Thursday 13 September 2012

Not Challenge related, but a minor epiphany and a small realisation

I have been doing a lot of reading and sorting things out on my computer over the last couple of days.  This is due to me finally leaving Firefox for Chrome as my browser of choice; so I've been sorting out my bookmarks, pruning dead links, and reading some of the articles I've had bookmarked for a long time.

In particular, I've been reading Puttylike (thanks Liz!), looking into the Pomodoro Technique and a  simplified Getting Things Done  and I've realised something about how I do things...

I have lists.  Lots of lists.  And some things on those lists don't belong where they are.  I've been mistaking a lot of my Projects for Items-to-do, and that has overwhelmed me.  Just now, when I was sorting out some lists and re-assessing some things, I put some Projects on a To Do list & felt wretched.  When I realised that I needed to make a separate Projects list for them, and only put the next step on the To-Do list I felt so much lighter.  I think this might work better for me from now on!

The epiphany was that at some point, I have to stop organising (be that reading, sorting files & lists on my computer, or physically organising things like my jewellery findings) and start doing something with that knowledge (or list, or organised things).

So my new mantra is going to be "Less organising, more doing!"

We'll see if it works ;)

Having said that, though, I do know that I have to work with whatever my mood dictates; today is a doing things with the computer day, rather than a making things day, so I'll do some more blog related work, and so on.  Maybe tomorrow one of the more physical projects will get a look in, like making some jewellery for the upcoming Newcastle Alternative Expo.  If you're around, please pop in, it looks like it will be lots of fun!

2 comments:

  1. Aha! Yes - this is the post - exactly the same revelation! Cannot agree more with you on this. I've been accidentally using the Pomodoro technique - loosely - by setting an alarm on my phone at 30 minute intervals. Just to get me DOING stuff instead of thinking about doing it. Good luck! Lets have a catch up soon to see how we're getting on :)

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  2. :D I haven't yet managed to /do/ the Pomodoro technique, but I have rearranged my daily routine a bit to make me do things rather than sit at the computer!

    We'll be down for Eve's birthday, so hopefully there will be some time for a natter :D

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