I fixed our noisy leaky toilet today. I count this small task as a major victory. :-)
Justin Kownacki
· 2 years ago
Agreed. Every so often, my life needs a little recharge and refocus.
Four credit cards' worth of debt? No, more like 5 or 6...
The key for me is to simplify AND motivate. One leads to the other. If I have too much to do, I'll freeze and I won't do anything. If I have only a few things to do, I'll be lazy and I won't do anything either. I need to have JUST ENOUGH to do to get the important things done -- a strategic semi-clutter.
Lee Brixton
· 2 years ago
For me, it's not what I do in my life so much as what I feel. Happiness, contentment, joy, fulfillment, love, purpose - whatever you call it - it's top priority. If I don't feel the fulfilled feeling within myself every day, then it doesn't matter what I do or not do in the day.
Feeling the thing that keeps my alive is the most joyous feeling ever.
However, in all fairness, what Chris has written is absolutely good advice.
Shane Robinson
· 2 years ago
Aloha Chris,
I really got into GTD (http://www.davidco.com/) earlier this year and it did help me wrestle back control of my inbox. One of the main tenants is, if it takes less than 2 minutes, Do It Now. It's a very simple concept but has helped me get a lot more of the little things done. And I still have a long way to go.
This reply to you is a perfect example. The first thought that came to my head while reading it was, "Where can I put this so I remember to reply to it tomorrow?" Then I realized that is one of my worst habits. Putting simple things aside to do later when I can do them right now and they don't even have to be put on a list for later.
Thanks for the reminder and thanks for helping me exercise my own GTD muscles. Seems a lot of people are going though changes right now. It is indeed a very exciting time to be Waking Up!
Whitney
· 2 years ago
Sometimes it is so easy to go with the flow of your life, rather than paddle your canoe where you really want to go. But sometimes sitting don and asking yourself the hard question of where your North Star is (or should be) is difficult, and means facing some hard truths, so we become very good at avoiding the question at all.
I was talking to a very dear friend recently, and they said they wanted to do something, but it felt like making a five year old eat their veggies- something they had to do, knew they should do, but the dread and the "not fun" side seemed to make the task impossible. Yet I know when I get those nagging, not fun things out of the way, I fell so much better and like I've accomplished so much more. Taxes come to mind; doctor's appointments; cleaning the office and cleaning out closets...all things that need to be done both physically and metaphorically, but getting the momentum is hard.
The trick, as you say, is snacks. You need to say "I am going to attack this project for twenty minutes, then I can quit." Set a timer. Get going. Once you start and the timer goes off, you have permission to stop. You can quit. Or set a new mini goal if things are going well. But you'll get so much more accomplished by facing the hard stuff and just starting, committing to do it in chunks, rather than look at the overwhelming whole, and never start at all. Bite sized pieces, spread out over a few days, or a week, are much better than one huge meal. It's the starving man at the banquet story- too many choices, so he dies staring at the bounty rather than partaking freely. Give yourself permission to nibble, and see how it goes.
jeffpulver
· 2 years ago
"Learn to say No" - Something I wish I knew how to say better myself...
Chris Hambly
· 2 years ago
Love it.
I'm going to enure I cook some good quality food this evening, along with fixing a couple of "issues" regarding insurance plans.
Nancy A. Shenker
· 2 years ago
Pretend each day is your last one on earth, and make it count! I also color-code my activities in my PDA (for work, fun, family, networking and "me" time). If there's too much of one color, I re-balance. Remember, we're only on this planet 100 or so years (if we're lucky). Every second should be spent doing something great...for ourselves or others.
thefemgeek
· 2 years ago
Great timing for this Chris, this has been on my mind for a few days now. One of the wake up calls I had to realize is that I need more creative people around me and that my shyness needs to step aside and let me do my thing. Of course that was only one of the many things I need to check up and check in. I have printed this out and will use it as a reminder as I go on my journey to make what I am trying to achieve happen. Once again another reason why I am so glad I have your feed. You're awesome.
JoeC
· 2 years ago
This sounds ridiculous, but it actually seems to work. Keep a clean desk. When things pile up on your desk, they pile up in your mind and you get that overwhelmed feeling of never being able to do it all. Plus, all those things are distractions, too. It's said that Eisenhower could not tolerate a single thing on his Oval Office desk. If it needing attention, he worked on it and got it off the desk. Nothing laid around. Now, being The POTUS helps with that technique because you have a secretary with more pull than 99% of CEOs. But certainly, the less clutter the better.
