Thursday, March 6, 2014

Getting Things Done

During the course of doing this blog, Facebook, ETSY,  Pinterest, and Threadbias, I am constantly getting asked, "How do you get all these things done?"  Well, I thought I would share the process I have in getting the things done I have and want to get done.

I use a 9 3/4" X 7 1/2" Composition notebook (I usually get 10 of them during the beginning of school when they have school supplies on sale, as I can get them for .50 a piece).  I take a few minutes at the end of each week to outline the up and coming week.  Every week outline is the same format, so that I know where all the "to do's" week after week.

On the left hand margin is each weekday with the date is listed with 4 lines under each day.  There is a reasoning behind this, as I write down at least three things I need to accomplish each day.  This includes laundry, ironing, cleaning, gardening, appointments, etc.  This way, the day doesn't get away from me, and I can look back and see what it is I do all day.  

The right hand side is the major areas of my life that I want to accomplish, either that week or as an ongoing basis.  This keeps me focused on big projects and the progress I am making on each one.  Yes, there is redundancy in writing down the big projects, as they get written down again each week until I have accomplished it!

Across the top of the page is four areas I keep track of daily.  Starting from the left to the right is, record of my weight (I am working on losing 50 to 75 lbs), and this keeps me on track of recording and accountability of my life style of changing my eating habits.  Next is the title "Bible Study" with the days of the week initial listed.  This way, I "x" out each day I remember to do the Study of the Word.  This keeps me obedient to my Lord and holds me accountable to myself in accomplishing this goal I have desired to do for many years.  Next is the title of "Exercise" and the same listing of each day below.  I fail miserably with this one, but I keep it there, as I know I need to do this every day, even if for a few minutes.  This is a nagging listing I keep, so that maybe one day I will cave and start up a exercise program (yeah, right!).  And lastly, is a heading of "Gardening" and the days listed below the title.  We have a half acre, with chickens, raised bed food garden beds, fruit bushes and trees, large lawns, and many flower beds.  With all of the "outside work" that needs to be done, I feel I have to spend 2-4 hours a day year round in order to keep up with all that is going on in the gardening area of my place.d



This is a completed week that shows all that has been filled in each area of what I want to get accomplished.  You will see that I check off each thing I have listed and get done, which gives me a great sense of accomplishment.  If you notice, down the middle, written sideways, is the menu of each day of the week.  This also keeps me on track with meal preparation, grocery shopping, and sticking to the new way of eating for losing weight.  


I also keep a listing, housed behind each week page that moves forward after each week is over, of all the Major Projects that I want to get done eventually.  Most of these projects cannot be done in one day, or sometimes in one week, but this way, I can pick one off the list and work on it throughout the week while I am getting the rest of the weekly To Do's .


My day starts out with my Bible Study, then spend about an hour on the computer with either personal of business work, then a couple of hours outside (unless it is pouring rain), then a couple of hours doing housework (laundry, ironing, cleaning, baking, etc), and then I try to work on a major project until dinner preparation, then dinner and time with hubby, then the rest of the evening I spend in my sewing room working on the many projects I have ongoing.  I have a separate list of my sewing projects and my progress on each of them.  Finally at night in bed, I work on my iPad, writing new posts, posting to Pinterest, loading finished projects in Threadbias, and posting listings on my ETSY site.  Sometimes, I just get to read!

So there you have it.  This is how I manage to get all the things accomplished that I write and post about.  I will add, that the only way I got to this point of accomplishing so much everyday, is to shut off the television.  It is a real time stealer!

Warmest...

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