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Task Overload
By admin | August 30, 2008
I have written about information and project overload in previous posts, today its the turn of task overload.
What do you think it might be? For me it’s the day to day grind of getting things done. What should I be doing today, this minute, this hour?
In order to see any sense in a day and to make sure you achieve, you have to plan. This doesn’t have to be boring and it doesn’t have to take huge amounts of time. You may find it easier to plan it a week at a time, day by day. If you come to a point when you switch on your computer and ask yourself, “What do I need to do today” then you have lost the plot. You need to plan.
I ignored this basic rule for a long time and thinking back I lost months when I wandered around in internet circles, never actually getting anywhere. I may not be getting anywhere now either but at least I am planning and by planning I can see what I have achieved which gives me a much needed boost now and then.
So, if you get a piece of paper and divide it into 4 columns, that gives you the day, the tasks column , a lesser tasks column and I keep a fourth column for appointments, things I have to do at a certain time of a particular day, like visit the dentist and frightening things like that.
I plan at the end of one week for the following week. In the first column, I write the day, the second the most important things I want to achieve and the third, tasks i would like to get done given the time but which aren’t critical if I don’t.
The important rule is, don’t stuff too many tasks in there. I made this mistake originally and still do but its important not to overestimate what you can do in a day. By practising this you will get more realistic goals and you won’t over plan. If you consistently over plan you will get disheartened so don’t do it. Set your aims and realise that there are only so many hours in a day.
There is nothing better than finishing a task, putting a tick against it or crossing it out and moving onto the next thing on your list. You will feel a sense of achievement and move closer to getting your goals.
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