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What is the art of powering through?

October 28, 2009 By 2 Comments

Everyone is different and thus work in different ways. I guess this is also the case when it comes to getting things done. Now, I have not read the book “Getting things done,” which I have been meaning to, so my opinion might change. But for now, I would say that everyone has different ways to complete their todo-list. That is if you even keep a todo-list.

As you know, from a previous post I have a todo-list actually I have a to-do book. Keeping a list makes me more structured and help me to not forget about those smaller things that could make a difference, but is not really super important. Anyway, I am usually very good at getting things done and thus crossing them of the list. But once in a while I find myself struggling with one or two of the things I need to get done, for various reasons. I am sure you recognize the situation.

Anyway, in the past I usually dealt with the situation by doing everything else on the list until the only thing I had left was the thing I really dreaded doing. This used to work very well, and I was happy keeping it this way because I spent most of my time doing the things I liked to do. However, this stopped working the day my list grew longer and the things I was postponing became more time consuming. Thus, instead of only postponing them until I had to complete them, I ended up never doing them, because never managed to get everything else done. So to not be known as someone who did not keep her word, and most for my own sake, I needed to find a solution, and I did.

I decided to complete my todos in a hierarchal order no matter how much I was dreading them, the only time I am allowed to bend this rule is for things that come with a time-frame. Said and done, I began following my new rule. Which worked great for a while, and I got a few things I really dreaded to do crossed off.

However, when I again ended up in a situation where there were less things on my list, I realized that I not only neglected the highest priority things, I did nothing else either. I got lazy! So, perhaps I should change back to my previous rule, since that worked better when I had less things going on?

Do you have a todo-list? What are your secrets to getting things done? How do you power through those things that you really do not feel like doing?

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Filed Under: Annelie's Musings, Career development
  • http://www.tullstedt.se/ Simon Tullstedt

    My to-do-list is actually a mind map. It might seem to be the worst way to keep a list, but I’ve realised that it’s a good way to keep the todo’s structured.

    Since I work for several organisations, keep a small business running and have some kind of private life, just like most of us, the to-do-list has to be somewhat organic. Sometimes I need to see the big picture, sometimes I need to focus down to just one branch. The dynamic mind map is therefore a good solution.

    When it comes down to actually doing things, post-its is the only thing that works for me. One task at a time.

  • http://www.tullstedt.se Simon Tullstedt

    My to-do-list is actually a mind map. It might seem to be the worst way to keep a list, but I’ve realised that it’s a good way to keep the todo’s structured.

    Since I work for several organisations, keep a small business running and have some kind of private life, just like most of us, the to-do-list has to be somewhat organic. Sometimes I need to see the big picture, sometimes I need to focus down to just one branch. The dynamic mind map is therefore a good solution.

    When it comes down to actually doing things, post-its is the only thing that works for me. One task at a time.