Break It Down

Does your to do list stress you out?   Are you allowing your projects to pile up because they feel unattainable?

I learned to prioritize the tasks on my to do lists, but some of the tasks were so big and seemed unreachable.  They remained uncompleted because just the thought of having to complete them stressed me out. 

How did I get over the fact that some of these activities were piling up?  Well, I figured out which ones were important to me and which ones needed to be done by me.  Everything else was either delegated to someone else or I just let it go.  I needed to focus on the things that were important or urgent.  (That’s prioritizing.)

This didn’t help the fact that the projects were huge and intimidating.  I was drowning and wasn’t sure how to conquer the list.  I took classes and did time management challenges and finally found something that helped.  It seemed too simple to work.  I  figured I had to give it a try.

I listed the projects I needed to do.  Then I made a list (I know) of each step it would take for me to complete the project.  I gave each step a realistic deadline.  Once I had it all written on paper, I figured out what date the project should be completed and put that date on my calendar. 

I knew I couldn’t paint the office in one day.  But I could get everything away from the walls, tape the windows, and do the prep work.  I even included the shopping trip with a list of what I would need.  I gave myself time to sand and clean and spackle and paint.  One step at a time.  It took me a few weeks to fit everything into my schedule, but I now have a beautiful office and one less project on my to do list.

Make your list of projects, prioritize your list, break your projects into step-by-step tasks with deadlines, and add it to the calendar.  You can do this.  I believe in you!