Organizational Tools

Tags

Event planning, get organized, lists, organization, planning, to-do

I love lists.  I love planning things.  I love organizing things, putting them into corresponding groups.  To that effect, I’ve created a couple templates that I can use for these purposes, rather than constantly starting from scratch or just using a notepad.

HUGE DISCLAIMER: I made these myself.  I’m not a perfectionist.  If you’re a perfectionist or OCD about line spacing or things being centered…DON’T USE THESE-they will drive you crazy.

1). Work to-do list.  I love this one because it helps me prioritize things: there’s a “Top 3” section with the things I HAVE to get done, no matter how much I don’t want to do them.  Then there are the other must do items, which maybe I just should have named “to-do,” and them my “long term” column.  Here I put all the projects that I would LIKE to do, but I know they’re not a priority so they don’t have to overwhelm me by being in my general to-do list. Click here to download.

2). Event planning list.  This should absolutely NOT be used for wedding planning.  I have a five page excel document for that.  This is for..your kids birthday party, or Friendsgiving, or the staff ice cream social.  I haven’t had a chance to actually USE this one yet, so I’m not sure there is enough room for everything, but I’ll adjust if I realize it’s impractical.  I have used this layout to help me plan several events, just not this document per se, and I love it.  I usually use an 8.5×14 sheet for this, but it seemed more practical to format to 8.5×11 for easy printing.  Feedback is welcome :) Click here to download.

Happy planning.  Happy organizing.

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“I’m in a hurry to get things done.”

 

I don’t know why.  It’s just how I am.  I constantly need to be doing something, or have plans to do something.  If I don’t have a list of things that need to get done, I start to go crazy.

I make list after list after list of things that need to get done.  If I don’t have a list made, I feel my anxiety start to creep up as my mind constantly goes through a mental checklist of the things I have to accomplish that day…the whole time freaking out that I’m going to forget something.  Once it’s down on paper, I’m fine.  I could accomplish one of ten things on my list, but it’s ok: it’s on the list–it’ll get done at some point but at least I won’t forget it.  Once my list is made, I’m ok with being an over achieving procrastinator.  Things can wait.  As long as the list is made.  I also make lists just so I can have the satisfaction of crossing things off of it, I don’t care whether that’s good or bad.  Once the list is written, I definitely feel like I have accomplished something, and flying a kite doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

This need for structure and busyness often has the ability to ruin perfectly good weekends, when I should be happy that I have nothing to do and can spend it all day doing whatever I want with Jeff.  But my mind just goes bananas.  I start getting anxious that I should be doing something, or thinking of things that I could or should be doing instead of just sitting at home.  At the same time, I don’t want to do any of the things that I probably should be doing (hence the “procrastinator”).

I came across an article in the New York Times that seemed to hit the nail on the head. The title is “The Busy Trap,” and the article talks about how we, as humans, choose to be busy…we make ourselves busy.  No one tells me that I need to have lunch and keep up with people from various networks…I just do it.  No one requires that I participate in several different organizations that require my time and attendance at meetings.  I chose to participate in them.  No one forces me to attend weddings, birthdays, social hours, etc., on weekends.  But I do it–either because I want to or because I feel it’s the socially acceptable thing to do.

I realize that the busy lifestyle I have is one which I have created for myself.  The problem is that I’m never happy: I’m either stressed out about having overloaded myself with things to do, or I’m unhappy about not having anything “to do.”

I really wish that I could just let things go, relax, and enjoy my surroundings.  I’ve definitely gotten better at living in the “now” since I met Jeff, but I know I can be a lot better.  I just don’t know how to get to that point.

Checking Stuff Off My List!

A little while ago I started a “30 Before 30” list, and realized I don’t have too much time left to complete it!  But, I made some good progress this weekend, and upon closer inspection of this list, realized I’ve come further than I realized when I sat down to write this.

WINE TASTING.

The ladies and I decided we needed to get away for a weekend and spend some quality time with each other, and with wine.  So we headed out to wine country in Temecula, which is closely situated to Sarah’s house…hint hint, convenient crashing place :)

Arriving at Wilson Creek!

