Sacred Time Management: Gettings Things Done With Structured Flow
My Style Statement is Sacred Dramatic. This may not mean anything to you because Style Statements are marvelously personal mantras, but you might be interested to know that I’m a kick-ass time manager. I get things done. And it has everything to with being well, Sacred Dramatic.
I relish a good organizational system as much as creative freedom. The answer for me (and maybe for you): is structured flow.
“Sacred” does what feels right, when it feels right. Dramatic has very clear boundaries. (Remember, according to Style Statement principles, it’s your second word – your “20%” that makes all the difference.)
CREATING FLUID STRUCTURE TO GET THINGS DONE
FLOW BABY, FLOW
1. Positive procrastination…all timing is divine – all of it. I’m not a procrastinator, by any stretch. But my habit of “holding off” on certain things used to confuse me, since I’m such a wham-shazam activator on most things. I finally realized my seeming neglect of some things actually was a deeper inkling of right timing. If something didn’t really “feel” like a priority (despite logic and deadlines,) it probably needed to wait on my clear will or that of providence. I am always amazed at what can happen when you wait: things often take care of them selves or conditions improve in ways that make doing what needs to be so much more effective.
2. Give yourself 24 hours. This year, I realized something about myself that was a huge surprise: I need time to think about some things. Considering how fast my mind and mouth move, this was a “Whoa!” epiphany. I’m not always immediately in touch with my feelings (I’ll let you know when I find enlightenment.) Sometimes need to pause to let my insight surface. When I say, “I’ll meditate on it and get back to you,” I’m not kidding.
3. Heed what inspires you. Sometimes you have to shovel horse apples to make your dreams come true. But ultimately, no dream will serve you if you’re forcing yourself to make it happen. We’ve come up with some brilliant, big-money ideas that logically, I should have jumped all over. But I just didn’t feel the juice. Excitement = energy. Go where the energy is.
This is my sacred all important fundamentally transformational secret to getting things done:
4. Know how you want to feel. If you don’t know how you want to feel in your life, how can you decide what to do with your time? Planning your year without knowing how you want to feel and is like buying construction materials for a house, and not having a so much as a drawing of what you want to build. I know that I want to feel affluent, connected, sexy, and creative. Everything I do supports generating those feelings in every area of my life.
NOW KICK IT INTO GEAR
5. The Entrepreneurial Time Management System fundamentally improved the way I work. Basically, I arrange my week into two “Buffer Days” (Monday and Friday) for loose ends, errands, returning calls, meetings, and preparing to go into high gear on my three “Focus Days.” On Focus Days I do what I do best and is most important to the success of our company. My weekends are “Free Days.” Unplugged and easy breezy.
6. My Tools:
Week-At-A-Glance Daytimer. I just can’t warm up to electronic calendars, tho’ I do use Google Calendar for stuff the whole team needs to be aware of.
Steno pad for a rambling to do list. I mark some tasks with little icons, like a circled “W” for “Writing”, a “heart” for personal stuff. (Cute, eh?)
Blackberry. Checking my email while stopped at a red light or from the beach may sound neurotic, but the anytime/anywhere access creates a lot of peace of mind and spontaneity for me. I love the fluidity of it.
7. My Habits:
The Big Box of Whatever: I rarely file any paper. I have a big box under my desk that I toss documents and such into. That way I know where everything is. If I wait long enough, I find that I only need to actually keep and file about 20% of the pile. The rest becomes useless over time and goes into the recycling bin.
Email: I flag ‘n categorize emails AS SOON as I get them. (Outlook is superior in this regard, GMail is okay.) I average about 3000 emails a month – and I read every one.
Loose ends: I hate loose ends. If I say I’ll get back to you – I will.
Hot baths and lavender oil: essential.
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September 2nd, 2008 at 12:48 am
Thanks so mcuh Danielle – I can SOOOO relate to number 1. I can now give myself time to get into the right head space without feelign guilty!
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:59 am
Fantastic wisdom, Danielle, especially for those of us who work from home. The first two, especially – we’re always rushing, and being in the moment and being honest about the focus needed is so crucial. Thank you.
