Dear multitaskers and busy people

Aug 30, 2006 22:40

How do you do it ( Read more... )

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xxxlibris August 31 2006, 10:08:28 UTC
I do a busload of stuff, but god knows to what level of efficiency. Some thoughts:

* Lists are great - also rewriting lists so you take off the stuff you've already done.

* Separating lists into "stuff you need a brane for" (eg. writing) and "stuff you can do without a brane" (eg. laundry). There's no point wasting time trying to do brane-stuff when it's gone into shut-down - instead, do non-brane stuff. This is a lesson I'm trying to pay attention to today when I'm meant to be writing 1000 words but instead have the brane-capacity of a teaspoon of jam; shall try sorting out library fines, etc instead.

* JUST SAY NO. To work, to over-sociable friends and partners (this I find incredibly hard but it must be done). Prioritise things you need to do. Get some of slightlyfoxed's cards and hand them out indiscrimintorily.

* Accept that it will always take longer than you think. Unless you're working to a hard deadline ("You must finish this report by date X, or else we'll steal your legs!"), things have the tendency to wind on. Don't beat yourself up over it.

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miss_annersley August 31 2006, 11:55:32 UTC
this is all strong truth. I fear that I am just prone to not sticking to my plans though - someone says 'come to the pub!' or 'turn the computer off, you've been staring at it all evening' and instead of saying 'no, I must finish my allotted 4 hrs of work on [X], can I turn the computer off in half an hour/come to the pub next week' I say 'well, whyever not'. Probably good for my sanity. Maybe I just need to plan a bit more realistically.

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xxxlibris August 31 2006, 12:02:31 UTC
There's a fine line tho' between taking time off to let your brane rest and energy levels reboot, and being a cocktail hound who does nowt. I think if you know you're not going to be able to work for even half an hour more then heading to the pub is a fine plan and will help you relax (says she, who is crap at taking such advice).

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miss_annersley August 31 2006, 14:50:38 UTC
I am very all-or-nothing - if I am going to have a break, I'll have a break for the whole evening (and probably eat a huge bar of chocolate as well). I think this is why I constantly run into difficulties. I'm almost considering getting this horrible book.

Of course, not spending so much time on the internet would help.

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