the difference between fluster and focus.

Have Your To Do List ready!

Tidy Workstation - Helping You Focus

How do you feel when you walk into a room that's cluttered and chaotic?  Do you feel like you can focus, or do you feel overwhelmed?

A tidy workstation or office helps us to focus.  We don't become distracted by the clutter, the "I must attend to that".

Simply having a clean desk, jobs sorted, drawers tidy help us to focus on the immediate task at hand.

Some suggestions:

• a basket/box for mail in and out,
• clipboards for jobs in progress (alternatively you may choose folders, marked desk trays),
• Monthly planner (to see what is coming up and to note deadlines),
• current year calendar,
• notepad,
• printer paper in easily accessible drawer/shelf,
• pens, highlighters, rulers, etc in a tidy drawer,
• Important documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, passports, certificates, etc) in a folder.  I have made one for each of my children so that they can simply collect their folder and have all the relevant documentation available easily when they need to complete Identification/applications for loans, business, education, etc.

People have different ways of using their office/workstation space.  You may prefer paper; others prefer to have everything digital.  When you find what works the best for you, keep the flow going.  

In today's digital world, it's important to have a back-up.  If you have had children completing senior schooling then you will know what happens when their assignment is suddenly "lost"! Having a backup hard-drive or cloud storage will help lessen the stress that comes when you suddenly need to send an urgent email or upload a document to an online application. Ensure you have strong passwords and software protection.

A tidy workstation is important and makes working less stressful.

Break It Down, Don't be Overwhelmed

 In your daily work life, it's easy to become overwhelmed. 

Expectations are high.  Demands are constant.  People phoning, attending to the front desk (if you have a 'shop front'), everyone wants their questions they asked today answered yesterday.

How do we cope? Stress is a huge factor in today's work place.  We were told that computers and going digital would make work easier; however, many can attest this is not what has happened.

A few tips I'm learning:

Break it down.  What has to be accomplished first? Is there a few small jobs on your list that can be done easily and quickly? Which jobs will take longer and do they need to be done today or later in the week?

Plan your day.  Some people find daily planners helpful or creating tasks with deadlines.  Some may find a list for each day helpful or notes in their diary.  Whatever works best for you.

List.  I am a 'lists' person.  I love lists.  Probably drives everyone around me crazy.  I love routine and planning what needs to be accomplished.  However, life and work life don't usually run naturally on lists. You will need to account for sudden change and the upending of your plans.

Breathe!  Take a moment and just breathe.

Complete a task that helps you calm down.  For me, its digital filing - crazy I know, however it's a routine of doing the same actions.  You may find making a pot of tea or taking a 5 minute walk helps.

Move!  Don't sit in one place.  You need to move.  Have your printer or photocopier away from your desk so you must move.  Administration and secretarial roles are often sedentary.  Lack of movement, or routinely doing the same movements can lead to muscle aches and pain.

Remember, today is just one day.  

Breathe...just breathe