WEEK 14 SYL CHALLENGE: TIME MANAGEMENT – PLANNING

So this week sees an interesting challenge presented.

Over the next six weeks of the SYL challenge, we’re going to tackle time management.  Having done the inner stuff, working out our personal priorities and setting goals in place, we’re now about tackling more of the ‘external’.

Now, we are going to tackle planning; obligations, commitments and choices; how to slow down and focus; decision making; procrastination and routines.  For many, this will be the biggest area for simplifying your life with the hope of gaining clarity, reducing stress and finding more time to move forward with your goals and things that bring joy to your life…

If there is one thing I am incredibly good at, it’s planning.  

I would have to be the most anal person on earth when it comes to planning.  Seriously.  I have to know weeks ahead what I’m doing at any given time, because I just try to cram so much in my day, that last minute plans drive me insane.

They cost me time.

So, I like to be organised, and plan ahead.

A few years ago, Charlie developed a horrendous habit of calling me a control freak.  It drove me insane.  Not only was it insulting, but it completely messed with my head.

Am I a control freak? Am I a control freak to want to know what time we’re planning on leaving to go somewhere? What time we have to be there? Ensuring everybody’s got everything they need when we’re going away somewhere? Making sure that homework and assignments are in on time? Double checking that Jade has packed everything she needs for a sleepover? Making sure bills are paid and paperwork is in on time for whatever the fuck we need it for?

Is that a control freak? Or is that just responsible? 

You tell me.

So, after constantly insulting me in this fashion, I told Charlie that he can handle certain things himself, and that they were no longer my responsibility.  I explained that I was tired of being called a control freak because I like to ensure everything runs smoothly.  He can take over, and see how he rolls with it.

It was a disaster.

He was leaving stuff to the last minute (which is his nature), and missing out on things because he wasn’t giving himself enough time, he was always late, Jade was forever forgetting things, missing homework deadlines, late for netball (that’s if he even knew where they were playing, because he left it to the last minute to check, and couldn’t contact anyone), and forever forgetting to do little jobs.

Lesson learnt.  Miss Lee was not a control freak after all.  She was just organised.

Lesson for me: sometimes planning and organisation comes naturally for people (like myself), and for others, it does not (like Charlie).

However, in saying that, there are some aspects of people’s lives that they organise very well.  Charlie has a job where he has to organise the work load for a factory full of steel fabricators.  He’s efficient at doing this, because he understands the big picture, the deadlines and what’s involved in controlling all aspects of his department.

However, with things at home, not so good.  However, he’s doing his best and he’s learnt a lot along the way.

Sometimes, you have to step back and let the ones you love fall; particularly if that’s the only way the will learn.

I’ve planned and organised everything from surprised birthday parties, corporate Christmas parties, catering for conferences, weddings and parties, to a cook book.  You name it; I’ve pretty much done it.

As far as my job is concerned, I have to be organised and plan my work day.  There are daily, weekly, monthly and annual deadlines that I work toward.  I cannot procrastinate on these things, because there are far bigger things than I at play here, and I’ve governed by external requirements (like the Tax Office and Workcover, etc). 

Also with my volunteer work for the CWA; I have to be organised.  I have information to collate and prepare for meetings, minutes to record and type, constitutional requirements to be aware of, correspondence to forward and fund raising events to coordinate and plan with the ladies.  It’s never ending.

It is fair to say that it is a natural part of my life, and one I welcome.  Within the confines of routine, deadlines, organisation and planning, is comfort.  If you plan well enough, there’s never a reason to be stressed.  However, if plans change, if you’re organised, you can roll with the punches.

The challenge talks about ‘creating an anchor of planning in your life’.  To do this, there are three essential things you need.

1.       A calendar/diary/planner – I would be absolutely screwed without my diary.  I cannot possibly remember my appointments, let alone those of the rest of the household.  Everything goes into my diary, and Charlie and Jade know that if it’s not in there, it’s not happening.

I should digress a moment here, and point out that because of my geographical location, planning and organisation is extremely important.  I’m not five minutes away from a supermarket if I’m part way through a cake and have forgotten the flour.  It’s an hour return trip to the nearest supermarket, and that’s without any shopping involved.

I’m not five minutes away from Jade’s best friend’s house if she’s having a sleep over and forgets her pyjamas.  I’m an hour round trip, and Jade either lets me double check her packing with her, or sleeps in the buff.

We have to plan ahead and think about the bigger picture before we do everything because of this.  Sounds difficult or inconvenient, but it’s not.  It’s just a matter of adaption.

2.      A way to capture new information – again, I go back to my diary.  I have a ‘notes’ section in my diary that I am constant entering information into.  Even if it’s ‘To Do’ lists or planning for something bigger; I make list after list, reminder after reminder because things are constantly changing and evolving.

3.      A master to do list – I live off lists.  Shopping lists, ‘To Do’ lists, wish lists, planning lists, Christmas present lists, birthday lists… you name it; I have them. 

I do have a ‘master list’ of things that I work from.  It generally consists of singular prompts of things I want to do. 

For example; on my list now is ‘organise a bin from Heathcote Bin Hire’.  I know this means I have to ring up and get a bin dropped at my place for a clean-up.  However, when the bin comes, I’ll write out a bigger list which involves me going from room to room, shed to shed, and work out what goes in our clean up.  That way, I can take full advantage of the bin being there.

I love lists.  Lists are an essential part of my life; I’m seriously screwed without them.  I have them at home and I have them at work, and I seriously couldn’t get everything done without them, because I simply wouldn’t remember everything.

So, when I see this challenge this week, I feel that I’ve got myself pretty much on track with it already.

I’ve got the diary happening, I’ve got the lists happening, and I’ve got the ability to update all of that information.

I also do what the challenge suggests, and slot into my diary, time for me.  I write down my gym and water aerobics sessions like they’re an appointment, so I have no excuse for forgetting them or overlooking them.  They are very important to me, so they will not be written off.

I can certainly see how this challenge could be difficult for some people, as like I said; this shit comes naturally to me and it doesn’t for others.  I think Jade would be fucked with this one! LOL!

I’m very interested in what the next six weeks has to offer me through this challenge, I must say.

Happy planning peeps.

Peace out.