Yesterday, I began this post. Before I finished writing, it took a sudden, somber turn.

I wasn’t sure if I should even finish it. Or if I did, if I should include the ending.

I decided to include.

Do THIS for 1 hour = huge sense of accomplishment AND relief (original post title)

I’m about to spend the next hour tackling items on my To Do (rather “To Have Been Done a LONG Time Ago”) list.

Get ready, set, …. ok here goes:

I’m spending ONE hour tackling “easy” (at least regarding time it takes to get them done) things that’ve been on my list entirely too long.

TIP:  Add in accountability. I did this by posting on my Your Life Organizer Facebook page… which also held me accountable for posting it on my blog today:

PREP (10 min):

• Jotted down the stuff I wanted to complete. Listing out what you need to do, then figuring out the order you’ll do them gives CLARITY + FOCUS: two KEYS for working smart.  TIP:  Include places to check off so you can literally cross each thing you do off your list. This provides a nice sense of mini-accomplishments.
• Gathered supplies (note cards, stamps, writing pens). TIP: Look through list and gather everything you need before diving in. You’ll keep momentum going and get it done quicker.
• Minimized distractions.  TIP: Turn off ringer and any other alerts, shut the door. 

Made my list + gathered supplies

WORK ON LIST (1 hr):

Start with easiest OR hardest? I went with the easiest this time. Wanted to get through several quick things first, so saved the ones that required a bit more thinking for last.

• Wrote 11 notes (including six from Christmas!)
• Wrote testimonial for our painters who did such a wonderful job …. over a year and a half ago
• Wrapped up a volunteer project that wrapped up two months ago (to the day) * actually postponed this one a day! *
• Made two phone calls (that I’d been putting off. And off. And off.)

RESULTS:

I completed 14 items,  *and have committed (I can come up with some pretty good excuses) to myself to finish the other two this week.

• I worked through the list thinking, “Why didn’t I just do earlier? This isn’t so bad!” (I actually like writing thank you notes and feel I have to find the perfect mood to do them.) NOTE:  Become aware of any perfectionistic tendencies. This type of procrastination can actually be paralyzing.
• MY NEW RULE: If you have (or truly want) to do it, then JUST DO IT on time – or before.  You’ll feel great about being on top of, versus lousy for putting it off and then having it hang over you for weeks, months – even years.

 On a very sad note… 

As I began wrapping up the hour, I made a phone call that stopped me cold. Literally took my breath away. When I called my wonderful painter to give him the testimonial I’d finally written, his wife told me he was killed in a motorcycle accident in November.

I felt horrible for not doing what I had said I would do. And my heart broke for his wife and loved ones. In addition to being such a professional, he was one of those good vibe people I’d talked about last week.

Putting things off becomes clutter that snowballs. While it’s not something that clutters your environment, it can absolutely clutter your mind and become a weight that gets heavier as time goes by.

TAKE ACTION NOW: 

• Schedule an hour and tackle those little things you’ve been putting off.
• Include this:  What’s one thing that – god forbid – if something were to happen you’d always regret not saying what you wanted to say. Or doing what you know you need to do.

With love,