How to Boost Your Decluttering and Organizing this Fall (especially for those with ADHD)

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How to boost decluttering and organizing this fall

 

This year has been busy! Maybe you have not had time to declutter or organize this year because of family commitments, extra projects at work, or feeling overwhelmed. You are likely motivated but it seems overwhelming to get started. It may not be clear where to start.  Check out these ways to get started, keep going and finish up your decluttering and organizing. You will feel both productive and energized after you move forward.

 

  • Get motivated by visualizing your newly organized space. Keep hold of a strong “why” you are making this effort. These will help you get started and stay on task.
  • Start small by picking one area or one category. Choose a small space like a section of a closet, one drawer or one cabinet. Or choose to edit all shirts, all kitchen appliances or all office supplies.
  • Work in short bursts. Set a timer for 15 minutes and fill one bag to give away. Working in a small amount of time makes this time highly efficient and productive. Often 15 minutes of work leads to more time decluttering.
  • Make a plan.  Write an appointment with yourself to declutter. Break it into manageable chunks. A plan keeps you accountable and prioritizes this work.
  • Make it fun. There are lots of Spotify music lists and podcasts to listen to while decluttering. Have a fun beverage nearby to hydrate and work at your highest energy time.
  • Use post-it or large notes while you declutter and organize.  Your notes will be Donate, Distribute, and Trash. Be sure you can see those notes as you work.
  • Rely on your visual clues to organizing. The saying “out of sight is out of mind” is real. If you have too many of an item, that makes it hard to see it. Edit down to a manageable amount for storage and organizing.
  • Work with a clutter buddy. Your clutter buddy can be in person or virtual. Get on the phone or facetime with someone to help you make decisions as you declutter.
  • Limit distractions while you declutter. Keeping it easy to think and stay on task will make your time efficient.
  • Create a system. Every time you think twice about using an item, place it in the donate bag. That system will serve  you well in making the decision once.
  • Set rules that maintain your organization.  Clutter accumulates faster than we think. Create a rule that upholds your organizing. A rule might be only wear black to work. That way you limit incoming items. Make your rule easy to uphold with easy storage.
  • Use a checklist to make tasks manageable. A checklist helps you know what steps to take in order and keeps you from overthinking the project.
  • Finish strong with time to wrap up. Get items in your car to donate. Call a donation pick-up to come to your space. Write down your successes to remember for your next decluttering session.
  • Celebrate small wins with small rewards. That might be a bubble bath with a magazine or a shout out on social media.

Let’s clear the clutter and create the serene home you want!

Holiday Planning Notebook

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holiday planning notebook.

 

Have you had scraps and notes everywhere for your holiday planning? Have you wanted to keep your holiday plans organized from year to year? Is being more organized this year one of your goals for the holiday season? Make your holidays more organized with a holiday notebook. It is a simple, easy-to-create notebook for you to use throughout the holiday season.

 

My gift to you this season is this free workbook for you to customize for your holiday planning. There are pages for your calendar, baking, meal planning, gift purchasing, and addressing cards. You can print this (click here holiday planning notebook printable letter size 2023) and place it in a 3-ring binder or save it digitally, turn the PDF into a Word document, and use it in Google Drive or word docs. 

 

 

 

Another option is for you to create your own with a 3 ring binder, paper, and slash pockets. 

·                     Collate your holiday notebook by deciding what categories are most important to you.  

·                     Choose a notebook with holiday theme colors

·                     Add tabbed slash pockets or dividers with labels for

holiday calendar with dates for activities

holiday recipes

holiday card lists with completed addresses

gift lists (including online purchases)

decorating ideas (with pictures of each room fully decorated.)

annual family traditions (websites for holiday entertainment)

·                     Include a pocket folder to hold the receipts

·                     Add a password list for access to all your favorite online stores.

·                     Keep in an easy-to-access spot for your use throughout the season!

