Getting Things Done

I recently read the book Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff and it really gave me insight into my own behavior. When I mentioned to a friend of mine that I was reading this, she remarked about how I got so many things done and how project-oriented I am. She was very surprised to hear me say that I had problems getting things finished. The bad part is that she is only seeing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to finished projects. She doesn’t realize how many unfinished projects are below the surface. Then I feel so guilty about the unfinished things that it makes it hard to get back to them. I feel like if I can hide them, they will quit making me feel so bad. But that really doesn’t work for me because I know they are still there, and I can’t get them out of my mind. It actually will keep me awake sometimes thinking about all the things I need to finish.

One of the things that I want to try is to stop getting derailed or distracted by all the other wonderful things I want to do. When I am working something, I don’t want to do, I think about how important it is that I need to start something else. Now I will have 2 things started and not finished. When those either bore me or frustrate me, I will start another thing. Eventually, my to-do pile can multiply astronomically, and I will have nothing to show for it. On these days, I usually tell my husband that I was “spinning my wheels and getting nowhere.”

If I follow the method the author recommends, I should be able to get more accomplished. I started out doing a bullet journal which has really helped me keep track of the projects I need to complete but the list keeps growing until it is overwhelming. What I’m going to do is make a list of 5 things I want to accomplish that day. If new things pop up that I want to do, I will add it to another page labeled “future projects.” As I finish the 5 projects on my list and work on the next day’s plan, I can pick an item off the future projects list and cross it off. This will help me stay focused on the main 5 things I want to accomplish that day. If I finish all of them early and want to add a new one on, then it is a stellar day for me. If I don’t finish something, I will move it on to the next day but no new ones get added until the original 5 get finished and I will have a new “original 5” to start fresh.

I will stick to this plan for a month to see how it goes. One other chapter is to use data to see if progress is being made. I will be able to look at the “data” in my bullet journal and see if this plan is working for me.

This may be a good plan to help my students get things finished. Maybe they have a list of things they want to do or have started to do but never finished. If they can learn a good habit of finishing things early in life, it may be a job skill that will help them in the workplace.

How do you get yourself to finish things? Please share.

Accomplishments

Sometimes I feel like I haven’t accomplished much the past year and then I sit down and try to list some of the things that I did. I’m usually surprised at the statistics so I thought I would try to think of this past year and all of the things that I accomplished.

I wonder if my students feel the same way and how more confident they would feel if they would look back and see all that they have accomplished. Little steps should be applauded as much as big steps.

I may need to keep a list of their accomplishments as they happen so I can remind them of them when we look at how far they have come. Sometimes having an impartial view helps us see more than we see ourselves.

I decided to list some of my accomplishments from last year.

Photos for Photos a Day Project - 365

Blog posts - 266
Books read - 44

Road trips – 6

Cruises – 4

Spinning – spun 11 skeins of yarn

Knitting projects completed – 36 including

·      Socks – 8

·      Shawls – 11

·      Toys – 5

·      Mittens – 2

·      Hats – 5

·      Sweaters – 1

·      Scarf – 1

·      Dishcloth/duster – 2

·      Leprosy bandages – 2

I’m going to look harder at the accomplishments of others so that when they are feeling down about themselves, I can remind them of all that they have accomplished!

What have you accomplished this past year? Please share.

Beyond Expected

In I shipped in 2014 - you can too from Blue Skunk Blog, Doug Johnson asks,

"What, beyond just doing one's job, did you accomplish (not try to do, not intend to do, not think about doing, not hope to get done, not plan to do - but actually DO) in 2014?”

So, I began to think of this past year and what I accomplished. At first I didn’t really think that I did very much. Then I started looking at the data and was pretty happy with the results. Here is what I’ve found:

My blog:

I posted 259 blog posts last year.

I have reached over 1 million page views of my blog.

I had over 368,000 visitors to my blog.

My crafts:

I knit or crocheted 14,495 yards of yarn.

I knit or crocheted 36 projects.

I spun 4009 yards of yarn.

My travels:

We traveled 127 days of the year.

We went on 6 cruises.

So, what have you accomplished last year? It might be more than you thought. Please share.

Image: 'People of Accomplishment' 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/69065182@N00/10772137703
Found on flickrcc.net

Shipping – Last year and in the Future

In I shipped in 2013 - you can too from Blue Skunk Blog, Doug says,

“‘What did you ship?’ is a great question for all of us to ask ourselves. What, beyond just doing one's job, did you accomplish (not try to do, not intend to do, not think about doing, not hope to get done, not plan to do - but actually DO) in 2013? What did you do that was a little bit scary? That you might have drawn criticism for? That may change the world just a little bit?”

And then he asks,

“What did you ship in 2013 and what will you ship in 2014?”

So here is what I “shipped” in 2013:

1. I presented a program and speaker to the church women about the Red Cross and fire safety. I enjoyed some reminders that I had forgotten about and hopefully some of the elderly ladies were reminded of some safety things also.

2. We bought a camping trailer and learned the ins and outs of camping with a trailer. It is interesting how many of these new lessons can be applied to other things.

3. We had to repair and ready a rental house for a new tenant which involved a lot of time and money!

4. I took an online Mapping with Google course. I’m hoping to use the knowledge for future trips.

5. I taught a graduate class for Furman in July (Practicum for teachers getting their Master’s in Special Ed.) This is my chance to share my knowledge about special education.

