Blog No. 27
By Marcus Coates, @homeinriyadh, 3rd June 2023
Feeling Overwhelmed with Tasks?
We start our day with good intentions to get things done, yet often, work – and life – can quickly become filled with minor administrative tasks that snowball and threaten to overwhelm us. An avalanche of emails to work through, each requiring what seems like immediate attention or a follow-up task; maybe a form to fill, a bill to pay, a report to write, a query to make, a project to follow up on, a series of updates to perform – all vying for special attention. Soon, without intention, our minds are buzzing with the thought of all the numerous tasks we need to complete, and our days become laborious. Life becomes administration. If that sounds familiar, then you might benefit from my AHA designer checklist to help you keep the focus on relevant tasks and moving forward.
A: Start your day with a design task list
Creating a 'to do' task list will focus your attention on what needs to be done for the day. Psychologist John Sweller's Cognitive Load Theory (1980s) states three types of working memory: intrinsic, extraneous and germane. Intrinsic refers to the difficulty level of the task at hand, extraneous concerns the complexity of how the information is presented, and germane alludes to creating mental schemas to assist in processing information. Making a task list, and better still, creating a simple list at the end of the previous day, will lessen the extraneous and germane cognitive loads, freeing up time to sip your morning beverage in peace and allow calm reflection on the tasks ahead instead of having to think too deeply from the get-go. On my 'Business Templates' page of the website, I have a 'to-do list' template ready for you to download (mc-mindful-content.com).
B: Split tasks into daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly priorities
Do you need to do all those tasks now? Answer all those emails now? How about prioritising them into tasks for that day, ones to complete by the end of the week and others to accomplish by the end of the month, quarter or even year? Luckily I only have to finish my tax returns once a year … but scheduling them on my phone calendar lets me know they are approaching so I can mentally prepare myself. To stay productive, try following the 80-20 Pareto Principle (named after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto): this principle states that 20% of the input effort results in 80% of work accomplished. In other words, start with your most important tasks when you are at your freshest, and you will stay more productive.
Image: Unsplash - Stephanie LeBlanc
C: Eat a frog for breakfast at least twice a week; every day is even better!
Don't worry; this is not a literal frog but a symbolic one. In other words, tackle one of those tedious or complicated tasks you've ignored on your 'to-do' list for days or weeks. And do it first thing in the morning when you are mentally fresh. Eating a frog might not taste great but will relieve you once digested. Eat frogs twice a week or daily if you have the stomach for them! Remember, there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. That tax bill goes nowhere until you get it paid, so eat a frog and sleep better for it!
D: Use action plans to collaborate: with action, action owner & action target date for each item
People often work on everyday tasks to achieve an outcome – at work or home. Collaborative projects can languish after a while, with the lines of communication constantly breaking down, or as new priorities take precedence and older tasks fall by the wayside. By using a simple Word document tracker and assigning an action, the action owner, and a timescale to achieve the task, joint projects are more likely to succeed. You'll also have a record of who agreed to do what and when which is very useful when people claim amnesia weeks after the agreed tasks are recalled and discussed! Task trackers are widely used in project management. I'll add one soon to the website for download.
E: Design a process, follow, complete, & repeat.
The AHA designer checklist is an example of a simple process to help you organise your heavy administrative load: print out this ready-made resource, follow the steps, complete your tasks by following points A to H, and then repeat. Sticking to a tried and tested process will help you achieve more from your day. The more often you stick to a process, the more of a positive habit it becomes. You can download the AHA template from the business page of mc-mindful-content.com.
F: Create a project library & ensure files are coded and versioned
Have you ever spent an hour or two looking for a file that you swore was saved in an easy-to-reach destination on your computer? I know I have! My eventual solution (and ongoing project) was ensuring I created a file structure with clear naming conventions and an accompanying index to locate documents easily. I now number my folders:
01_House_Related, 02_Work_Related, 03_Study_related, etc. And within each file … you guessed it, I have subfolders with the same naming convention: 01_House_Related, 01.1_Taxes, 01.2_Repairs, etc.
I still can't find documents occasionally, but nowhere near as often as before.
Image: Unsplash - Erik McLean
G: Roadblocks occur – reach out, visit the watercooler, or google it!
Focusing on the study, administration, training, or gaining skills for whatever project you are working on can be tiring and often solitary. This is especially true when you reach a roadblock and are unsure how to proceed. At times like this, take a trip to the water cooler to chat with a colleague if you work in an office or reach out to a friend for a solution. And these days, thousands of online communities and enthusiasts are posting answers to all topics, from 'How to pour the perfect espresso shot' to 'How to build your own house'. Google it … it's out there!
H: Take a headspace break: good coffee, origami, stretch or doodle.
And don't forget 'H' on the checklist. When you start to feel overwhelmed, take a break. Nothing like a good cup of coffee, five minutes of origami, or a quick doodle to energise the mind and focus on the following tasks. The Pomodoro Technique, developed by Francesco Cirillo (named after the kitchen timer shaped like a tomato), has proven that taking a five-minute power break every twenty-five minutes significantly increases productivity. Power breaks, coffee, origami, doodling, try it!
A to H and then back to A! = AHA!
Administration, alas, is never finished! That's why it's time to rinse and repeat when you reach 'H' on the list. Back to A, and good luck with another iteration!
