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Are Your Days Crazy? Take Control


Some of us have such hectic, busy, crazy, chaotic days that we don’t have the time to even consider organization, goals, or routines. It’s when your days are so crazy that you need to take that time, and get your days under control.

It’s important, for your mental health, your sanity, and your productivity. You simply cannot be at your most effective if you are running around, putting out fires, and getting super stressed in the mean time. Taking the time to gain that control will make all the difference in the world.

Here’s how:

  1. First, claim a block of time to gain control. Yes, it will take an hour or two. Yes, you can find that time. Schedule an appointment on your calendar. If you really, really can’t find the time in your work day, get up early, or do it right after work. You can find that time if you really try. Your sanity demands it.
  2. Make a list. Do you already have all your tasks on a single to-do lists, or several next-action lists broken down by context? If so, you are ahead of the game. If not, this should be your first step. Gather all you papers into one inbox (including post-it notes, phone messages, etc.) and process them, listing the tasks you need to do on your list or lists (see Three Steps to a Permanently Clear Desk). However you do the list(s) is not important at this point. I recommend the GTD method (see Beginner’s Guide to GTD), but do whatever works for you. Making a list of your tasks is the first way to get them under control.
  3. Plan your day. Not just today, but every day. You need some sort of regular schedule in order to get things under control. Schedule your regular tasks in blocks of time: email, calls, meetings, processing your inbox, planning time, writing, etc. Try to have at least 15-30 minutes at the beginning of each day when you plan your day out in these blocks of time. This little time for planning each day is a simple way to gain control. (See Purpose Your Day: Most Important Task)
  4. Stop multi-tasking. This is probably the thing that makes your day the craziest. You can’t stay sane if you’re juggling a million things at a time. If you are doing this, you are not being productive either. Focus on one thing at a time (see How NOT to Multi-task).
  5. Control Incoming Communications. Others won’t let you do this? You need to be assertive and claim control of your time. Let others know when they can call you, or how often they can expect to receive responses to your emails. Turn of IM and chat. Turn off your email notifications and only check it once an hour, or on some other regular schedule. Let calls go to voicemail. You simply cannot respond instantly to every cell phone call, every email, every page, every request at your desk. If you have to, put on headphones. Be clear and upfront with others about your availability and the times when you cannot be disturbed. People might not always be happy with it, but after awhile, they will begin to respect your time.
  6. Review your day. Set aside a little time at the end of the day to review what you’ve done, check off your to-do lists, update the lists with new items, put stuff back where it belongs, clear off your desk, and plan for tomorrow. Leave feeling satisfied.
  7. Set routines. These regular routines are the best way to feel in control of your life. I’ve been working on a morning routine and an evening routine at home, and it also helps to have a first-thing-in-the-morning work routine (including Step 3) and an end-of-the-day work routine (Step 6). Make them a habit, and your days will be must less stressful.

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Brilliant comments (9)

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Santhosh Says:

July 11th, 2007, 13:07 pm

This is one thing every one has to take care of. With the kind of explosion in communication capabilities and technologies we are trackable every minute of our day. Its a good way of keeping things and most importantly time under our control.

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Not a Square Says:

September 7th, 2007, 21:08 pm

This is great advice. I have been struggling with keeping my sanity due to a work scheduling change and I think these techniques are going to help. Your blog is very helpful. Thanks!

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Ppminhphung Says:

October 19th, 2007, 1:39 am

I’m a Vietnamese. I am not really good at ENGLISH. At school, I have many things making me crazy. Thank you for your saying. It will very happy if someone send me a english book, so I can Improve my English Thank you!.
My address: Dang Minh Phung 12a1, An nhon tay high school, an nhon tay, cu chi, Ho chi minh city, vietnam. Thank you very much. I love all!!

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amy Says:

May 15th, 2008, 5:16 am

I am so glad and thankful to my very thoughtful boyfriend,Peter for sharing and leading me this link. Its a pleasure to have this advices,worthy really,since somtimes i struggle a kind of stuff(being busy,carzy busy really).Gos bless Ya all!!!

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Gisele Schembri Says:

November 19th, 2008, 11:24 am

Everyone keeps suggesting to ‘find time’ for things. I barely sleep enough as it is in order to catch up with stuff that can’t be put off. A three-hour daily commute to and from work greatly reduces on my few precious hours, seeing as I work 8.30 to 5 and am also a housewife. How can you find the time? By the way - I don’t even own a car and the public transport is terrible so I depend mostly on lifts to get anything done out of the house!

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nancy brown Says:

January 28th, 2009, 11:51 am

I notice you never speak of your wife’s free time, you rarely write of helping her out raising 6 toddlers and just that the 6 exist. You are gone in the morning on your run–something she cannot do–you come home, eat, meditate (thanks wife) go to your office, and occasionally tell us how cuddling with your toddlers is happiness. Do you do housework? Wash diapers early in the morning, take over her duties and help her? This seems a very selfish life–you have freedom thanks to her–your free time revolves around your wife maintaining the house and kids. I would be interested in your comments about how you help around the house maintaining peace, if you do, and more input from your wife, like how she copes because right now it sounds like you do not give her the hours of freedom, peace that you seem to be entitled to. Awfully ego-centric, sir.

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Ravositti.com Says:

February 16th, 2009, 0:12 am

This is one of the most difficult things for me to do but I know I need to try hard to gain control of my life.

Regards,
RP

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Chanel Designer Handbags Says:

May 14th, 2009, 12:53 pm

Its a good way of keeping things and most importantly time under our control. I would be interested in your comments about how you help around the house maintaining peace,

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free divorce papers Says:

June 7th, 2009, 16:27 pm

I like your advice. To be able to accomplish so much in a day, planning it ahead and having a morning and evening routines keep my sanity.

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