… of getting things done. I’ve had my share of experiments with having no goals. It’s good and I don’t think an obsessed problem solver (Restorative is my top strength) like me can function without a to-do list.
Of course, the purpose of the experiment was to be productive without getting overwhelmed with the list. I failed at that as I found myself swayed by my inbox instead of my priorities, which I couldn’t really track since I didn’t have a list. It felt as if I was relying on “the good stuff will stick out” mantra. It didn’t help. I became more anxious and frustrated thinking about all the things I wanted to do but couldn’t.
While I understand I didn’t give the “new protocol” enough time to work its magic, I am convinced I wouldn’t want to live without a list or my planner. In fact, I’m thinking of my planner as the map to navigate through the unknown path to my ultimate destination. And I don’t intend to stumble into my destination and blurt out, “well, I was just walking around…”
And for some reason, this whole “not having goals” experiment flew in the face of “intentional living.” I was far, far, far from it. I guess that’s what made me anxious all along.
After having gone to the extremes — detailed goals, tasks, and playbooks to having none — I need to figure out a way to find a balance. Without obsessing about perfection because that will screw things up. How do I do that? I’ve been thinking of organizing my days into this format below:
- Routines — these are the 5-6 things that you have to do every single day without fail. No exceptions. For me, these would include — physical training, writing, and, learning/studying (reading, studying for an exam, watching a training instructional, preparing for a workshop, and the like).
- Area of Focus (Work/Business/Side-Hustle/Projects/Relationships)
- Top 6 Priorities — the ones that need to happen today, no matter what!
- Everything Else
To up the level of accountability, I’ll schedule these into my calendar, a tool that I can’t imagine living without.
If you’ve been following this blog for some time, you’ll notice that I’ve been following a version of the above “methodology” for quite sometime. The only exception is the “routines” bit, which in my opinion should not find a place in the Areas of Focus section. Because you need to be flexible about your routines at times for the sake of your other priorities. Not the other way around.
If you’ve been struggling with procrastination or getting things done, I highly recommend you try the above methodology. It’s not a magic pill, of course! No plan is, unless you make it work.