Eliminate the chaos

It is one of those days. Either the coffee was defective or somebody slipped me some decaf.

I clearly sense that I have no desire to clean up the rest of the paperwork on my desk or take my coffee mug sitting on the same desk into the kitchen. I talk myself into thinking that I don't have time or energy to clean up right now or continue.

After all I have worked all day.

The fact is: I am caught up in this mess. I waste time searching through the work that I have laid out and additionally create chaos in my head.

But I have found that I can get better at this and there are techniques that make it easier.

Do you know the saying, "Organization is half the battle?" I put quotes around it but it is actually paraphrased. Still the meaning is the same, it means that you give things a firm place, give them order. This structure principle is helpful in dealing with too much work, it is called: The Eisenhower method. This method is named after the former president Eisenhower and how he structured his days.

Recently I learned how easy the Eisenhower principle works: And how much I need to practice to get better at it.

Basically you divide the day and tasks into four-quadrants, weighted via the importance of the task. It helps you focus on what needs to be done and allow your to keep your head clear, feel better and be more motivated.

My desk currently has three so I am still missing something.

For me it helps to look at my results – reward myself, praise myself, then rejoice in my tidy desk and what I have achieved.