 

Enjoy the holiday season even more with your organized holiday notebook. A holiday notebook is a way to consolidate all your ideas, lists and more for the holidays! 

 

 

It’s Mary Poppins!

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Whether you “celebrate” Halloween or not, take time, notice the moment and find the joy in the everyday moments, occasional happenings, and times to gather with friends!

ADHD Bill Paying Solutions

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bill paying

 

 

No matter how much money is in your bank account, for people with ADHD can be a a struggle to pay your bills.  Timelines, anxiety, math phobia, and paperwork challenges all add up to ADHD bill-paying problems.  Financial documents are a nightmare because of the details, multiple steps, and lack of consistency.  Not to mention those awful accruing late fees! It is likely best to have an understanding of each strategy to bill pay and how these can help you.

 

Pay by mail and set up a bill-paying center

  • Gather together your bills, a pencil, calculator, stamps, envelopes, checks, and manilla envelopes.
  • Open the envelopes of all the bills and mark the date due on each.
  • Divide the bills to pay according to the date due and the income in your checkbook.
  • Pay your bills either every day or 7 days ahead of due date.
  • This option is best if you feel less comfortable with technology.

Pay with online bill paying

  • Set up online bill pay using your bank’s services.  You will need one bill from each utility, including your account number.
  • Open your bills each day and write the due date on the envelope.
  • Check your balance weekly.
  • Pay your bills daily and set the due date for payment according to your balance and income.
  • This option is best if you want to create automatic bill paying.

 

Pay by phone.

  • Gather your bills and statements for paying by phone.
  • You will need your account number, bank routing number, and bank account.
  • Call the payment number and give the information requested.
  • This option is best for last-minute bill paying.

 

Money Management Binder

  • Set up your binder with tabbed slash pockets. Label the pockets: To be paid, January, February, March, etc.
  • Use this Monthly Bill Manager to list your bills and how you paid.

 

Bill Manager List

  • Place all bills in the binder as they arrive.
  • Write checks and pay online once a week. Call the day Money Monday or Financial Friday.  Set a reminder or put post-it notes to help you stay on top of your weekly commitment.
  • Keep the binder in the same place all the time so you can drop in bills and keep up with your weekly payments.

 

Auto debits and other automatic payments

There are likely payments that happen automatically from your account.  Make a list of these payments and the amounts taken out monthly. It creates a visual reminder for you and keeps you on track with your money.

Big Bills to Pay

Even with a great system, big surprises happen.  Make a list of the big bills you pay at different times during the year.  Payments for property tax, insurance, and estimated tax payments occur at random times throughout the year.  Go back through last year’s checkbook and create a list of these expenses.  Add these to your recurring reminders. Set aside money each month for these large payments.

 

Check your subscription services

Many times we have subscription services that drain accounts. These are services and products we may wish to discontinue. Create a log of these by reviewing your checking account, iPhone wallet, Amazon subscriptions and credit card accounts. Make a list of these monthly fees and be sure you are using these services wisely.

 

Routines for bill paying make the difference

No matter your method, bill paying happens when you have a set time of the month or a set routine to accomplish this task. Choose when it is best for you to sit down, focus, and follow through on this task depending on the income to your accounts. If you can, choose a once-a-week time to pay bills completely. You will be much wiser in knowing what is due and when it is due. You have a heads-up about incoming, large bills. Creating a routine that aligns with your paycheck eliminates stress.

 

 

 

 

Making Time and Space for What’s Important and Joyful to You

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making time and space for what's important and joyful to you

 

Life has a funny way of throwing us off balance just when we think we’ve figured things out. For the longest time, my business tagline has been “Making time and space for what’s important to you.”  I recently attended a new conference overflowing with educational offerings and experiences. When I attend professional development events, I expect to learn. This weekend I learned more than I could imagine.