Michael Bailey
· 2 years ago
Thanks for the course correction Chris.
and @JeffPulver - you must give yourself some credit, I think that you have already told me "no" a couple of times! :-)
Big T
· 2 years ago
Chris, as usual, you hit the nail on the head.
I started slacking on the gym, delaying other projects because I am tired (granted I do not get continuous sleep at night as I need to check my 5 yr old's blood sugar - Type 1 diabetic) which doesn't help. Some may look at this as an excuse to which I reply: try getting up at different times throughout the night, every night...
The bite sized (fun size?) or small box concept is simple and elegant. We all wish to feel proud of ourselves when we accomplish a task or tasks. It motivates us to do more, gives us a sense of accomplishment, and inspires us to do more.
So, you may ask, how does this help me? I break down that small box into time management: if it takes me 1 hour to organize or "pack" that box, then I say to myself: self, that box needs to be smaller. This means I get more of the "warm and fuzzies" when I sucessfully complete a task, but also helps me re evaluate my time management so I can adequately plan for spending time with my kids, doing freelance projects, being a hubby, and getting an appropriate amount of sleep to get me through the day.
I have not yet had any coffee so I apologize if my thought are a little more random and un-organized in addition to any spelling mistakes.
Steve Woolf
· 2 years ago
This blog post is resonating like church bells over this way, Chris...
Sue Murphy
· 2 years ago
Chris I think one of the key things you point out here is that the list is never going to be empty (and that's not necessarily a bad thing!). Sometimes I think "Someday I'll be so rich and successful that I can just lay on a warm sunny beach all day long and have not a care in the world!" But it's not true, because even once I make it to that sunny beach, there will always be something to do...I'll have to remember to call my mom, or do my laundry (or at least call someone to come do it for me!) and yes, I'll still have to pay taxes. I think if my list was actually empty, I'd get bored.
But the point is, that's life! And it really is what one makes of it. It's alll about maintenance. Do that maintenance consistently, and don't let those little tasks pile up, and you'll be amazed how much time there is to pursue all that needs pursuing.
Live every moment, and don't spend so much time worrying about the little things that need to get done. Write it on a list, then forget about it until it's your scheduled "maintenance" time. Like an oil change - you dont' drive your car around continuously thinking about its next oil change. So don't live your life focused on the maintenance. Just live it for what it is at this moment.
Misty O'Brien
· 2 years ago
Something I *so* needed to read today. Thank you for writing this.
Amy
· 2 years ago
About 2 years ago, I got tired of living the life I felt I was living by default - you know the choices you end up with because you didn't think ahead and made the safest choices at the time.
I went back to grad school, got the job I've always wanted to do, in a community I always hoped to be able to live in. It was so empowering, and yet there are still things I do by default, behaviors I don't question or challenge and there always will be. Thanks for the reminder.
Chris Cavs
· 2 years ago
Maybe it's the gorgeous springtime weather, or the fact that winter was so harsh on me, but this weekend, I vowed to do just that. I've been in a rut for the past few months, but last week I decided that change was necessary, and more importantly, that I needed to simplify my life - or in your words, to "learn to say no." And that's what I'm doing. I've listed out most of what I need to do, want to do, want to have, and should discard. I've yet to see if this works, but I at least feel a bit better about where I'm going.
Dan York
· 2 years ago
Chris, Nice piece... (laughing) I could go off on this subject myself in a much longer post (and maybe I will), but in the spirit of checking off small boxes, I'll start with a comment here. I've always been a big fan of the saying "the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step" and the important part to me is that you look at how to take that step (and then most importantly *take* the step), even if you are not entirely sure where the journey will wind up. Many times, the most amazing things happen by virtue of you taking that first step down a new path. Thanks again for the good reminder. Dan
Jon
· 2 years ago
I'm losing weight. One of the things I've learned as I do this is that keeping constant awareness of my internal dialogue as it relates to food is really, really tough. So many behaviors are automatic and almost seem to preempt thought. That's why planning what I eat throughout the day has become so important. It's the only way to hem in those seemingly unconscious actions that occur when I'm just winging it. I'm heading off poor choices made on the fly by making my plan, making myself stick to it and learning to pay closer attention to the way I think and act in certain situations. I think, ultimately, every major change that one attempts to make is like this.
