Do Your Routines Pass the Test?
It’s only a few days into the new (and hopefully better) year. So, this is the perfect time to assess your routines. Review them from the perspective of how they’re impacting your productivity and ability to be organized.
Last year our routines had to change to support daily life as work and life were much more intertwined. As a result, stopping work by 6pm or taking time during the middle of the day to help your child with schoolwork may now be part of your routine. Now that it has been almost a year since you started making these changes, you should be able to distinguish between those routines that are keepers from those that need to be replaced.
Here are 5 thoughts to consider as you assess your routines and possibly making some changes….
1. Do you now have a better work/life balance? If you’re focusing on what’s really important to you and shifting your schedule accordingly, then the answer is probably yes.
2. As life has slowed down in many ways, you should have more time. How are you using that time? If you are pro-actively scheduling more family or personal time, then you have identified a good use for this bonus time.
3. Are you using your calendar to more effectively manage the time needed for both work and additional personal responsibilities? If you have time blocked for focused work tasks, exercise and time with your children, that’s a great start.
4. Is your to-do list overflowing with tasks or have you streamlined it to only include the most essential tasks related to personal/work goals? If you have decluttered your list, deleted tasks that don’t need to be done in the next 30 days, and delegated tasks to others, your to-do list should be a lot more manageable.
5. Is your home office truly effective and efficient? If you have a dedicated workspace with structure and systems in place for keeping you on task and for maintaining the space, you should have a productive work environment.
Have you assessed your routines? There are probably ones that are working well. Please share them here.