 

Setting the stage

As a Certified Professional Organizer, I enjoy saying I am an overachiever in professional development. I attend two conferences each year as well as many virtual events. These events focus on ADHD, organizing, and productivity. Speakers share their stories as well as strategies. Of course, I love it when a celebrity rock star in my own profession shares their story! I listened to a presentation about goal setting and time management from speaker Tonia Misvaer, CEO of Erin Condren. Tonia spoke from the heart about her passion for making a difference and how she plans her year and adheres to her goals. She mentioned that her true north star was feeling joy + experiencing meaning through organization and productivity. This made me think.

 

Joy + Meaning

I have read often about the importance of meaning and purpose in our lives. It is what motivates me every day in the work I do. Working as a certified professional organizer, I am grateful every day for experiencing and witnessing life-changing opportunities. I help people prioritize what is important.

 

When we focus on joy, in addition to meaning, we create moments that transcend all the elements around us. Experiencing joy improves our health, broadens our perspective, and increases our resilience. Our immune system is boosted. We feel more positive and have hope.

Creating order and feeling productive are in themselves joyful ways to approach the world you live in. My word of the year is re-imagine. I am taking the combination of all these elements forward this year as I reconnect with playfulness. Here are some other ways you and I can all begin to experience joy + meaning.

  • Embrace the idea that at times I may not know why I am exactly doing something, but it feels awesome. That is being open to plans changing, (some) surprises popping up and enjoying the moment, or turning an ordinary afternoon into sitting in the sunshine rather than at the computer.
  • Practicing mindfulness to fully experience fun. My mind is busy with thoughts as is your mind. Being in the present helps me slow down and savor joyful moments I might miss.

 

Choosing your fun

Too many times I ask my clients about their fun and they stare back at me like deer in the headlights.  Research shows that people make a difference. Remember to surround yourself with uplifting, hopeful, joyful people. Laughter and smiles are contagious. In a world full of negativity, one of the best ways to protect your joy is by surrounding yourself with people who lift you up. Laughter is contagious, and when you’re around people who see the humor in life’s quirks. When we share joy with others, it amplifies and spreads.

Focusing on the good always brings out gratitude. Cultivate a gratitude practice that highlights the fun and joy you experience each day, no matter how small. Whether it’s the laughter from a funny conversation or a quiet moment of peace, recognizing these moments builds an appreciation for the joy that still exists, even in a mixed-up world.

 

Create the level of order that keeps you sane. Your home doesn’t have to be perfect to be good. Organizing to your level of what works makes it easier to enjoy life.

 

Organizing for the -ber Months

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Organizing for the BER months

 

The months of September, October, November, and December have recently been referred to as the “-ber” months!  These months celebrate time together, fresh starts for the season, seasonal treats, and celebrations. This is also the time we nest for winter, no matter the real temperatures. Here are some ways to celebrate the season with organizing.

 

Freshen up your planner

Grab a mug of your favorite fall beverage and your planner and get started! Your planner is your first step in organizing. Write in all the upcoming events and activities. Set time for holiday travel planning and dates for travel.  Add in home maintenance tasks like appointments for AC/Heater, gutters and critical system checks. Write a list of upcoming appointments to make such as a family photo for your holiday card. By adding dates to your planner for home organization and maintenance at the start of Fall you have a plan in place which lowers your stress.

Start preparing early for Fall holidays and celebrations. Work backward from your family celebrations to write in dates to chunk steps for each holiday. Write in when to take your family photo for your holiday cards, dates to grocery and gift shop, and all other small tasks that will make your holidays easier.

 

Freshen up your space

With new activities and cooler weather, you want areas of your home ready for fall fun.

