In an ironic twist on the previous chapter, I want to share the power
of mindless checklists. As I was packing for a summer vacation, I
was scrambling around and getting stressed over whether or not I
was forgetting something. As I was digging through my junk drawer, in
the back of a notebook I found last year’s list. There it was; everything
I needed to bring—including a swimsuit, sunscreen, and sunglasses.
The burdensome task of packing turned from a budding stressful situation
to a quick to-do. I have since made a winter vacation list, and a
business trip list. Each of the lists has matured and changed over time,
but the basics remain the same. Routines—or doing the same thing
over again with predictability—can make you a better organizer and
time manager if they enhance your productivity and reduce your stress
levels.
Determine what checklists and routines personally and professionally
can work for you. Are there standard operating procedures that need
to be made up? Are there morning opening or closing tasks that can
be made holistic and easier for you to follow? What regular reference
points or routines can you establish and create both personally and
professionally? You might even want to establish a routine to have time
each week, or even daily, for no electronic disruptions so that you can
commit to doing nothing but what is in front of you. To put the last
two chapters to work, you can have an appointment for today to review
the specific checklist that will be used (e.g., “Use packing list to pack
for vacation”).
Checklists and routines reduce unpredictability and consistently
let everyone know ahead of time what is expected. If it’s a standing
meeting or a common task that makes you more productive and
reduces unnecessary stress, then checklists and routines can and should
be implemented.
Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):
- Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
- Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
- Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
- The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
- From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
- The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood
See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com
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