Anything Works...at First
Because I write and speak on organization and time management, it comes as no surprise that I also read what others say on the subject. I read many first-hand accounts of a “new system” that is producing great results for someone. “I have been doing XYZ for the past week, and already I feel much more productive,” is the typical line. My first thought is, “That’s fine, but let’s see how you feel in six months.” Read on, and you will see why.
Yes, we all need a system so we can keep our environments in good order and handle the responsibilities placed on our time. You may have found yourself spinning out of control and feeling you are flying by the seat of your pants. At some point in our lives, we have all been there.
My Own Journey
For me, the first clue I needed a “system” came as a high school senior. I was taking a heavy academic load. As a serious musician, some audition or competition was always looming. College was just around the corner, with the many tasks that come with making that transition. I needed something to help keep “all the ducks in a row.”
My answer was the 3 x 5 index card. One card for every day kept my life in order. The front of the card held appointments and any to-dos I had planned for that day. Before leaving for school, I would grab that day’s card. I had my marching orders for the day on something that measured 3 x 5.
The back of the card provided a place to trap anything that came up during the day. Homework assignments were jotted on the back of that card. Appointments made for the future were recorded there as well. When I got home, my job was to “clear the card.” In some cases, it meant “doing” what I had written. In other cases, it meant refining what I had written, deciding on future dates, and making entries on the appropriate cards.
From that time forward, I have had a formal, explainable system to guide my days. While the form changed from an index card to a paper planner to a digital tool, the basic principles that guide my system today are much the same as what worked for me in high school.
The Continual Pursuit for the Magic Bullet
Over the years, I would find a perceived shortcoming, junk the system, and come up with something totally new. Every time I tried something new, it worked...at least at first. At some point, however, the system would bog down, and it would be time to try something new.
The light-bulb moment came well into adulthood when I realized that every change in “system” had one thing in common. Adopting something new forced me to “clean up” all of the to-dos, plans, goals, and responsibilities to myself and others. The reason the new system worked was that it was clean and clear and allowed me to focus.
Our Challenge
We all need a system, one that is comprehensive enough to hold everything we throw at it, yet easy enough that we will stick with it. That system could take the form of a smartphone or a legal pad, a paper planner, or a stack of index cards. The tool isn’t nearly as important as the thoughtful methodology behind how to use it.
“I’ve got to get organized!” is the mantra of many a person as they hit that brick wall. For some, that low point becomes the turning point. When life starts coming at us faster than we can handle it, the answer may not be to look for something new, but rather to start by cleaning up what we have.
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