Greg Demetrick
· 2 years ago
A big one for me was to stop listing to Nay Sayers. If you think something will work and plan it out properly, you CAN do it. Nay sayers, second handers, and others will say anything just to deter you and you need to shut them out. Be original. Be a creator, and let go of what others think because what matters to you is most important in the end.
The Diva
· 2 years ago
I'm not so sure I like the fact that you are encouraging people to say no...especially when it might be me who they are saying no to! Can you maybe put a clause in there that reads - say no, unless The Diva is asking, in which case the answer should always be Yes!
Whitney
· 2 years ago
It's all about triage- Say Yes to new experiences, things that value add, and say no when you are over-extended or can't see the value add. As Chris said to me once, and I keep this in mind all the time now- check the calories in/calories out balance and decide accordingly.
Clintus
· 2 years ago
What a great post. I, as most people here I'm sure, needed something like this. I am the worst when it comes to time manegment and saying no. I feel like I must help everyone. Thank you for this. I will use your teachings to better myself. The force is strong with you.
Bryan Person, Bryper.com
· 2 years ago
@Jeff Pulver: Let me test your "no" skills: Want to fly me to Stockholm as an organizer for PodCamp Europe?
Rupert
· 2 years ago
Your post came at an apposite time. It was a factor in a major decision I made today to sign up for a long term training program. I decided to, finally, this morning - the final day to decide. Then I decided I had too much to do, and everything was too chaotic to consider doing something so time consuming. But then I read your post, and remembered to step outside my habits and get some perspective, and I changed my mind again. It's the right decision, and I was almost about to walk away for the wrong reasons. So, thanks. For what it's worth, when I'm on top of things, I use the system from David Allen's book Getting Things Done. As with all these things, it requires you not to fall off the wagon - but if you stick to it, it's absolutely magic. Kind of like what you're saying about small boxes, but with an insistence on looking at individual specific Next Actions to move each thing along. Brilliant stuff. Worth an afternoon's read.
eric : gardenfork.tv
· 2 years ago
i just shot an episode about water pumps/drip irrigation in my workshop and looked at the footage, and the clutter was amazing. Its overwhelming. I've found that its true, if you focus on a small area, you can accomplish that task easily and not get overwhelmed by the larger picture.
Now my garage is another story. 2 early 80's F150 trucks, power tools, bikes, and antique chairs piled in the back of both trucks. i'll focus on getting rid of the chairs.
Rob
· 2 years ago
I love when you post about these subjects. Clearly it resonates with others too. Thanks Chris.
brokenengine
· 2 years ago
Great Advice Chris! Gonna re-post this on my blog, hope thats ok!
Heidi Miller
· 2 years ago
My favorite lesson learned of late is the breaking into small chunks thing. I tend to have bigger and more challenging projects these days, and I can easily get overwhelmed and just not do anything.
Breaking things into steps and checking the steps off the list is sooo much easier and more satisfying than panicking. Oh, panicking is fun, to be sure, but it doesn't beat check marks. :-)
All Comments
I count this small task as a major victory. :-)
Four credit cards' worth of debt? No, more like 5 or 6...
The key for me is to simplify AND motivate. One leads to the other. If I have too much to do, I'll freeze and I won't do anything. If I have only a few things to do, I'll be lazy and I won't do anything either. I need to have JUST ENOUGH to do to get the important things done -- a strategic semi-clutter.
Feeling the thing that keeps my alive is the most joyous feeling ever.
However, in all fairness, what Chris has written is absolutely good advice.
I really got into GTD (http://www.davidco.com/) earlier this year and it did help me wrestle back control of my inbox. One of the main tenants is, if it takes less than 2 minutes, Do It Now. It's a very simple concept but has helped me get a lot more of the little things done. And I still have a long way to go.
This reply to you is a perfect example. The first thought that came to my head while reading it was, "Where can I put this so I remember to reply to it tomorrow?" Then I realized that is one of my worst habits. Putting simple things aside to do later when I can do them right now and they don't even have to be put on a list for later.
