Have you ever been so busy, so overloaded with things that have to get done right now you didn’t know where to start?
I’ve been feeling like that as I wrap up some assignments I’ve had on the books for a while, take on a gigantic new one, and at the same time, juggle a stream of requests to do presentations, take part in panel discussions or give interviews.
It would be easy to turn down the latter because it’s not all paid work. But I’ve spent a lot of time in the last year immersing myself in all things social media and talking about the future of journalism, so I don’t want to pass up those opportunities just when my marketing efforts are starting to pay off.
So how do I prioritize what’s becoming a longer and crazier work week?
It’s not just me. As the economy picks up more freelancers are getting offers of new projects, and after what the recession did to our business this year, nobody has the heart to say no to work. So we’re all in the same busy boat.
Some writers set a timer and concentrate on one thing until it goes off. Others segment every day into specific parts devoted to different tasks. Freelance writer, author and blogger Leah Ingram is the master of this. Even if you read the Q&A I did with her some months back, it’s worth taking a second look just to see again how she’s able to produce magazine articles, books and a busy blog with aplomb.
I was thinking about all this when I walked into Starbucks recently. I was browsing through the store’s bookshelf waiting for my hot spiced cider when I saw a guide to getting accepted into the Air Force Academy. My high school-aged son is interested in the Air Force Academy, so when my drink arrived I sat down and started reading.
A few chapters in there was a section on what first year cadets can expect – lots of classes, little free time. In fact, according to the guidebook, first years are given too much to do on purpose, so they learn to figure out what’s most important. The thinking is that when they’re in combat situations they’ll always have too much to do and will have to be able to prioritize in an instant.
I couldn’t help draw parallels to how freelance writers and other self-employed people operate. We always have too much to do. The trick is to figure out which things demand your attention right now and do those first.
That’s sometimes easier said than done, especially when you have conflicting high priority tasks.
Lately I’ve put all my work and non-work to-dos into one big weekly list and picked off the stuff that’s feels most important first and let the rest sit there. Some things roll over week to week because they’re not that critical. I almost always have 10 to 15 low-priority items waiting to get taken care of (we will replace the ugly green couch in the family room some day, right after I file the piles of papers sitting in my office and hang the pictures we took down when we painted last February). When it’s the end of the day or a weekend and I’ve finished a big project but still have work time to burn, I try to knock a few off the list.
I’m also a firm believer in outsourcing household or work-related tasks to clear the decks for work. I use a travel agent to book business trips. I pay for house cleaners, a yard crew and to have groceries delivered. I minimize routine chores by grouping them together once a day or once a week.
Still, there are times when even the best time-saving tricks aren’t enough.
So I’m asking: if your schedule’s gotten busier, how do you handle it? How do you prioritize?
1. Timers are gold. I set the timer on my iPhone for 1 hour work sprints. The hard thing is gearing up to use the time.
2. Do the most important thing first two working hours. Preferably before you check email.
These two things right here will go a long way.
3. Stop keeping todo lists. I’ve stopped writing anything down actually. Unless I can more or less publish it immediately, or include into something that’s ongoing without much effort.
Instead of todo lists, visualize your outcome. Find a quiet place, make a mental image of what you want to get done. Make your mental image as complete as you can. If necessary draw a road map in your mind’s eye from here to there. But don’t write anything down.
I have stacks and stack and web pages full of todo lists, journals bulging full of ideas, hardly any of which I ever look at after I write them down.
If I can turn a todo list into an article, I will write that down.
We have a problem that’s gotten really bad over the last two years: fewer people are being paid too little money for too much work.
It can’t continue, but I don’t know what the breaking point looks like.
Great post! Although I’m not as busy as you, I do feel like I always have a ton of stuff to do. From marketing to paperwork, I always feel like my mind is several feet in front of my body and I can’t ever keep up.
For right now, I’ve been just working on the most important (paid stuff) or stuff that’s due first. When I take a break, I Twitter or Facebook, write a few blogs or apply for more writing jobs.
I’m curious to know what others do too especially for times when my business (*knock on wood) grows.
Funny, I just posted on my blog about how I ended up taking a “self-imposed vacation” last week (from my blog) in order to do something on my to-do list (send out my novel to agents) that just never seemed to get done. My feeling is that the things that need to get done always do, whether b/c you prioritize them or, like me, you decide to de-prioritize something else (for a week, say.) But i also learned from that week that you never, ever hit a zero inbox. It just doesn’t happen and learning to live w/that is the biggest challenge of all.
Delia Lloyd
http://www.realdelia.com
http://realdelia.com/2009/11/18/tips-for-adulthood-how-to-make-time-off-productive/
Delia: I took a self imposed break from my social networks this summer when I went on vacation, though I did check email a couple times. It was refreshing, and surprise, the world was still turning when I returned. It’s definitely a worthwhile mental break. I had been taking weekends off of work too, but this fall have needed to put in a couple hours on Saturday or Sunday to keep up. I’m hoping I can stop that during the holidays. As for nothing in the email inbox, I’ve done it before, but it doesn’t last long. I’ve gotten better with immediately replying, deleting or filing though.
MVR
Amen, Michelle! I am busier than ever. I really need to say no more, but it’s good to have lots of projects going (and thus lots of paychecks rolling in). I write to do lists, but I rarely follow a strict schedule. Inevitably things come up during the day (I get a last minute assignment or a client calls with an urgent question or I get locked out of my apartment) and I need to be flexible enough to respond without being locked into a schedule. I don’t usually get too far off track, but sometimes things come up that have to take precedence.
Thanks Susan – have to say, after the last year, we’re lucky to have this problem, no?