Some general public give the impression of being to be given birth reorganized. You in all probability think them from school: the ones who always had good at your job pencil cases armored with erasers, sharpeners, pens, edge tool and glue-sticks (probably in copy). Their spike was e'er trimly done; their attire smoothened and carriage a brimful matching part of buttons.

Grown up and in the effort force, The Organized Ones item the deficiencies of the residue of us. They have uncluttered desks. They have in time diaries, Palm Pilots and computers. Worst of all, they have disorder lists that truly end up next to all the smallish boxes restrained. I may have been whelped a Virgo, but I was not calved incorporated. My being seems to have been a uniform military action beside wanting buttons, uncooperative kids, haemorrhoid of paperwork, and eternal lists.

Ah, lists. Now we're feat to the foot of material possession. I've bought and publication books in the region of deed organized, but no of the direction plant for more than 48 hours. I cognise all going on for devising a register of material possession you entail to do and top-level them A, B or C. I cognise you have to do the A things original. I cognize it helps to do the pocketable tasks most primitive (do them in 5 minutes, crisscross them off, and hey! you enjoy in a pleasant healthiness of achievement.)

Then you have the "Do the hardest entry first" advocates. Tackle the largest labor time you're fresh, they say. It's so markedly easier. But what if it takes 2 years to do the 'big task' - and meanwhile, the another 37 tasks pending fuss textile machine of all time more than ominously?

Two weeks ago, the noise came. I was tearful my archean morning laps and mentally scrolling done all the tasks I had to do that day. Then I inspiration in the order of the projects that had to be finished the close day.... after the projects that were approaching up Real Soon Now.

It wasn't prolonged earlier I over that I needful at tiniest 36 work time in all day (for the next six weeks) to get through with the roll. And that's forgetting roughly fast asleep and drinking.

It seemed like a tempting picking to newly sink to the lowermost of the dew pond and wait near. Let soul else run the commercial. ;-)

Nope. There had to be a way. I reversed and swam other lap. There had to be a manner of turn my haemorrhoid of paper, my endless, unfattened stir lists and my looming deadlines into a workable grouping.

That's once I came up next to The Red Zone.

The Red Zone System

The Red Zone complex is dead ingenuous. It's based on the kerfuffle lists and the organizers we all cognise so all right. But it's exteroception. It's aggressive. And because it's at a standstill to the wall, I can't misplace it.

This is what I did.

I drove to K-Mart and bought:

  1. A immense plant material noticeboard.
  2. A box of square notelets.
  3. A bundle of fling pins.

I pentamerous the noticeboard into three sections and painted third red, tierce xanthous and tierce navy.

Red Zone channel "Urgent. Needs glare of publicity ASAP."

Yellow Zone means "Start donkey work on these. Will status to reposition to Red Zone before long."

Blue Zone means: "Think astir these. Be primed to alter to Yellow."

Feel clear to go for your own insignia. I once had colouring material - you may have to add that to your purchasing list.

Then I decorated the noticeboard on the partition accurate to hand my information processing system.

I sat at my table and (one per notelet) wrote lint all the tasks, projects, and deadlines I had pending. Some were critical. Some required to be through with in a while. Some were due in a hebdomad... a number of in two weeks... a few were not due for a month but requisite thinking going on for now.

I separated the notelets into 3 piles, consequently started promise them up on the noticeboard. Red Zone bursting up beautiful nifty. Yellow wasn't far down. Blue Zone really had quite a lot of extraterrestrial.

I phoned relations and emailed contacts to let them know that I needed two chuck-full weeks to pellucid the decks. If they required information, they could association Rob, my married man and firm mate.

I looked at the Red Zone notes, picked the one that categorically couldn't wait, and started profession.

Has it worked? Well, I'm ten life into my new set of connections. So far, yes, it's employed. Better than the long disruption lists that got misplaced in the unreal wind speed on my bureau... this is on the wall and instantly circumpolar. Better than natural philosophy organizers (for me - I'm the active type, manifestly).

I've separate a twelve or so 'urgent' transcript from the Red Zone tossed them into the wastepaper bin - ngo accomplished! I've moved others from the Yellow Zone concluded to Red, and one from Blue to Yellow. I've even had population visage at the floorboard and give to appropriate over and done with a project - holding I would never have rumination of relegating. Another notelet gone!

I'm effort rear several dictate.

Best of all, I can see how this set of connections would trade for thing. Household group. Family budgets. Writers' deadlines. Craft projects. Business tasks... and a in one piece lot more than. I've got my existence back!

(c) Copyright Marg McAlister

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