6. I attended the Furman faculty retreat and was able to interact with fellow professors that I don’t normally see.

7. I went to Myrtle Beach to meet up with my niece and her family from NY. I haven’t seen them in a few years so it was important to reconnect with family.

8. I taught an undergraduate class for Furman during the fall semester (Education of Students with Disabilities). This was an exciting and fun class to teach. I learned as much from them as I hope they learned from me.

9. I joined Furman Link which promotes fellowship among women of the University by providing social activities, planned programs and interest groups; by welcoming newcomers to campus; and by supporting projects relating to the University and community.

10. I attended the South Carolina Ed Tech conference and learned some new stuff along with networking with friends – old and new.

11. I attended Furman volleyball games to support my student who was a player on the team. I think it is important to support my students outside the classroom.

12. I visited Disney World 7 times in one year thanks to an annual pass that we had. It is amazing how much I learn about human nature by people watching.

13. I attended the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in Tennessee where I learned so much about nature from experts while hiking.

14. I volunteered with the Red Cross and was able to come to the aid of people who lost a lot in local disasters.

15. I was a judge at the regional robotics tournament. It was amazing to see middle school students thinking outside the box!

16. I was interviewed on several podcasts. This was a great chance to share my beliefs and strategies that work in the classroom.

In 2014:

1. I hope to do some traveling around the country and reconnecting with friends. I think nurturing friendships are important.

2. I plan on teaching the Practicum again this summer.

3. I’m hoping to go to the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage again if we are not traveling across country.

4. I’m hoping to go to Hawaii this year since I have never been. It will leave only Wisconsin left to visit in order to say I’ve been to all 50 states.

5. I will continue to volunteer with the Red Cross because it warms my heart to be able to help other people.

So, what did you “ship” in 2013? And what are your “shipping” plans for 2014? Please share.

Image: 'Toasters?'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41864721@N00/4743121155
Found on flickrcc.net

Year in Reflection

As the year ends, I am looking at my goals that I set at the beginning of the year and realize that I didn’t do too well this year achieving what I hoped for.

Goals for 2012

1. I will put on a cheerful face every day and be thankful for the life I have. My positive outlook will affect anyone who comes in contact with me.

2. I will lose weight. I need to lose 30 lbs. I will exercise at least three times a week.

3. I will eat better. I plan on decreasing my sugar intake and only have it on the weekends. I will eat pasta only once a week.

4. I will work on promoting my Etsy store and sell more of my knitting items. I love knitting but I’m being overwhelmed with all my knitting items that are filling my office.

5. I will be more flexible and not stress out about having a schedule for every little thing. And when the schedule is changed suddenly, I will take a deep breath, adapt, and accomplish what needs to be done without whining or getting mad.

Accomplished:

I did a great job with #1 and I think it helped keep me healthy for the year. I don’t think I was really sick (staying in bed sick) all year long. I think I take better care of myself when I’m happy and I worked on being happy all year.

I also did a better job with #5. When I was flexible and went with the flow, I was not so stressed out. In fact, I gave myself permission to enjoy the changes. It was a relief to look back and see that sudden changes actually worked out to make something better and more exciting.

Failed:

#2 - Not only did I not lose 30 lbs. but I gained 5 more!

#3 - I didn’t do well with eating better this year. I stuffed my face! I ate lots of pasta whenever I could get my hands on it! I just love the stuff. Then we were on trips and I used that as an excuse why I couldn’t eat sensibly. When we went on 2 cruises, I used the excuse I wanted my money’s worth and kept eating at the food trough!

#4 - I didn’t do much with my Etsy store this year. I’m thinking of not offering my knitted stuff but instead offering handspun yarn. I am going to give my knitted stuff as gifts instead.

While I reflect that I only achieved 40% of what I set out to do this year, I’m still happy that I achieved some of my goals. I think part of the reason for my failure was that I didn’t reflect on my progress often enough. I think I need to see these goals every week or every month. I think for this coming year, I will have them out someplace where I can see them every day like on a “sticky note” on my computer screen. I need to hold myself accountable more often instead of just at the end of the year.

How has your year been? Please share.

Image: 'Reflections'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12836528@N00/2577006675
Found on flickrcc.net

Things I’ve Accomplished This Year

In Make a List of Good Things You Did This Year Before You Forget Them from I Want to Teach Forever, Mr. D states,

“I suggest that you take some time right around the end of your school year to make your own list.  It should include positive impacts you had on students but also any other successes you've had.”

Mr. D is so right. Too many times we focus on the negatives and what we haven’t done or failed at. Every now and then we need to look at our accomplishments and successes. I thought this was a great idea and decided to list some things I’ve done this year.

1. Become active in the Red Cross and I’m part of a Disaster Action Team (DAT) that is on call every 6 weeks for local disasters.

2. Knit a sweater for myself.

3. Learned to spin on a spinning wheel (and I’m loving it!)

4. Bought a new camera and learning to take better pictures. I joined two Photo A Day groups and it helps me to look at other people’s pictures.

5. Learned to add beads to my knitting.

6. Started to practice a running routine on my treadmill.

7. Enclosed our side porch into a sun room.

8. Tried a new recipe every week to improve my cooking skills.

9. Became a volunteer with school groups at our local state park. I take school groups on hikes in the park.

10. Making prayer shawls and leprosy bandages with my church group for charities.

11. Learned to videocast and I try to do it at least once a month for my blog.

12. Opened my own Etsy store to sell my crafts.

What have you accomplished this year or even lately? Please share. You might inspire others with your accomplishments.

Image: 'Success'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98299765@N00/102179341