Small Steps to Getting Things Done

Getting started is often the hardest part of any task. Think about some "small steps" you can do to get part of the process or project done.

One of the ways to view the task in today's modern world is to decide if your task involves Electronic Communication Activities or Non-Electronic Communications Activities.  By determining this you can set the stage to begin your task. You can also steer yourself away from the electronic distractions which are more of a tendency to increase procrastination. 



Electronic Communication Activities 

• Turn on the computer or phone
• Mentally draft an outline of the conversation or email/test before you actually begin
• Look up a phone number or email in your files
  
• Get into a blank document  (if you have to draft a letter) or set up an email or text
• Start typing or speaking

Conversely if you don't have a "screen" or electronic task at hand, you can consider using this list of steps:

Non-Electronic Communications Activities

• Turn off the computer
• Turn off the cell or mobile phone
• Visualize or decide what needs to be done first
• Get out the tools you need to do the job
• Go to the needed location 
• Begin your process

This is a best of post from 2011 - I am posting this because I need to take my own advice to heart.

Transition Your Life - Golden Age

This is the fourth in the series of posts on transition times. Let's visit the transition periods that often occur in adulthood (age 60 - 72).

Transitioning to a smaller home
Transitioning to grandchildren and great-grandchildren
Transitioning to loss of a loved one
Transitioning to approaching retirement
Transitioning to retirement
Transitioning to career change
Transitioning to job loss
Transitioning to evolving spiritual or religious beliefs
Transitioning to a new or chronic health condition
Transitioning to caretaker for parent(s)or grandchildren
Transitioning to having college age children
Transitioning to having married children and in-law relationships
Transitioning to changing relationships with your parents (adult to elderly parent)
Transitioning to financial gain/financial loss
Transitioning to changing relationships with your children (adult to adult)

What other transitions do you think happen during this time period?

See also
Transition Your Life - Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Early Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Middle Age

Taking off The Watch

For the last two months I have experimented with not wearing a watch. I have been a slave to "a watch" since the age of 11 when I first started to wear my silver and gray leather strapped Timex. Over the years I have transitioned through many others, several gold metal banded Seiko's, a black leather strap gold faced Hamilton and a silver strapped diamond accented dressy one.

This summer was the year of the fading white narrow band of skin that had adorned my wrist since the age of 11. Some how I made do. After all, my car has a clock, my computer and cell phone also have means of accessing the time. So I made it through the last two months without missing an appointment or deadline. My wrist, now fully tanned, looks good. The only thing I haven't got use to is not turning my head to the left to check the time. I image over time I could give that head turn up.

Will I continue this experiment? I don't think so - but I might wear my watch less now. Using it only for client appointments and days when I have lots of timed deadlines.

Why is it however when people retire they often get given a clock or a watch? I'll let you ponder that a while.