In late January, Kristi Holl wrote a great blog post about her Not-to-d0-List. She wanted to get more writing done each week but recognized that to do this, she had to free up some time. She then created a list of things not to do.
As a first-class list maker, this really made me think. It has taken some time, but I’ve noticed that simply writing something down on my to-do list isn’t actually helping me get things done. Sure, it helps me remember what I need, or want, to do, but it doesn’t seem to have much impact on the actual doing. Often, the problem comes down to not enough time in my day.
To free up some time, I’ve decided to get rid of some of my time sucks.
1. Do not answer the phone. Like Kristi, I am using my answering machine. When you work at home, you are easy to find. Sometimes that is a very bad thing. Besides, I can hear who it is and pick up if necessary. No, it will not help if you keep saying “Pick up, I know you’re there!” Ironically, I never am when someone does that.
2. Do not answer the door. This is a lot like #1. I can actually look to see who it is so that I don’t miss packages, but it means that I miss the people who want to side my siding, etc.
3. Do not sit at the computer for 4 or 5 hours. Every 40 to 45 minutes, I get up and move for 5 minutes. When I know my butt is going to be right here for 2 more hours, why start writing now? I have time. If, on the other hand, I know I’m going to have to get up and run down to the laundry room or go use the treadmill in just 20 minutes, I write. Go figure.
4. Do not keep checking my e-mail. I check once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
5. Do not always say yes. I want to help people. I like to help people, but sometimes they need to put some effort into it themselves. The big one here is that I return a call one time. If they say, “I’m busy, call back later,” then I ask them to call me back. It may seem like a little thing, but they often find the 2 minutes they need to ask me a question without another round of phone tag.
6. Avoid certain recreational web sites. They may be cool, but they can make an hour or more disappear.
None of this seems all that remarkable but I’ve come close to doubling my output.
What time sucks need to go on your anti-do list?
–SueBE
One Writer's Journey 