A new strategy for efficiency.

Do you procrastinate? I do. It's horrible. I can sit there and stare at something for a month and think, "I should really do that....." and that's where it ends.

I end up reading e-mail, sorting through my catering equipment, editing a podcast, testing a recipe, organizing my collection of pastry tips or some equally idiotic thing that keeps me doing what i should be doing.

Eventually, the important stuff gets done, and it does get done in time, but i fret about it from the time the thought is conceived until the damned thing is finished. (this blog is a GREAT way to procrastinate, although I'm not procrastinating right now, honest!)

So today, inadvertently, I've discovered a strategy to get stuff done.

I had a bunch of papers in the dining room, because that's the room the air conditioner is in, and I'd camped out to work there instead of my office during the heat wave. I decided that i should plow through some of those, and it didn't make sense to bring it back into my office to sort them until it was done. So i got started. I put on some music and settled in.

Once i had about 3 things that needed computer attention, i came into the office and paid a couple bills, sent off an invoice or two, and looked in my calendar... and then went back to the dining room.

After another 40 mins, I had another 3 or 4 things to do on the computer, so i went back to the office, sent and e-mail, looked up a phone number, paid another bill...and went back to work.

I realized that I'm doing that whole 45 mins on, 15 mins off time management thing. Which I've tried before, with the kitchen timer and such, but it never worked.

I think that the 'trick' here is that i can still hear the radio out there, barely, and it reminds me that i have more to do in the dining room.

So, I'm posting it here, so that you, my dear readers (all 3 of you) can use that, perhaps, to help to keep yourself on track and Getting Things Done.

Last thing I ate or drank: a really yummy combo of eggplant, onions and tomatoes that I made the other day for dinner, but Kelly decided he was craving pizza. Secretly happy that i got to save it for myself for lunch!

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