The Best To-Do List Ever!
I don’t think of organization as a task — although it does involve some set-up and maintenance. I think of it as peace of mind. Having a hundred little (and big) tasks free-floating around in your mind — and having to keep thinking about them so you don’t forget — is a recipe for anxiety and overwhelm. It feels like a big, out-of-control swirl.
The great news is it’s sooooo easy to fix!
Here’s my secret weapon:
This little gem does everything you need to keep your life in order. (And I should say here, I do not have any affiliate arrangement with Dextronet; I’m just a true fan of this product.)
You can do a lot of neat things with this software, but here are the top three functions:
- Create a series of separate lists — one for each of your classes — and you might also have a list for college or internship applications, your job, shopping — any area of your life that is buzzing with tasks and/or creative ideas. Add an icon to each list to give it a unique look.
- You can add tasks to each list, categorize and prioritize them, including adding a due date. (You can also add detailed notes to any task and even upload associated documents.)
- By clicking on View — All Lists, and then go to the funnel icon on the toolbar and choosing the filters, you can create a list of today’s tasks. If you only want to see the tasks you’ve marked as highest priority, the software will pull each item from every one of your lists that is so designated and display them on one screen. You can then sort this short list by due date. Presto! Your day’s work is in front of you.
That last feature is the key to success. It’s a cinch to add tasks, thoughts and ideas to any one of your lists any time something occurs to you; in fact, I leave my list open on my desktop the whole time I’m working. But — it’s impossible to focus and get anything done if you’re looking at a list of 100 items. By prioritizing and adding due dates, you can see in front of you only the tasks that you need to do today — or the ones that are due between now and next Friday — whatever you decide.
So you can save your sanity in two ways.
First, all that stuff that’s buzzing around in your brain threatening to cause a meltdown can be placed on appropriate lists. Your brain can rest. One by one, the things you just can’t afford to forget can be released from your brain onto your list.
Second, when you open up your laptop, you’ll see in front of you just exactly what you need to do right now. You’ll find yourself knocking things out right and left — and when you place that satisfying check beside the completed items, they’ll be archived for you and removed from view. Read pgs. 251-265 for biology; complete outline for essay for English; get the oil changed on the car; make a call to the members of your joint project group — zip, zip zip. It’s a great feeling.
Sound good? There’s a free trial version. Once you download it, you can switch it from the “Professional” version to “Standard” which is all you’ll need. There’s even a freebie — the “Lite” version (scroll all the way down and click on the small download link in the bottom right-hand corner), but it lacks the filtering ability that lets you create a single list, pulled from all of your lists, of what you need to do today. I do think that’s a crucial feature. So, if you need a tool that allows multiple lists, creates a consolidated list based on tasks you’ve prioritized, and costs nothing, email me at f r a n h e n d r i c k AT m y c o a c h f r a n DOT c o m, and I’ll send you my own version in Excel, called the Next-Up list.
Once you get this system in place, you’ll feel unbeatable, you’ll actually have more free time — and I’m willing to bet you’ll sleep better too!
COMING SOON: Power up your productivity with my e-course on Getting Organized and Getting Stuff Done! I’ll work with you one-on-one to help you create your Success Map and the master list that will take you where you want to go.
Read MoreStill Homesick? Don’t Panic!
Being homesick hurts. Moving away from home means that everything is strange — from your bed to the food — not to mention the whole dorm thing. If you’re still slogging through homesickness, you might be having trouble getting up and facing the day. It’s hard to feel joyful when you feel more like you’re grieving. But you can feel better, I promise you, and here’s some help.
Actually, the title of this post is a play on words, because homesickness really is a form of panic. Understanding what it is will help you see how to help yourself through it.
Read MoreFinding Your Path – Part 2
Okay – so you’ve got a boatload of new challenges this year, whether you’re a senior in high school working out what’s next or a freshman in college.
Here’s what I’d like you to do:
- Make a worry list. Sketch out a quick list of the challenges you’re facing – the ones that have you stumped, lost or stuck.
- Hide it. Put your list aside where you can’t see it for the moment.
- Create a gentle space. Plan a half hour that you can have all to yourself, a time when you’re free to think and imagine. Create a space that encourages you to expand into your thoughts. Maybe it’s a park bench, maybe it’s the breakfast room. You might curl up on the sofa with your laptop, or it might be more your style to go to a really nice book store to choose the perfect journal, a place of honor for the thoughts that you will place in it.
- Dare to imagine. Begin a post entitled, “Ideal Day.” This will help you create a larger context.
Finding the Path That Is *Your* Path
“If the path before you is clear,” said Joseph Campbell, “you’re probably on someone else’s.”
Whether the next steps you’re struggling with have to do with your classes, your major, your parents or a significant relationship, you may not be able to see beyond the very next brick in the path. Life can’t come with a map because each life, each person is different. This article is about helping you as you choose each step on your own path. It’s about having the courage to celebrate your own unique journey.
Read MoreThe Challenge of the Blank Page
Essays, Compositions and Papers, oh my!
To me, the act of writing is sacred. No matter what the topic, it’s taking some core essence of your self and placing it with care into words onto a blank page. Who you are, the sparks of person-hood that live within you — this is precious.
Maybe that’s why I find a blank sheet of paper challenging (daunting, even), intriguing, and exciting all at once. That’s definitely why I feel a need to write and rewrite and smooth and polish the words I have chosen. Those feelings can make it really hard to put the first word on the (virtual) paper!
Whether you’re faced with an essay for an application or a paper for your composition class, you may be feeling some of the same things. So — here are some tips to help you get started and keep on going until you’ve created a piece that truly reflects you.
Read More