procrastination and prioritization

Posted in go to work, writing about writing and tagged with list addict, priorities, work on 02/11/2010 07:00 am by Becca

My whole life, I’ve been a procrastinator. I’ve been a down-to-the-wire, “I-swear-I-work-best-under-pressure,” wait-til-the-last-minute person. I studied journalism and work in a world full of short deadlines.

I’m starting to realize though, that I don’t have to be a procrastinator all the time. I always thought that procrastination was one of those things that you either do or you don’t. There are people who do everything ahead of time and leave buffers, and there are people that wait until the last possible hour to even start that paper.

I spent the weekend getting ahead in two important areas of my life: this blog, and the Web class I’m taking for work. These are two things that I don’t generally have time for on the Monday-Friday, but I need them in my life, and they’re not things I can put off.

So, while I may work well under pressure and on a deadline [hey, I still need to for my job], I can also be someone who plans ahead, does next week’s homework this week and writes/schedules future blog posts.

i could never use a planner

This week, I also learned about prioritization. Remember in school, how they always supplied you with those daily planners that had your school’s mascot on the cover, and the first five minutes of every class period was spent writing down that day’s homework? I was terrible at those. I always wrote it down, because I had to. But I never looked at it again until I had to write in it at the beginning of the class. I always just kept things in my head. And when I couldn’t? My hand was a better place for assignments than a planner [oh shuttup, I know you did it too].

But since school, that doesn’t work for me anymore. Maybe it’s my memory failing me in my old age [hah]. But really, there are just too many things to do. Sometimes, far more I can even think about doing in one day. Last week, I came to a point where a to-do list wasn’t enough. Because I could look at this list [which spanned more than one page], and feel my heart start to beat out of my chest with nerves.

so, i prioritized

I organized my list by client or project and then color-coded them by priority. Red has to get done today, yellow needs to be done this week and green is for next week. Call it OCD, but it helps me on those days where I have so much to do and ZERO ability to determine what should get done first.

Different things work for different people, and I’ve had to adapt my own personal habits to fit my workload. It’s definitely been an adjustment, but my sanity is appreciating the change.

what works for you?

Do you keep it all in your head? Do you write everything down? Does list-making and using a calendar help you?

photo credit: weheartit

http://cafelaura.blogspot.com/ Laura Jill

Ooohhh, organizing! One of my favorite things! I use iCal, which syncs to my iPhone. It has color coding for my entries (work, yoga, health, personal, birthdays/anniversaries, travel). I also use the stickie note feature on my Mac, so I don't have to keep writing and throwing away “real” stickie notes–it's more environmentally friendly this way, and way neater on my desk (again, I have categories–bills, work to do, personal to do, etc). Here's a podcast that I created for my students on Time Management Tips–it's a little silly, but has some valid ideas: http://web.me.com/yoginilaura/GWC
http://thatloudgirl.com/ becca wikler

YET ANOTHER reason I need to buy a Mac. One day, one day.

I do color code my calendar however, in Outlook, which syncs to my iPhone as well, but the colors don't sync.

And I can't WAIT to check out that podcast! Thanks for sharing your tools and tips Laura!
http://cafelaura.blogspot.com/ Laura Jill

Awesome that Outlook syncs (and for the record, I really like Outlook…I'm one of those freaks who is equally comfortable on both the Mac and the Microsoft platforms)…also, if it makes you feel better, the colors on my iPhone iCal are not the same as the colors on my iMac iCal…but the categories are all these, so I can accept it.
http://www.lizfranco.com Liz

I can't use planners either! I bought a really pretty one that just sits at my desk lol. That color coded list is an epic idea. But yes, you do need a Mac Speaking of Apple, I downloaded a free to-do list app on my iPhone that I use to check things off of since I am constantly near my phone.
http://thatloudgirl.com Becca

Um. I need this “entourage.”
Bree Parker

I am the queen of color coding! My outlook calendar has about 10 different colors. One for personal things like hair and nail appointments, one for travel, one for each band I'm in, one for each non profit I work with, one for my bosses schedule, etc. It just makes life easier. I usually spend about 15-20 minutes a couple times a week and go through my outlook calendar and match it up with my planner. As you know, I've yet to sync it to my iPhone so I stll use paper calendar. The art of a paper planner is different colored pens, highlighters, post-its and those cool little post it tab things.

Now if I could just learn to be punctual…..
http://thatloudgirl.com/ becca wikler

For some reason, digitally managing my to-dos and calendar is just SO much easier. And more eco-friendly anyway, so I'm not bummed.

I think I have that same to-do app (big white checkmark on a red bg icon?). I do like it, but I tend to use it just for my “weekend tasks,” but it totally works.

COLOR CODING = BEST EVAR.
http://twitter.com/annieflanz annieflanz

I am with you on never being able to keep a successful written planner. I tried once in junior year before becoming SB editor. I stopped like after the first two weeks.

But, I love love love love LOVE my tasks bar on my Entourage (mac version of Outlook) and would be entirely, hopelessly lost without it.

I can make a task, attach it to a relevant email and then coordinate it with a calendar event. The tasks are color coded by topic, and sorted by deadline.

And it pops up every morning and tells me what to do. Now if it could only get me a latte too …
David Wikler

I'm impressed!!
http://twitter.com/joshwikler Joshua Wikler

I do everything and it doesn't always work. Sometimes I just keep stuff in my head. Other times, lists work for me. The thing I am the most grateful for is my phone because I keep a lot of random lists in there and they never go away. I'm better than I used to be.

Nice piece overall and a cool blog. Add my site on your blogroll when you get a sec.

Love ya, sis. Baby boy in 27 days.
http://thatloudgirl.com/ becca wikler

I need this “entourage …”

color coding = love
http://thatloudgirl.com/ becca wikler

Thanks for reading Dad!
http://thatloudgirl.com/ becca wikler

Thanks bro! Can't wait to see you guys+Copey soon (I'm booking my flight next week)
codytsalinas

I think it may have been a J-School thing – not explicitly stated, but very implied. Wait until the last minute. I tend to be the same way. I'll wait until the last moment to complete a project or assignment at work, yet it will often become the most often-used documentation.
http://thatloudgirl.com/ becca wikler

Yeah, I totally agree. But it's funny that now, two years after graduating, I'm all about getting things done ahead of time … that way, I make room for the emergency deadlines!