A good book AND some tips for organizing your time!!

Just so you all know out there, I am OBSESSED with finding new ways to become a more organized and efficient person. I think it is because I am natural PROCRASTINATOR and a more go with the flow kind of gal. Anyway, I did eventually realize that I might not reach my full potential if I don't stop procrastinating and really learn to buckle down and organize my life a little. So there you have it...a disorganized person by nature desperately working to overcome that weakness. (Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be soooo organized that I am uptight and CAN'T just go with the flow when the time calls for it. Spontaneity is a good thing too.)


Sooo...that being said. Last year I read this book:




Most of you are probably familiar with 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Well, I read the teen version of that back in high school. (Which was very good too by the way.)

This book expands on 7 Habits. It talks about how we can be as organized and efficient as we want to be and still get it wrong if we are letting the URGENT things in life crowd out the IMPORTANT things. For example: Playing with my children is very IMPORTANT, but it doesn't have an upcoming deadline, so I often put off playing with them to do something that seems more URGENT, like my laundry for example. (DEADLINE: Before you run out of clean underwear!)

The problem is, if we make it a habit to make time for the urgent rather than the truly important, we will end up with a very unfullfilling life because we will neglect all the things that we really care about the most.

Basically, this book really INSPIRED me. So in response to all the inspiration, I made this on my computer:

It is called my Role Goals Sheet. This little peice of paper helps me to make sure that I am setting and accomplishing goals in all of the important roles that I have in life.

FIRST, think of the important roles that you play in life. (Up to about 7, but less is okay too.) You may combine roles that are similar into one if you want. If you look closely at my sheet, you will see that I combined "family member" and "friend" into one. Examples of roles: spouse, parent, teacher (or other occupation), church service or volunteer...you name it. All the stuff we do in life.

THEN, you must remember to "sharpen the saw." That is a phrase that comes from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Basically it means that if you don't take care of yourself, you won't be a very effective tool to take care of other important things in your life. You need to take care of yourself physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. So, the entire bottom part of my sheet is to set goals to take care of myself so that I can do better in all of my "life roles" that are written at the top.

LASTLY, set your goals. You do not have to set a goal in every role each week. And you may want to set more than one goal under just one role. You decide how much you can handle. ALSO, sometimes a goal can fit under more than one category. For example: If I set a goal to take a walk every day with my son, that can fullfill a goal under the parent role AND it also takes care of ME physically and emotionally to be outside in the fresh air walking and spending time with my kids. Three birds with one stone!!

I fill one of these sheets out each week and then I paper clip it into my planner. (I love planners.) Then I try to schedule a day and time to accomplish each goal, if possible.

I have been doing this for almost a year now. It has taken a while to become a habit, but I have just kept trying, and now it is becoming just part of the routine. I usually fill it out on Sundays. (a worthy Sunday activity, I think) It makes me feel good to know that I try to take some time to really think about my husband and kids and family and church calling and plan something to do each week to strengthen those roles.

Anyway...you should read the book and try it out too!!