“Anxiety is caused by a lack of control, organization, preparation, and action.” - David Kekich
I feel like this statement rationalizes my tidy nature and, at times, over-organization! David Allen's "Getting Things Done" technique has been in my life before I knew it even existed. The five stages of: Collect, Process, Organize, Review, and Do are ever present in my home as well as my classroom.
The collecting, processing and organizing phases work simultaneously for me. As soon as a task comes into my life I immediately filter that task into a prioritized category and decide how and when the task will be completed. It took awhile for me to manage this at first, but my Smart Phone played a big part in helping everything come together. I religiously use my iCalendar to remember dates and set alarms for when a task must be finished. When I scheduled an appointment I use my speaker phone so I can instantly plug in the information...or I'll forget. Items without an actionable date go into my Use Your Handwriting application on my phone. These are items that don't really have a due date, but need to be recorded...or I'll forget. All I need to do is jot a note with my finger and it is put into a list format with previous notes. It took me awhile to get these systems in place and I am still working on the part of reviewing. I check my calendar often as well as my note taking app, but every once and awhile something sneaks up on me causing panic. Unfortunately my process is not fool-proof. I still have notes and lists flying about because it seems that my mind just can't hold it all at the speed it comes in. There are even times when my students will ask about something and I need to write it down on the white board in big letters...or I'll forget! For now this is the process that works for me, but as technology changes I am sure I will do the same. (Below are google images of an iCal and Use your Handwriting screenshot.)
1 comment:
Loved your comment about writing notes to yourself on the classroom whiteboard - I do the same thing myself for the same reasons;) David Allen has a wonderful web site and newsletter that you can subscribe to for free. One of the helpful tips I picked up this past fall is called the "in box concept". I found this strategy helpful, especially when I'm working at my desk and one of my support staff members stops by for a chat. I physically place whatever I was working on, in my in-box - picking off where I left off before they entered my classroom for a chat. This has really helped me complete tasks, rather than put whatever I was working on aside, and work on the concern they brought to my attention. That goes in the "in-box" for future consideration. It has really helped me complete tasks that I've started, rather than become sidetracked.
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