  • Reset your landing strip where you come and go from your home. Move Summer items into their proper homes, Set up a system for the academics  and activities. Have a hook for each bag and hoodie. Make room for incoming and outgoing boxes.
  • Declutter your command center. Whether this is in your kitchen or your home office, now is the best time to get ready for all the paperwork, fall schedules and incoming information. Review what to keep and spend an hour filing your papers in your file area. Set a weekly time for an administrative time, depending on your new fall schedule.
  • Update your junk drawer. Clear out this space periodically to prevent it from getting out of control. It is easy to know what to toss and what to keep.
  • Refresh your pantry. Fall is about food including back-to-school lunches, fall treats, and Thanksgiving.
  • Say hello to your favorite fall sweater. Now is the time to pull out the fall clothing and tuck away summer clothing until next year. For your kiddos, check sizes and use bins to save clothes for your next younger kiddos. Keep only what can fit today in your kiddos’ drawers.
  • Check your medicine and first aid areas.  Declutter any expired medications and purchase what you need for the coming months. There is already a lot of sickness so be prepared with over-the-counter items and supplements. Check your prescriptions too. Pharmacies will take expired medication for proper disposal.
  • Declutter your bathroom counters and vanities. Take a few minutes and go through your cosmetics and personal hygiene products. Some products have not solved your challenges, so let those go to friends. Evaluate what you use each day and create an easy, functional, and attractive system for daily use.
  • Complete your organizing by adding touches of seasonal decor. Pumpkins, fall colors, and fall scents bring the season into our homes.

Find fun and energy this fall

Decluttering, organizing, and setting up systems in the -ber months all help you find more fun and energy for the fall. The goal of your fall organizing is to release what you do not need or love, reset your home, and prepare for fall fun. The best way to do this is to set time for fall self-care. Getting a good night’s rest, having more time outside, hydrating, and eating well are all the ways to energize and reset your frame of mind. If you have not done so, the first step is to set an adult bedtime for you to get ready for bed early in order to get rested.

 

Make the last quarter of the year the most organized and productive part of your year.

How to Break the Cycle of Overpurchasing

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How to break the cycle of overpurchasing

 

The holidays are quickly approaching. With little time and a lot going on, it is easy to purchase items “just in case.” Or, it might be  special something catches your eye when it is advertised on Instagram. Overpurchasing can lead to clutter, financial strain, and unnecessary stress. It’s become common because of the speed of life.  Here’s how to break the cycle of over-purchasing and freshen up your resolve to your financial goals.

 

Understanding Overpurchasing

On the surface, overpurchasing seems to be an easy solution when you have so little time and many things to do. Overpurchasing happens when you need a solution, but don’t know all the details like how many items are required or you want to get ahead for an activity so you are ready for a project. However, there are deeper reasons why overpurchasing happens. Overshopping can often be an emotional response to stress, boredom, or unhappiness.  A new purchase might seem to make you happy at that time. There is also the lure of a good deal. Sales and discounts create a sense of urgency and fear of missing out. These feelings can be a reason behind additional purchases.

 

Strategies for Breaking the Cycle

  • Start with a list. Like your grocery list, items on a list are an intentional purchase based on a need in your home. This routine will help you be intentional about your needs, as opposed to an impulsive purchase.
  • Create a routine for returns. When a purchase is unnecessary or an over purchase occurs, you can rectify this situation with a quick return. With so many online purchases, set a day once a week to make returns.
  • Organize and take inventory of what you own. Over-purchasing happens when you can’t find what you need quickly. Inventory categories where quick purchases happen. Make it easy to find what you need and put away items after use.
  • Set a budget for discretionary spending and stick to it. Track your expenses to stay accountable. Taking the extra step of tracking increases your awareness of impulsive purchases.
  • Track your purchases monthly and review where you are spending. Use online tools to help you find extra subscriptions that you do not want or need.
  • Choose new experiences to help you enjoy time outside. Choose walking, hiking, or biking to enjoy time in green space instead of online. You will also sleep better as well.
  • Practice gratitude for what you have to shift from what you lack to what you have. This reduces your desire to acquire.

 

Overpurchasing situations occur less often when you are mindful of your routines and when you take time for your Weekly Planning. Your knowledge about your purchases gives you data to use your resources wisely according to your financial goals. Try out these new strategies to prevent stress by being proactive.

