I wasn't going to write a blog post this week. Well, that's not entirely true. I was going to post a very short one in about choosing to say "no" to writing a blog post this week. It's been a very full week, filled with expected and unexpected things (including a relative finding out he needs bypass surgery next week.)

But something happened today that in a very practical way, was helpful in my own time management challenges, so I want to share it.

I've been on a quest to reach a certain goal at our YMCA for a holiday initiative they've been doing. So, I planned to go to Zumba this morning after getting a little work done at home first. My computer did not cooperate, and I lost most of my Outlook files. I've been able to restore them, but the process carried close to the time I would have to leave to get to class. I was torn between leaving this "open clutter" and being gone for two hours, or staying home. So I did what I often do. I called my husband.

Keith is good at talking me down from the tree when I feel backed into a corner. (Mixing metaphors?) With the right thoughts and questions, he helped me step back to evaluate priorities and in the process, another option came to mind. The solution? I passed on the morning class, am working through the day leisurely but steadily, and plan to attend a class at 5:30 instead. The bonus of that is I have somewhere to be at 7:15, and the Y is halfway there. So, I'll also be saving time and gas since I'll be doing two stops in one trip rather than going out two separate times today. I'll stick with my goal, hopefully get things done at home, and not go crazy.

So, today's strategy is simply a reminder that when you are feeling overwhelmed, take a breath and a step back so you can see the bigger picture of the day. Are there tasks you can drop today? Could you rearrange your schedule a bit to fit things in more smoothly? Are you pressing for a goal that isn't worth the stress you are putting yourself under to achieve it and thus you should step down, or away from it?

Effectively stepping forward, or stepping up, sometimes requires stepping back, or stepping down. Print This

As I write this, the falls at our downtown river are about as powerful as I have ever seen them. (see photos - one showing the "normal" falls, one showing the "powerful" falls) We had a LOT of rain the other day. I got to thinking about how this analogy works with time management. Over several hours, small (okay, maybe fat drops of rain as a friend called them) fell, filling the river with more and more water. Now, the power at which the water is covering the rocks and cascading through its path is out of the ordinary.

In the same way, small changes in your time management efforts can accumulate to make a difference in your day. Momentum can be built, and you find that you may be able to accomplish more in less time. I say this with caution, because I know that trying to fit more and more into an hour, day or week can actually be detrimental. What I'm talking about though, is effectiveness.

For example, if you build a solid daily/weekly routine, and stick to it, over time, things will continue to get done even when your week has extra things added to it. (Refer back to posts about task clusters and parallel tasking.) Those "drops" of habits will accumulate to allow you to power through a busy week while maintaining some semblance of order.

In a few days, the falls will be back to normal, which is a good thing. We can't run our lives at such speed and energy constantly. However, maintaining disciplines through your daily and weekly task clusters, being wise in what you always carry with you (posting on that next week!) and building good habits will strengthen and carry you through the weeks when you need extra power!

The most important routines of all involve regular strengthening of our walk with God. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the ability to go through each day...so be sure to regularly water yourself with prayer and God's Word. Print This

Lately, I've been picking up on a new wave of thinking that is downplaying the practice of multi-tasking. People are discovering that in their attempts to get a lot done, sometimes more chaos is created and more challenges arise. An example can be trying to cook while also being on the phone and doing laundry. I'm sure someone reading this has perhaps burned dinner because they got distracted by a phone call, or they went to fold laundry and forgot the stove was on.

As a seasoned multi-tasker (“seasoned” meaning I've been doing it for a long time, not that it is always successful for me!) I am challenged by this new wave of thinking (some call it "uni-tasking.") However, I have my doubts that swinging the time management pendulum from one extreme to the other is the best way to go. I think there is a middle-ground that can be a healthy place.

The idea of multi-tasking is to have several things going on at once. The idea of single, or uni, tasking is to focus on one thing at a time. Let me pitch to you a compromise: parallel tasking. Parallel tasking is the concept of doing two things at once, but with intentionality toward them complementing each other, not distracting from one another. Common sense and safety are key components of this idea, as well as the idea of task clusters mentioned in an earlier post. To parallel task, simply think of two things you can be doing at a time, and ask the following questions:

Are these two tasks in the same general vicinity? Ideally, doing another kitchen-related task while waiting for water to boil works better than leaving the kitchen to check email in another room.

Can these two tasks complement one another? If the task is self-running for a period of time, like downloading and installing software, can I do some filing or organizing in my workspace at the same time?

Can I do both things safely? Talking/texting on the cell phone while driving is a NO but perhaps listening to Scripture or an audio book or message may be a YES if you can concentrate well on driving while listening.

Am I mixing a "task" opportunity with a "people" opportunity? The previous example of folding clothes while on the phone can be bad or good depending on the relationship and the purpose of the interaction and how much concentration you require for clothes-folding. It is generally better not to try mixing a task requiring concentration with having a conversation. However, some tasks lend themselves well to being with people (like going out shopping for something you need and bringing a friend along, or walking/running together, or cooking together.)

Will doing these two tasks at the same time add to, or relieve, my mental clutter? Listening to a podcast while cooking should probably not become mentally overwhelming, but trying to help your child with homework while simultaneously cooking might! Especially if they are learning something you are not strong at!

So, I submit that neither multi-tasking nor uni-tasking are the answer. Both can, in fact, be unrealistic. But parallel tasking of no more than two things at once, that are related, complementary, and in vicinity of one another, is an opportunity to redeem time well without overtaxing your brain and emotions. Print This

You've probably heard it said that you should have a morning and evening routine...a set list of tasks you do each morning and evening to keep your life organized, your home clean, etc. (For those familiar with www.flylady.net you know she advocates this.) This is a good idea, but let me suggest taking it a bit further to something I call "task clusters."

There are probably tasks that you do routinely that have similar themes to them, like this picture of seashells. They are different, but similar. If you cluster similar tasks together, you get the additional benefit of reducing your "mental clutter." (I have a friend who has great thoughts about keeping your mind free of clutter and I'm stealing this concept from her. :) Keeping your mind from becoming scattered can go a long way toward more effective time management.

Perhaps the best way to explain a "task cluster" is to give an example from my own life. Each morning, I need to feed the dog, feed the cat, feed myself, and if I'm doing well, think about lunch and/or dinner plans for the family. I've fallen into a routine of letting the dog out, feeding her, feeding the cat, making my morning shake, and thinking of what to have for dinner (taking it out of the freezer if necessary.) While I drink my shake, I empty the dishwasher (also related to eating) and by then, the dog should be coming back in. I can finish up by packing lunch if necessary for the day. Do you see what has happened? All the tasks of the 5-15 minutes this can take are related to feeding/eating. By clustering tasks together that have a common theme, I'm more focused and can knock these off my to-do list quickly.

We lose time and mental peace when we bounce from one thing to another. (I'm great at that.) But when we cluster similar tasks together, we can be more effective and less scattered. So, now it's your turn. Share a cluster of tasks with a related theme that you could put together to keep yourself more focused. Let me hear from you! Print This