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:24 am
THank you Danielle, I thought I was the only one…and I thought I was weird and a pack rat….because I don’t file anything either…there is so much going on w me at all times…it becomes hard to organize papers…but my life is VERY MUCH ORGANIZED and like you I ALWAYS GET BACK TO PEOPLE & GET THINGS DONE! That’s all that matters right? but I am trying to file things…so I can find them for future reference
September 2nd, 2008 at 5:54 am
I love the big box under the desk idea! Beats big mess on the top of the desk any day.
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:11 am
Numbers 6 & 7 have been my tools and habits for years and because of them, I live a peaceful life in what could be a chaotic nightmare.
It’s really such a simple system but it works like no other!
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:20 am
#4 feels like I’ve just been handed a key to the universe. I’ve been struggling for what seems like forever trying to figure out what I “want” — which changes daily, though the lifestyle elements remain the same. But how I want to FEEL? I can nail that and it doesn’t change! Thank you so much for your insight and generosity!
September 2nd, 2008 at 11:49 am
you got it! Guilt is SUCH a time sucker.
September 2nd, 2008 at 11:50 am
Yes yes and yes! this is a biggie. I’m going to write more (and more) about feelings in relation to strategy. Try this – write how you want to feel every morning in your daytimer. It’s so potent.
xo
D
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Day One, and it’s already almost intoxicating! Thank you — I look forward to learning more.
September 2nd, 2008 at 5:13 pm
On your #5, have you tried an electronic GTD. Not only do I get a look at email at the lights, but I have my entire project and task list with me. I use to use a printable system too (first daytimer, then Covey), before finding an electronic application that allows me to view my entire GTD at work on my Win machine, at home on my Macs and even on my cell phone. And another app lets me call in tasks to my GTD without any writing or typing, great for those thoughts that hit me while driving. I’ve written about my experiences with GTD in a blog post at http://johnkendrick.wordpress.com/2008/03/27/more-getting-things-done/ John
September 6th, 2008 at 6:29 am
i’m constantly obsessing over organizing, checking out new systems, scanning books (they’re usually not interesting enough to read all the way through), etc, and in one page, you covered pretty much everything i find important! thank you thank you for reminding me that i can actually trust my own priorities.
October 3rd, 2008 at 4:23 am
from one Danielle to another… thanks for the tips! There is a constant stream if stuff i have to do, stuff i want to do and stuff i can't be arsed to do but know i must! It's relentless. Any great tips on beating that damn procrastination gene i have, will always be appreciated. I just found a link to your site on Brocante Home (one of my favourites) and i'll definitely be stopping by more often. You're on my delicious list…
October 27th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Thank you. Just THANK YOU. This is such an affirmation , since I have just recently put myself on a personal 12-step program for procrastination. (”We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction…”) This is a helpful way of looking at working with time–especially for someone who works in deadline oriented environments, but is also influenced by the Native American tradition of moving in Spirit. Trying to deal with time in the “real” world and the Spirit world can seem like such a conflict. But your words give new meaning to Divine Order.
P.S. I recently went out and bought a BIGGER Day Timer. Stopped even trying to hide the fact that I'm still a paper girl. And it really works so much better than the smaller one–for me and my life and my way of processing. Proof that living by your own design just makes things easier.
November 3rd, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I just got a new website. Did the whole thing using TaskUs (http://www.Taskus.com
<http://www.Taskus.com/> ). I'm starting to believe in this personal
outsourcing thing.
November 9th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Divine Order – brilliant – should have named this article as such! Go with the flow, baby.
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:25 am
I am a newbie in the field of seo and and now i am very much inspired and have a clear vision for my future in this arena known as SEO. I think the most important thing to make it big here is “patience”, if you have that you are a winner here.
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:06 pm
I've always liked GTD, but I have not thought of it with the words sacred structured flow in mind.
Thanks for the different perspective,
March 8th, 2009 at 12:40 am
Loved this post – thanks for bringing a new side to project management.
May 24th, 2009 at 6:47 am
I think this is fantastic, because if you actually think about it, if you don't have a positive outlook in life then of course your daily life will be filled with negativity and problems. Even if you find a million dollars or move in to a mansion, you will still feel empty.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:11 am
What a useful post here. Very informative for me..TQ friends…
Cheers,
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