5 Keys to Tangent-Proofing Your Time
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Welcome Encouragement for Today devotion readers. If you are joining us and haven’t yet read my devotion today, click here to do so and get up to speed with the rest of us here. Don’t forget to hit your back arrow and come back for 5 keys to tangent proofing your time and a giveaway!
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Have you been there? Allowed the Internet or another hobby or pastime knock you off course and sap your time? How can you prevent this from happening in the future? Here are 5 guidelines that have helped me focus and keep on task:
~ Plan your work and then work your plan, grouping like tasks together.
There is no substitute for a good working list. If you set out to “get things done” without a written list of what it is you need to accomplish, it will sap your mental strength. You will unknowingly be preoccupied with the fear of “forgetting”: to make a call, send an email or pull meat out of the freezer to thaw for supper.
If you can brain dump your tasks on to a piece of paper or “notes” app on your phone or electronic tablet, you can focus all your mental energies on doing the task at hand rather than worrying you’ll forget one you hope to accomplish later that day.
When you are making your list, group like tasks. Think about the errands that require you to leave your home: the dry cleaners, grocery or drug store, post office run or item to return. What about tasks that require the computer: sending an email, making an online purchase or paying a utility bill. Are there around the home chores that must be done? Cleaning, laundry, pulling weeds or organizing a closet?
Rather than just launching out on a “mission to accomplish” and randomly start working, think smart. You will save time, motion and effort if you group like tasks as you work.
I do this, once I have written out my list, by using different color highlighters. I’ll highlight all the “around the town” errands in pink, computer tasks in green, etc… While I’d like to be organized enough to group the tasks as I write the list, that often takes more effort and may require starting over. Just doing a general brain dump and then going back and categorizing with highlighters works best for me. Besides, I like to see pretty colors on my to do list rather than just a black and white list. :-)
~ Utilize your phone alarm.
Work in pre-determined “shifts”. Set out to tackle some household chores, but set your phone alarm for 30-45 minutes later. Then, dive in and work, without thinking about anything else. Roll up your sleeves. Stay focused. Listen to music or an audio Bible on an Ipod or MP3 player. Lose yourself in your work.
When the alarm sounds, read what the screen says. (I “talk to myself” by making my alarm reminder read “Good job girl! Go make yourself an iced tea!”) Wrap up the current task, take a short break and move on to the next thing.
~ Alternate between working with your brain and working with your hands.
I find that if I am using my brain for an extended period of time perhaps writing, filling out college forms or other paperwork, I need to mix it up after a few hours. Those tasks are not particularly draining physically but do deplete my brain’s energy and creativity .
To remedy this, I will switch to something brainless for a while instead. Yes, I will fold laundry or clean the house while watching Gunsmoke, Bonanza or another retro show. It rests my mind and refreshes me. Then, I’m ready to jump back in and use my brain again.
~ Set up a visual reminder of your time priorities.
I place my Bible on top of my Ipad each night on my nightstand to remind me “Bible over blogs”.
Maybe you’ll need to make your phone’s lock screen read “Have you spent time with God yet today?”.
Or put a picture of your family on your computer’s home page. Anything that will help you connect with God and your family BEFORE you venture off into cyber-land.
~ Less is more.
The less I am pulled by social media and cell phones, the more time I have for God, family and just “being” rather than “doing” all the time.
This has been the biggest lesson lately for me when it comes to electronic devices becoming tangents. I was letting social media, my cell phone and emails I received call the shots and dictate how I spent my time. With the instant access that today’s culture provides, it can overrun a people-pleaser like me.
Up until a few months ago, I gave out my cell phone number freely. I was accumulating friends on Facebook and also accumulating lots of “invites”, and “requests” and challenges to play games. And, I was getting dozens of emails per week from people asking me questions to which I had no answer or asking for time-consuming favors from me.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love helping people. I am thankful for the connections that can happen and the ministry that takes place via the Internet. Seriously thankful.
I am deeply grateful for cyber friends and blog readers and I am a faithful reader of a few blogs myself. However, because I tend to be a people pleaser, I would jump when I got a private Facebook message and feel I needed to answer right away. Or, if a text message came in when I was supposed to be accomplishing a task or spending time with my family, I would feel the tug to text back quickly.