 

Discover the Tools to Organize Your Life and Empower Your Journey at my Etsy Shop

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Handmade and designed for you at my Etsy Store

 

Thriving in your daily life requires managing both capacity and velocity. With more responsibilities on our plates than ever before, staying organized can feel like a constant challenge. Whether you’re juggling work, family, or personal growth, the right systems and tools can make all the difference in helping you and your family thrive. That’s why I’m excited to introduce the products in my Etsy shop, designed to support you in living a more organized and empowered life.

Why These Products Matter

The story behind these products is simple. In my work with clients over the years, I’ve heard countless stories of busy people feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of responsibilities they face. They crave peace of mind. they also want their families to benefit from better organization and structure. Often, the struggles begin with disorganization and lead to frustration as they search for ways to achieve better family connection and harmony. Both the calendar and the e-book I offer are designed to help you carve out time and space for what truly matters in your everyday life. Whether you’re aiming to get organized, stay motivated, or find peace in your day-to-day routine, these tools are here to support your journey. By incorporating them into your daily life, you’ll not only stay on top of your responsibilities but also create room for the things that bring you joy and fulfillment.

Stay on Track with My Custom Calendar System

A good calendar does more than just track appointments; it serves as a roadmap for your days, weeks, and months. My system, “Mastering Your Planner,” helps you harness the power of your calendar by showing you how to plan your time efficiently and track important events, tasks, and projects.

What makes this calendar stand out?

  • It offers a combination of monthly and weekly planners along with to-do lists, allowing you to craft a personalized calendar system that works best for you.
  • You’ll also receive a checklist to help you get started with options for tailoring your system.
  • With printable weekly and monthly undated pages, perpetual pages, and uncategorized task list pages, you have the tools to create a comprehensive calendar system that includes task management. Sample schedules and task lists are also included to guide you in managing your time and responsibilities effectively.
  • This calendar is more than just a planner; it’s a companion that keeps you aligned with your goals and balanced in your daily life.Learn Modern Hacks for Family Life

 

My e-book on modern hacks for family flow

In addition to the calendar, my Etsy shop also features an e-book designed to foster collaboration and empower communication within your family. This e-book is filled with practical advice and actionable tips that you can implement right away.

Here’s what you can expect from the e-book:

  • Learn how to create structure and routines that enhance your family’s communication and integration.
  • Reflect on what works best for you with worksheets designed to help you apply these concepts to your family.

This e-book offers practical guidance for creating the family home and life you envision. You’ll learn strategies for organizing family meetings and calendars, hosting drama-free family dinners, and creating a sense of agency for everyone in the family.

Shop Now and Start Your Journey

Ready to take the next step toward a more organized and empowered life? Thank you for being a part of this community and allowing me to support you on your journey. I’m excited to see how these tools will make a difference in your life!

How to Master the Two Most Challenging Chores at Home: Laundry and Meal Prep

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how to master the two most challenging routines at home laundry and meal prep

 

No one likes to do chores and there are countless chores to do. Two of the most demanding responsibilities at home are laundry and meal prep. This is likely because these are both ongoing responsibilities with multiple steps. By understanding the challenges of these chores and implementing practical solutions, you can move from being overwhelmed to being in charge.

Obstacles of the never-ending laundry pile

Laundry is often described as never-ending. Overflowing hampers, piles of clothes on the floor show, and the constant need for clean clothes can be overwhelming and discouraging. In addition, there are many steps in the process including sorting, washing, drying, folding, and putting away. Drying ranges from hanging to folding. Folding can require precision. Putting away is a consistent challenge in most homes. Many people think more clothes means less laundry which is truly the opposite case. When you procrastinate the challenges get bigger. You can see where this system can be easily be broken.

