Sweeten your Week with Time Management

This is a guest post by Jane Heinrichs.

Do you ever wake up dreading the day and all the things you have to do? I used to be that way until I learned to sweeten my to-do list with these five steps.

1. Make a list of the things you absolutely have to do today (or tomorrow, or this week, or this month…). Appraise the list carefully. Are all the tasks necessary? Are there some tasks that scare you, or make you nervous?

Take some time to really think about how you fill your time. Listen to your inner voice and move towards the good whispers. Try to drop anything negative or un-useful from your list, and sweeten those things that you can’t drop. Decide that if you finish one un-fun or stressful task you will treat yourself with___________ (fill the blank: bubble bath, hot chocolate, one episode of your favourite TV show…)

2. Try to group similar tasks together. I often group things by room. When I used to live in Canada I would make sure I got all my basement work done at the same time: laundry, fetching things from the pantry, emails on computer, filing. That way I didn’t have to go up and down the stairs all the time. Efficiency helps productivity, but also makes you feel better about yourself. You feel more serene and able to deal with the tasks at hand.

3. Choose one program that works for you. That way you won’t loose tasks, or forget things, because they are scattered through several systems. I prefer a paper dayplanner, where I can make weekly lists and schedule events. Use a system that bests suits your working style. Some great computer programs are iCal, Outlook, or Google Calendar.

4. Reduce interruptions. Focus on one task at a time. Trying to do too many things at once only reduces efficiency, as well as quality. Sometimes, when I am in the midst of writing or illustrating I actually turn my email off and switch my phone to silent. Very few things are so urgent that they need to be read or responded to at that moment.

5. Schedule your day or your week so you know when do to major tasks. I always check my email first thing in the morning, and then get straight to the biggest to-do for the day. I am my freshest in the morning, and my inspiration usually flows freely. Then, in the afternoon I will do phonecalls, emails and errands. It can also help to schedule certain days of the week for certain tasks. I like to run errands and go to the post office on Wednesdays.

Ultimately, you want your life to be effortless and enjoyable. Try to live each day as though it were the most perfect day of your life, and try to do those things that you enjoy.

You can design your life, and make it as sweet as you want to.

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Jane Heinrichs is a writer and illustrator living between Winnipeg and London, UK. She has successfully started her own independent publishing company called “Wide Horizons Ink.” The first children’s book she published, “Magic at the Museum”, was short-listed for the Manitoba Book Awards “Best Illustrated Book.” Jane will be contributing bi-weekly business tips for CanArtisan.