Thanks for the reminder and thanks for helping me exercise my own GTD muscles. Seems a lot of people are going though changes right now. It is indeed a very exciting time to be Waking Up!
I was talking to a very dear friend recently, and they said they wanted to do something, but it felt like making a five year old eat their veggies- something they had to do, knew they should do, but the dread and the "not fun" side seemed to make the task impossible. Yet I know when I get those nagging, not fun things out of the way, I fell so much better and like I've accomplished so much more. Taxes come to mind; doctor's appointments; cleaning the office and cleaning out closets...all things that need to be done both physically and metaphorically, but getting the momentum is hard.
The trick, as you say, is snacks. You need to say "I am going to attack this project for twenty minutes, then I can quit." Set a timer. Get going. Once you start and the timer goes off, you have permission to stop. You can quit. Or set a new mini goal if things are going well. But you'll get so much more accomplished by facing the hard stuff and just starting, committing to do it in chunks, rather than look at the overwhelming whole, and never start at all.
Bite sized pieces, spread out over a few days, or a week, are much better than one huge meal. It's the starving man at the banquet story- too many choices, so he dies staring at the bounty rather than partaking freely. Give yourself permission to nibble, and see how it goes.
I'm going to enure I cook some good quality food this evening, along with fixing a couple of "issues" regarding insurance plans.
and @JeffPulver - you must give yourself some credit, I think that you have already told me "no" a couple of times! :-)
I started slacking on the gym, delaying other projects because I am tired (granted I do not get continuous sleep at night as I need to check my 5 yr old's blood sugar - Type 1 diabetic) which doesn't help. Some may look at this as an excuse to which I reply: try getting up at different times throughout the night, every night...
The bite sized (fun size?) or small box concept is simple and elegant. We all wish to feel proud of ourselves when we accomplish a task or tasks. It motivates us to do more, gives us a sense of accomplishment, and inspires us to do more.
So, you may ask, how does this help me? I break down that small box into time management: if it takes me 1 hour to organize or "pack" that box, then I say to myself: self, that box needs to be smaller. This means I get more of the "warm and fuzzies" when I sucessfully complete a task, but also helps me re evaluate my time management so I can adequately plan for spending time with my kids, doing freelance projects, being a hubby, and getting an appropriate amount of sleep to get me through the day.
I have not yet had any coffee so I apologize if my thought are a little more random and un-organized in addition to any spelling mistakes.
But the point is, that's life! And it really is what one makes of it. It's alll about maintenance. Do that maintenance consistently, and don't let those little tasks pile up, and you'll be amazed how much time there is to pursue all that needs pursuing.
Live every moment, and don't spend so much time worrying about the little things that need to get done. Write it on a list, then forget about it until it's your scheduled "maintenance" time. Like an oil change - you dont' drive your car around continuously thinking about its next oil change. So don't live your life focused on the maintenance. Just live it for what it is at this moment.
I went back to grad school, got the job I've always wanted to do, in a community I always hoped to be able to live in. It was so empowering, and yet there are still things I do by default, behaviors I don't question or challenge and there always will be. Thanks for the reminder.
Nice piece... (laughing) I could go off on this subject myself in a much longer post (and maybe I will), but in the spirit of checking off small boxes, I'll start with a comment here. I've always been a big fan of the saying "the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step" and the important part to me is that you look at how to take that step (and then most importantly *take* the step), even if you are not entirely sure where the journey will wind up. Many times, the most amazing things happen by virtue of you taking that first step down a new path. Thanks again for the good reminder.
Dan
For what it's worth, when I'm on top of things, I use the system from David Allen's book Getting Things Done. As with all these things, it requires you not to fall off the wagon - but if you stick to it, it's absolutely magic. Kind of like what you're saying about small boxes, but with an insistence on looking at individual specific Next Actions to move each thing along. Brilliant stuff. Worth an afternoon's read.
Now my garage is another story. 2 early 80's F150 trucks, power tools, bikes, and antique chairs piled in the back of both trucks. i'll focus on getting rid of the chairs.
Breaking things into steps and checking the steps off the list is sooo much easier and more satisfying than panicking. Oh, panicking is fun, to be sure, but it doesn't beat check marks. :-)
hifue.info