{fifo wife} orgainisation and getting the big stuff done

 

I have a confession. My name is Debbie and as a woman, I can’t multi-task.

For years I thought I could in fact multitask. If we met on the street, I would have probably told you I can, but it is not true. As I grow up I realise I have lived that ruse for too long. I cannot any longer. I have tried but I can’t clean the house, write a blog, cook a cake, dress my children, teach them to read, do my taxes, be a wife, find myself and manage a share fund all at the same time. I can’t. Its why I am not Instagram worthy and so why I gave it up; it told my dirty secret.

As a woman, I know we are meant to be the multi-tasker queens. It’s what we often have upon our more testosterone-fuelled counterparts, but my brain can’t handle doing more than one thing at a time. I either can’t get it done or it doesn’t get done well, and I hate that. You either do it well or not at all- it’s that simple.

Now establishing the fact I’m not a multi-tasker I amd must say with great emphasise do get stuff done. I must, I’m the only one steering this ship six months of the year. Yet how does one get stuff done if they can’t multi-task?

I should point out that I am talking the big stuff, not the little stuff, the little stuff like putting on your shoes getting dressed that comes down to routine and only you can form one that works for you. However, here is a couple of tricks I learnt whilst working for one of Australia biggest travel agencies when I was just a young whippersnapper the place; where the lowest price is guaranteed. What they don’t tell the demanding public is the lowest price guaranteed also means lower commission for the poor travel agent working her booty off multitasking to stay in the hot seat.

Being a travel consultant is a career that teaches you the art of getting crap done because quite frankly your paycheque depends on it; along with Fred and Mildred’s honeymoon. Frank and Mildred’s happiness depends on your ability to get the big stuff done along with Joe and Rachel’s dream holiday as well as handling Mikes predicament of landing in Greenland without a valid visa because he said he could do it alone. It’s a bit like Motherhood badly paid full of promises and everyone else emotions depends on you.

Tips for the none multitaskers just wanting to get the big stuff done.

* Write it down. Don’t rely on your memory. If you’re a mother your memory is going to be shot anyway so, write it down or find a good free app but I find writing it down is more helpful.

* Don’t put too much on your list. Be realistic about what you can and can’t be done in a day.

* Outsource when you can and don’t feel guilty about it.

* Just bite the bullet and get the big job done. Don’t put it second on the list or third get it done and get it out of the way. You will feel better after. Stop procrastinating. It’s a long word I know. Don’t waste your time looking it up I will tell you: it means to think about doing stuff instead of doing it. So just do it. Write that list.

* When you write your list break it up into two sections an A, B, C. then a 1, 2, 3. The ‘ABC’ are ones that are the most important items, ‘A’ being the most important. The “123′ less so and are the reason you have that extra slice of double chocolate mud cake at the end of the day when you cross 3 off the list.

* Do one thing at a time. So just do the ‘ A’ on your list, once it is done completely (or almost don’t let something small stop you from going forward, use your common sense) then move on to the B then C. Finish one job before moving on to the next.

*  Follow the Japanese rule of 50/10 work. Work for 50 minutes then step away for ten minutes.

* What you can’t get done on the one day transfer it to the next day and get that done first. Also, don’t beat yourself up otherwise, you will be known as that OCD woman mowing her lawn with the headlights on at 730pm at night. Not that it matters but there is always tomorrow. You must stop at some point otherwise you will get burnt out and that brings joy to no one.

 

Tell me how do you get the big stuff done? Are you a list maker? Or procrastinator?