Relaxing at the gazebo <3

Arriving at Leonesse Winery, sooo pretty!

Making use of the ceremony set up. Sarah went from “lover” to “wife”!

Lunch time at Leonesse. Everything was DELICIOUS, especially our bacon mac n cheese (and french fries that were to die for).

I was obsessed with the flowers at both wineries…so beautiful!

Some beautiful ladies:

We had such a great time, and got to enjoy some delicious wines!

Blog

Number four on my list was to move my blog to WordPress.  Ta-da! Although I haven’t looked into the money making aspect of blogging, I think I’ve let that allusion sail off into the distance.  I don’t see myself becoming a full time blogger, and don’t think I can make much money off of it unless I do.  So for now, I’m considering number four accomplished.

Blue Shirt

I’m not quite there yet, but I did earn my Red Shirt in January, which means I’m making progress!

Arizona

Jeff and I are heading there this weekend to visit the Arizona Armstrong’s and for Courtney’s wedding.  So, I can’t check it off yet, but can as of Sunday :)

Saying “no”

This is a work in progress, but I think I’ve gotten much better at it.  For example, today I said no to a contract assignment that could have provided some extra bucks, but would have proved extremely stressful given all the assignments and responsibilities I already have lined up for this month.

Still have a bit of work to do, but by the end of the Summer I expect to have our traveling checked off, and hopefully camping also.

30 Before 30

I recently saw a pretty cool blog idea where the writer wrote a list of things she wanted to accomplish, and then came back a year later and checked off which ones she had done, adding a link to her blog post of said activity. I thought I would do the same…and then I started thinking…it’s already November…by next November, I’ll be on the eve of my 30th birthday (by “eve,” I mean about four months away…if you know my husband, ask him a funny story about this). I also saw a friend who did a “30 before 30” list: things she wanted to accomplish before turning 30 (am I insulting your intelligence? pretty self explanatory?) So, why not combine my list of things I want to accomplish with this little, minor, not-a-big deal birth year and make it into a 30 before 30? I found no good reason not to, so here we go. Let’s see if I can find 30 things I want to do…

I want to:

1. First and foremost, I want to be settled into a job. No more uncertainty of what I’m doing…whether it’s working somewhere, or working on my own, I want it to be legit, I want to be able to get pregnant if we decide we’re ready, I want to have health insurance, I want to feel financially….hmmm….not-on-the-verge-of-being-broke? I know this is a lot for #1, but I think they all are part of one big package.
2. Travel. There are too many places I want to go to: Germany (Mike, Uli & Hank!), Spain (Isa!), Hawaii (again, self-explanatory, but I want to be consistent with the parenthesis), Guatemala (grandma), Haiti (self explanatory). I’m not expecting all of these to happen before I turn 30. I’d be happy with one or two.
3. Become serious about some sort of work out: whether it be walking/hiking, or picking up rock climbing again, which I miss doing.
4. Develop my blog. This includes moving to WordPress, as well as figuring out how to make Adsense make me more money. I think since I started blogging two years ago (almost exactly!), I’ve made about $12 bucks. I’m not saying I’m not happy with my earnings…but I’m also not saying I wouldn’t mind more. I just need to figure out how to do that without changing what I write about or plastering my blog with ads.
5. Develop Jeff’s art: portfolio, more art shows, website, you name it.
6. Earn my blue shirt from Corazon
7. Make it to Arizona to visit Courtney (this I technically want to cross off my list early in the year)
8. Develop Haiti Scholarships into a successful nonprofit
9. Jump out of a plane
10. Go camping
11. Go wine tasting
12. Eat healthier, regularly
13. Travel to Portland or Seattle
14. Learn to say no, when necessary
15. Have a romantic getaway weekend with Jeff (we’ve been talking about going to Solvang for a while now)

Hmm. I’m about 15 accomplishments short of 30.

I guess I could fill it in with 15 things I want to have before I turn 30…but that’s too materialistic to be a serious goal.

Suggestions?