So how did your year begin? My first "awake" moment on January 1, 2021 was about 2:30 a.m. It was the kind of *awakeness" that refuses to be pushed back. I could not go back to sleep. So my day began at 3:00am. Thankfully, instead of inducing a grouchy fog, it kicked off a day full of adrenalin-charged productive EXTRA hours! Maybe you can relate to my common complaint that there just aren't enough hours in the day?
I started by setting up my shiny new planner.
(Only $8 at Aldi) For years I have only kept my appointments, reminders, events and tasks on my digital Google calendar. I love having all that information at the ready on my phone. But....it only works if you remember to look at it every day. If that fails, you miss that doctor appt or have to pay another year of a subscription you didn't really want anymore, etc...(yes, I've done that!)
So...this year I committed to adding a physical planner to my productivity tool box. I still enter all the dates in my digital calendar. But weekly I add the details to my planner - with names, places, phone numbers - as a way to "handle" the data again. I also think ahead and divide my ongoing to-do list amongst the upcoming days. I bullet point the tasks for each day. (This planner is BIG and has lots of space for each day). Then daily - with coffee in hand - I review my day before I kick it off. I still have to work out some kinks - like over-estimating what I can actually finish in a day. But I am definitely not missing things anymore. And those little scraps of paper with reminders and phone numbers - GONE (or nestled in the pocket of my planner until I enter them). The details are all in one place. It's my go-to reference now.
The new planner system was not the only thing accomplished in those wee hours of the new year....I finally emptied out those piles of picture frames from when we had re-decorated back in summer. I decided I don't need that many pictures hanging on walls when they can easily go in a scrapbook or memory box. The other pile of framed pics was from when we had moved my father-in-law out of his apartment and into our house. I chose the best ones to start a "family history" hallway display. Here it is so far, along with the box overflowing with old frames I can now purge! Once I prepare a compliment from my side of the family, I will post some more pics.
By this time others were waking up in the house and I no longer had to work quietly. Joy! I was inspired to finally declutter & organize some areas that had been nagging at me - hidden spaces like a couple of closets, cabinets and drawers. And I even made labels for them the same day. You'll be able to see the video soon by visiting my youtube channel here. For now, here are some pics:
Whew! I assumed that all this spent energy would send me crashing into a long afternoon nap, but amazingly I was charged up ALL DAY! I did finally make up for lost sleep eventually with 10+ hours of slumber that night.
While I don't expect productivity to always happen in this fashion, I am hoping my January 1st experience bodes well for more productivity & energy in 2021. So next time you have a sleepless night, maybe try to get up and attack something that's been nagging at you. I hope it works for you too!
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