 

Solutions to laundry challenges

  • The core of laundry completion lies in routines. Set a specific day for laundry or do laundry every day. A specific day means you will have sufficient clothes during that time period. Having that day set aside for laundry means you are at home and can do a few other chores between loads. You can assign a day to your kiddos to do their laundry to teach them these skills. Another option is to do laundry every day. Daily laundry means you can do smaller loads. Working with smaller loads it is easier to finish the task because it is less overwhelming. Routines are a key part of the system you create.
  • Simplicity makes laundry easier. Instead of a laundry hamper, throw the clothes directly into the washer. When the washer is full, do a complete load. Separate your loads by person or by items. You can wash only towels and sheets one day and only underwear and exercise one day. With categories, you are folding and putting away like items which is less tedious.
  • Make laundry fun – or as fun as possible. Listen to a podcast or playlist while folding. Host a laundry party with your family. Partner up with a friend or family member to do laundry together.
  • Remember it is not about perfection but about completion. If you and your kiddos are not good at folding, use bins. Declare sock bankruptcy and let go of all your solo socks when you have too many to match.

 

Conquer the kitchen chaos

Meal prep feels like all too much with the demands of work, school, and extracurricular activities. Each step of planning, preparing, and clean up takes ample time. Deciding what to cook can be exhausting and stressful. Many families have multiple dietary needs which complicates meal planning. There is a lot of pressure to provide carefully planned nutritious means. Keeping meals varied, nutritious, and served at a time everyone can eat makes this effort more than you can manage.

 

Making meals happen

To the rescue is streamlining your meal prep process and enjoying stress-free mealtimes!

  • A little structure helps the meal planning system. Assign days to each step of the meal planning and prepping process. Each step should have an assigned day or be completed in one long day.
  • Try batch cooking and preparing double recipes.  Store these in portion-sized containers for use another week.
  • Using semi-homemade and pre-cooked ingredients makes assembling meals a breeze. A rotisserie chicken can be made into a chicken pot pie, chicken noodle soup, and chicken and dumplings. Frozen veggies are a nutritious easy-to-prepare side to go along with a protein.
  • Remember the goal of dinner is time together. Sandwiches, soups, cereal, and charcuterie boards count for dinner. The less prep, the less clean up, and the less mess the better.
  • Kitchen appliances have come a long way. An Instapot or crockpot saves you time preparing dinner. Using these once a week these become life-savers.
  • Just like laundry, meal prep is a great family activity. It also helps your kiddos learn math and reading. Assign partners for meal prep and clean up to help make dinner easier to do.

Balancing the Load

While laundry and meal prep are definitely a challenge, they don’t have to be overwhelming. These practical tips can help you conquer these chores. Remember, the key is to establish routines, plan ahead, keep it simple and do what works for you and your family.

How to Use the Eisenhower Matrix to Help You with Decision Making and Prioritizing

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how to use the Eisenhower Matrix for decision making

 

Life is complex with many important tasks competing daily. How do we know what is most important and when we should act on that task or project? We have heard of the Eisenhower Matrix for years.  The Eisenhower Matrix is a task management tool that helps you organize and prioritize tasks by urgency and importance, using the ideas of General Eisenhower and put into practice by David Allen. By applying the tools to the tasks and projects you are working on, you can decide more easily about your priorities and actions for your day, week, and month. See how this works for you!

 

Understanding the Eisenhower Matrix

The Eisenhower Matrix looks like a series of squares. The matrix consists of four quadrants with each quadrant focusing on two concepts simultaneously, urgent and important. Urgent tasks require quick action. Important tasks contribute to your long-term goals, mission, and values.  The alignment of “Urgent and Important” is where the highest level of response to the most important tasks occurs.