When I would fight the urge and, in an attempt to live my priorities, not respond until later when I had time, I would feel guilty. Or others would feel slighted that it took me a day or so to answer. However, when I added up the time it would take just answering people (sometimes to tell them I actually had no answer!) it would be hours per week.
So now I give myself some guidelines and boundaries including limiting answering emails (that aren’t from family or my work-at-home ministry position at Proverbs 31) to 30 minutes a day. That might mean I can’t answer someone for a few days or weeks depending on how full my inbox is. I also got a new cell number and only give the number out to family, close friends, my one son’s school and other sons’ tutors and crucial ministry contacts. I can still communicate with friends (in real life and cyber both) by Twitter messages rather than texting.
I have become so convinced that electronic communication methods, with their instant access to people, have become modern day bullies. They boss us around and burn up our time when we aren’t intentional to use them as tools only. I can’t describe to you the freedom I now feel now that my phone buzzes only occasionally and I don’t feel glued to the computer. Ahhh….freedom!
Now, please leave a comment with which of these tips you’d most like to try. Or, any other piece of advice or thoughts you have on this topic. One gal will be chosen to receive a signed copy of my book The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized and a $15 Staples gift card to purchase some list-making notepads or a new planner to help you use your time wisely.
Winner announced Monday.
Wow! Thank you Karen!
You know God always has a way of giving you confirmation rather it be thru the bible, internet,
people, church you name it! but sense I read your artical Love it! It has really blessed my soul and gave me some in site on time management and organizing my time to be able to Give more
time to God, I am going to take the advice you gave here in this artical and apply it ASAP! Thanks! again Karen! you have helped open up and gave me a motivation to do the right thing!
Thanks, Karen; these are all great tips. I recently began using a timer technique and it seems to work well – I just need to remember to do it more often! I really like the idea of alternating working with my brain and working with my hands. I bookmarked this post to go back to later =)
What a blessing for this to be in my e-mail inbox today! I usually get my Bible reading done first, but from there my day can be spent aimlessly trying to motivate myself to do something productive. In my journal today, I wrote: new day, new month, new attitude. Your inspiration has given me an application to put to use. My husband has been trying to get me to make “lists” for some time now. Thank you for your words of wisdom and practicality: now it’s off to make that list before another day gets away from me!
I have always been a gal to make lists, but since being laid up for an injury, the lists have gone away. I have been trying to figure out how to get back to doing what I need to get done and now I know. My list will be made out each evening of what I need to do the next day. Thankyou for helping me get my life back in order while spending time on the couch with my feet up!
Wow Karen, I love this! I have really been in search of balance since I am a stay at home mom of twins and run a business as well. It is too easy to get drawn into my work and neglect my little ones/housework! Thanks so much for your tips! I have read/tried some of them before and I think I need to just get back on it! Making lists has helped but I haven’t done them so much lately. I love the cute saying that you put for your alarm. I think I will try that!
The one that I find I would really like to try is: Alternate between working with your brain and working with your hands. I tend to be on the computer too much and then when it is time to do offline work or spend time with my family, I am drained!! I have a BIG problem with this so please pray for me lol! Thanks again! I love this post and have shared!
Continued blessings to you and yours!
I need to think about all that you mentioned….
less is more, I am on day 118 of reading the Bible in a year. i try to read my Bible study first before spending time in e-mails and facebook.
Great post today! I definitely needed the “Bible over blogs” message!!! The visual reminders tip will be helpful… before turning on or viewing anything via an “electronic device” blackberry, computer, etc. I need to first seek God’s written word. And for me in hard copy form – the Book. Sometimes even when the intention is to read something Biblical via a cellphone or computer, before I can get to it, someone has sent a text or email or even an article on the Yahoo home page will catch my attention and I am distracted from getting to the Word! As today is June 1st, I plan to put this into practice this Summer and hopefully it will be a “ritual” by Fall.
I love the idea of braindumping the list onto one sheet & color coding! I look forward to prettier lists. My organizational secret is to exercise 1st thing in the morning; after taking care of myself, my love and energies can be freely given to my family & others. My mind is clearer too!
Wonderful tips, I especially liked the bible on the i pad and the phone reminders with an encouraging message.
