Productivity Frustrations

I currently have several jobs, including my Accounting Business, my “side-hustle” (Frances Quilts), Quilt Guild webmaster, Nana, and, of course, Wife!

And, like many of us, I struggle to accomplish everything that I want to do.

Back in November, I read the book “Getting Things Done” by David Allen…..

This is a very intense book, and I initially found myself getting overwhelmed with it, but finally learned to listen to his ideas and then adapt them to ME.

One of his big ideas is to have a way to CAPTURE everything that you need to do.

Now, he REALLY gets into the idea of capturing all of your tasks in one place, including having a set of 31 folders….one for each day of the month.

Okay…. I didn’t take it that far!!

But, I did like the idea of writing things down in a place where I would see them, remember them, and not have them just floating in my brain!

Let’s be honest, the only things that I REALLY want to be floating in my brain are quilt ideas!!

As an example, I am the webmaster for my quilt guild. That means that each month, I must complete a series of tasks, including updating membership lists in 3 places, updating web pages for past and future events, posting meeting photos on Facebook, and even sending out email reminders.

THAT is a lot to remember EVERY SINGLE MONTH!!

So, I set up a form that listed all of the tasks, printed it 12 times, and placed one in each of my monthly folders (yes I DID make monthly folders). Now, I know that those tasks are “captured” and I don’t have to worry about them anymore.

I also set up folders for my studio…..projects that are in process, projects that I WANT to be in process, projects that are on my “someday/maybe” list and even projects that I can work on without having to think about them (ie…scrap quilts)!!

This capture process seems to be working well so far!!

The other idea that I got from the book was this…..

Make a To-Do list for each day, but don’t include things that you have NO plan to actually do!!

I am so guilty of this. I will load up my daily To-Do list with tons of items, knowing full well that there is NO way I can accomplish all of it. The result is that, at the end of the day, I have a few things crossed off but feel guilty about everything that DIDN’T get done.

I have found this idea so helpful and it has encouraged me to FINISH the tasks that I have assigned to that day….even if I don’t want to do them!!

OKAY…I know that this has nothing to do with quilting….or does it?

Could you apply some of these principles to your creative life?

Please let me know what you think of!!