I am guilty of wasting time on the internet.
I have actually wasted time reading about time management systems. In learning about how not to waste time I have wasted time.
This is not a recent development either. I’ve been really bad at organising my time since I was this old. Probably.
For all my research I had never improved my organisational skills and it really hurt my performance in work and especially in college. Deadlines and sitting beside the boss kept my nose to the grindstone while working as a programmer but now that I’m self employed it’s up to me.
I have “invented” a system using flash cards (also called cue cards)
to organise my daily tasks and get things done.
This is incredibly simple and most of you probably think I’m very stupid or have been living under a rock for the last 5 thousand years.
I had read innumerable times that writing things down makes the task seem more concrete and makes it easier to get it done. I’ve seen it recommended for people who are studying, self employed or starting a diet but I didn’t really believe it until I tried it for myself.
For general brainstorming I use a big a4 notebook and sketch out mind maps, concept maps or diagrams until I have a good idea of what I’m going to do. Once I can think of step by step method to completing the job I’ll put it down on the cards, making sure to use really small tasks that can typically be finished in less than an hour.
That way I don’t put off starting something I feel is too big.
Using the cards to write down different tasks allows me to physically shuffle the cards around to set their priority.
I can also devote a card to each website or group of things I need to do.
I can make a card listing things I need to do in town, pop it into my wallet and cross off thing as I do them. Once all the tasks have been done I just drop the card onto the ‘done’ pile. I can see my progress in the growing pile of cards on my desk.
It’s cheap, easy to find, simple and I can carry it around without worrying about batteries.
