Happy New Year! Â
It’s always exciting to kick start the new year, but it also can feel completely overwhelming.
Here are some tips to help you make the most of 2013 … these are some tools that help us stay focused
• Create a master “to do†list, for both your office and home. Tasks that don’t get crossed off today’s list simply go onto tomorrow’s list.
• Use a timer for unpleasant or dreaded tasks. Knowing you’ll only have to do them for a limited time, say, 20 minutes, is motivating – and you can celebrate when the timer goes off.
• Fill a “job jar†with tasks that MUST be done. You can decline to do one or two of the tasks you remove, but of three picks you must do one. Use a timer here, too, if necessary.
• Have a “slush box†for papers that don’t demand immediate attention, but that you can’t really throw out. In a quiet time, sort and prioritize the contents.
• Similarly, create a “read box†for the journals, magazines, newsletters and papers that, increasingly unread, can make you feel buried. Sort them at your leisure, and put some in a folder (for especially tedious meetings), and some in your car (for doctor-office waits, DMV lines, etc.).
• To make e-mails more useful and productive, let people know what you want them to do. Put the priority and deadline in the subject line whenever possible, and focus on the needed actions. Use a bulleted list instead of dense text, if possible. Categorize your mail, and store in folders, keeping all your e-mails on one screen (without scrolling down).
• To minimize interruptions, learn how to say “no.†If it’s part of the job, it’s not an interruption. But, “to be a doer, you can’t do everything.†There is a “smooth†approach to saying no. Let the interrupter know that you understand his or her urgency, explain your situation or deadline, and describe what you can do once you’re able.
 Remember it’s about progress not perfection!Â
DREAM, BELIEVE, ACHIEVE, SUCCEED!