Twitter Helps me Organize, Blog Helps me Strategize

On Twitter you have 140 characters to answer “What you are doing.” Because so few words are available, I am forced to succinctly organize my thoughts.

I just posted the following:

Housework, school, body aches & Retreat details need addressing. Wondering how to organize my week for maximum effectiveness, joy & peace.

Now that I have succinctly written my thoughts, I can now blog about a solution in as many words as it takes.

Overwhelmed. That is the major feeling from the tweet I just posted. Since I am feeling overwhelmed, I jotted down on my white board what needs doing in the 4 categories of . . .

• Housework
• School
• Body aches
• Retreat details

I then chose the #1 item in each category.

• Housework – Clean up from trips this week (Living room and kitchen)
• School – Research for Premillennialsim paper
• Body aches – Make chiropractor appointment & walk (Okay so this is 2 things, but I will read while I walk on roommate’s treadmill – unless I trip and add to my body aches.)
• Retreat details – Gather/print out all information and put in one place for meeting with Reggie

Looking at this list, I realize that there are many steps involved in each category. So I wrote what needs to be done for each category – one item per slip of paper.

For example, Housework slips include . . . .

• Put away sweaters
• Put away suitcase
• Clear off desk
• Clear off table
• Put Goodwill items into car
• Sort out sand dollars (put in bleach water to soak, wash towels)
• Put away dishes
• Wash dishes
• Take trash out
• Wash beach blanket

I put these many slips of paper in a orange-colored gift bag. This time I chose to keep the categories separate. Sometimes I mix the category slips of paper all together into the same bag.

After I am finished with this post, I will set the timer for 30 minutes. Then I will pull out one piece of paper: read it and DO what it says until the timer goes off.

Then I will “reward” myself for about 20 minutes. Unfortunately, I hardly ever reward myself. I think this lack is one reason why I have a hard time accomplishing things on some days.

I am too hard of a task master on myself. When I add the “rewards” to my day, I find that I have more joy.

Here are a few rewards I could get used to . . . .

• Eat a nutritious meal.
• Chat with a friend.
• Read a chapter in a “fun” book.
• Take a shower.
• Rest on an ice pack.
• Write a note.
• Water my garden.
• Say out loud, “Job well done, Susan.” ( I probably wouldn’t do this for 20 minutes. I think that then borders on megalomania.)
• Pray.

Then I’ll start the cycle over again with the timer and the orange bag of “job” slips of paper. Every finished slip of paper, brings me closer to peace. I’m trying to learn to live in peace even amidst the unfinished tasks of my lie.

So what do you do to help yourself when you are feeling overwhelmed and in a procrastinating mode? How do you organize your week for maximum effectiveness, joy & peace?