  • Urgent and Important (Do First): Tasks in this quadrant are both urgent and important and require immediate attention. Handle these first since these are critical to achieving your goals.
  • Important, but Not Urgent (Schedule): Tasks in this quadrant are important for your long-term goals but may not be time-sensitive. Schedule these tasks to be sure of completion.
  • Urgent, but Not Important (Delegate): Tasks in this quadrant are urgent but not necessarily important for you to do. Either delegate tasks to others to free up your time for more important activities or set up a routine to complete.
  • Not Urgent and Not Important (Eliminate): Tasks in this quadrant are neither urgent nor important. Minimize or eliminate these distractions or time-wasters.

Assign each of your tasks or projects to a quadrant. As you plan your week, you can use this system to categorize your tasks first, then assign them to your time blocks. 

Effectively using the Eisenhower Matrix

Your tasks and projects might feel overwhelming each week as you review them. This tool will help you decide what is most important, so you know when to work on which tasks. Let’s review this system starting with where you have the biggest obstacles to overcome in your prioritizing, which is focusing on tasks that are not urgent or important.

 

Neither Urgent Nor Important (Eliminate)
These are tasks that are such low priority that you can eliminate them as much as possible. Tasks that fall into the category are often also “someday/maybe” as well as tasks that take you away from your goals. Examples of these tasks are social media scrolling and other procrastinating activities. These actions tend to align with a need for a refresher like taking a walk or taking a sip of water. Start being more aware of the distractions and time wasters in your day to set a limit on these activities.

 

Urgent but Not Important (Delegate)

A task might be urgent but not so important as to take you away from other work.  Tasks that fall into the category can be delegated with direction or can be accomplished at low energy. Administrative tasks that require a low level of detail and some meetings fall into this category. Unnecessary interruptions, checking email randomly, and checking social media appear urgent. Urgent but not important tasks are tricky to handle and assess. Start by applying rules for when to check email and when to turn off notifications as these interrupt your workflow. Know which tasks can be delegated or automated, such as ordering groceries or using Chat GPT to create a meal plan. Keep aware of urgent feeling conversations with co-workers or drama with friends that feel urgent but take you off course.

 

Important but Not Urgent (Schedule)

These tasks are that are often required and often help you achieve long-term goals. These may have big consequences and appear to have no deadlines until the deadline is imminent. Tasks that fall into this category are marketing plans, expense reports, health-related, educational, and most importantly building relationships. Having a weekly planning time and using time blocks for these tasks helps you keep up with them. Routines are an important way to handle important but not urgent tasks.

 

Urgent and Important (Do)

These tasks require immediate action, have an immediate deadline, and have significant consequences. These are typically also the daily crises that happen such as a flat tire, a sick kiddo, or a last-minute request at work. Do these tasks during your first time block of the day to be sure you have time and energy. Even the best of planning cannot prevent last-minute emergencies. However, you can add in flexibility in your schedule by leaving white space in your calendar.

 

There are several ways to use this tool.

  • During weekly planning time, list out all the tasks or next steps in your projects. Then, categorize each task into one of the four quadrants of the Eisenhower Matrix based on its urgency and importance. This will give you a clear overview of what needs to be done and help you prioritize your time accordingly. From there, you can allocate time blocks in your calendar for each task, ensuring that you dedicate sufficient time to important and urgent tasks while also scheduling time for tasks that are important but not urgent.
  • As your week progresses, there will be interruptions or new tasks that need to be worked on. When this happens, assign these tasks to the appropriate quadrant of the Eisenhower Matrix to ensure that you continue to focus on your priorities. If a new task is both urgent and important, it may require immediate attention and adjustment of your schedule. If a task is neither urgent nor important, you may choose to delegate it or eliminate it altogether to maintain your focus on more critical activities.

 

By using the Eisenhower Matrix for both weekly planning and adaptation during the week, you can effectively manage your time, prioritize your tasks, and stay focused on what matters most, ultimately enhancing your productivity and achieving your goals more efficiently. The Eisenhower Matrix decision-making method can be a great tool to help you choose which items on your to-do list to prioritize immediately and which you can delegate later.