Thanks
Your blog today is exactly what I needed! I, too, love to help people. I, too, can let friend’s requests fill my time. I, too, have a tendency to let time slip away when I am on the computer. I am trying prayerfully to regain control of my schedule and to set priorities. I will start making a list of “things to do” as I used to do. I think I will use my phone alarm when I get on the computer so time doesn’t slip away so much. Thank you so much!
I love making lists, but I need to get better about managing the time I spend on each task. I love the idea of a timer. No one says you have to completely clean out a closet all at once. I think that is why I am not starting a task. I dread working at something for 2 or 3 hours at once. Why do I have to? Give it a good 30 minutes and move on! Come back to it in a few days! This has inspired me to get to the “abyss”. The room that was once an office, but now holds a bunch of JUNK-it’s the dumping ground for all kinds of things :( I’d love for it to be a guest bedroom…..I will tame it this summer!
Hmm, hard to choose just one of these great ideas! But I think I like the “Utilize your phone alarm” one best. I am one of those “chain Facebook-ers” who checks my newsfeed every few minutes, “just in case something new has happened”. Next thing I know, it’s bedtime, the sink’s still full of dirty dishes, the laundry is still piled in the floor, and the dust bunnies in my bathroom are having a family reunion! But hey, I know what all my FB buddies had for dinner! LOL (BTW, I’m linking this on FB….)
Great advice! I already sort of group my tasks….what I am excited to try is the utilization of my phone’s alarm and work in predetermined shifts! I think focusing on just one thing at a time will help me a whole lot. I’m going to share this with friends!
I came over from the Proverbs 31 Ministries email I received. This came just at the right time (God seems to do that for me a lot). :) I have been “avoiding” Facebook this week because I feel as if I get sucked into the comparison trap and it’s unhealthy for me. I’ve been trying to find a system to help with my time management and I appreciate the ideas on how to stay organized. I need all the help I can get. I work part-time (in work I don’t love – yet), I am taking a Masters Class and I am going through a year-long Health Coach program. I am a Registered Dietitian looking to start her own consulting business. Some days I feel overwhelmed and I feel like I don’t get anything accomplished when I’m home. I like the idea of mixing it up. I’m going to try the tip to use my brain for a while, then my hands for awhile. I have a lot of computer work to do lately and it is brain draining. :) Thanks!
I am a list maker, and love the idea of using highlighters for like chores/errands rather than rewriting the list! Great idea!
Unfortunately I need to utilize all the tips and I look forward to trying them out, I really do need to set boundaries and prioritize my work/life, I really appreciate the encouraging words of wisdom and I am a people pleaser so I try avoiding my responsibilities to please everyone besides myself.
I’ve kind of avoided the whole technology thing…no Facebook, Twitter, etc. I just don’t want to spend all that time doing what looks like nothing. Of course, my boys are all in elementary school, so my opinion will probably change as they get older. I do find myself drawn to reading even when I have loads of work to do, so I have to be careful about that. Thanks for all your tips too.
I love the tip for using the phone alarm. I am going to try that!!!
I love these tips, Karen! I have a Smartphone and found it can pull me away from God, family and daily chores. I love your tip of working in incremental time slots. I know that will work well for me. I like your idea of mixing brain-energy tasks with brainless tasks. I usually just go at it and find I go braindead before all the tasks are done. Mixing them up is a good idea. Thanks for your tips. I’ll be back to your blog again. I can really use your guide for getting and STAYING organized! I work so hard at getting organized, but I can’t seem to stay with it. I hope to win your guide to help me get there!
I am already a list-maker and alternate between physical and brain activities. However, I plan to highlight my tasks and set an alarm. I also love the idea of rewarding myself! Thanks for the reminder of keeping my priorities straight. It’s just too easy to pick-up my iPad and spend too much time on Facebook when I need to be in the Word or talking with my family. God bless!
I love the highlighter idea! I am list maker so I will definitely br using this one. I also like the timer idea.
I just found your blog while spending time with Proverbs 31 writers on the daily email post. I like the tip about using my phone with the alarm. I like to use the tools to the max. I used to use the timer on my stove but this idea is a symptom of being tied to the technology gadgets you mention.
This is an area where I need to get out of this black hole. It wastes time and prevents me from getting things done. I signed up to receive your daily doses and get back to living above the hole!
Really like the visual tip with the bible.
I really like the 30 min of email. I get so tangled in frequent email checks and being mastered by their arrival and not necessarily focusing on the tasks I am in the midst of.