As I put off the topic of filing yet again (yes, and I know I’ve written about procrastination) and struggle to decide upon a topic for today’s newsletter, a friend telephoned.  I told him what I was working on, and he said he thought I would have had several of these articles always written in advance. 

Of course!  The same thing occurred to me as I noted the lateness of one of my recent newsletters when I was ill.  I did have the topics planned in advance, but have now come to the end of those, and it’s time to do some work, and improve my own habits in this area.

My friend and I discussed the advantages of preparing in advance, which is something he finds very helpful in choosing music for his radio show.

- If you get sick or something else unexpected comes up, it’s ok, because you’re already prepared.

- When you are working on the project, in my case choosing topics and writing articles on those topics, you can do it without the pressure of a deadline.

- This lack of pressure can improve the quality of your work.

- You give yourself some breathing space and flexibility.

This brings me back to the topic of filing.  It is, of course, a boring topic.  But it does need to be covered, and will take some effort to make it interesting enough to read about.  I can do a much better job of this if I work on the article way before I plan to publish it.

The idea of preparing things in advance is where the cookery phrase “mise en place” comes from – a French term meaning that all the ingredients are measured, washed, chopped and ready before preparation commences, as well as ovens pre-heated and the required cooking implements gathered.  A much better idea than looking up the next thing you need on the recipe, everything already in the bowl, then going to the fridge or pantry and finding you’re missing something.  It also means you have a much cleaner, clearer space to work in, and less distraction.  It makes cooking more enjoyable.

There are many opportunities to apply this concept in everyday life, and every little one you can manage to incorporate into your habits and routines will make you that little bit more organized.

For example, when you clean up after dinner, you can put the dish cloths in the washing and get clean ones out for tomorrow, you can prepare some things you know you will need in the morning, like filling the kettle or taking something out of the freezer.

If you remember the daily tips you received when you first subscribed, the second one related to this concept of preparing in advance.  It was about getting ready the night before, so it’s easier to get out the door in the morning.  Choosing your clothes, packing your bags and anything you need to take, looking up your travel plan if you’re going somewhere new, and anything else you can think of that can be done ahead of time, makes your mornings much more relaxed.

Meal preparation is a great opportunity to prepare in advance to save yourself time and give yourself more flexibility.  Cook once, eat three times, a friend’s wise mother once said.  Of course she was a wonderful cook, and to her that included making stock and sauce at the same time as a casserole, but to me it just means make as much as my biggest pot will hold and freeze what we can’t eat tonight, where ever possible.

If you’re a student or a teacher, preparing in advance is a concept you must be very comfortable and familiar with.  I encourage my children to read ahead from their texts, not just follow what has been set each lesson by the teacher.

As I sort a load of washing to be done, I’m simultaneously sorting the next load as well, lights and darks, towels, delicates.  When the machine is finished, I just put the next load straight in.

When I photocopy or print a form or document I know I will need to use again, I do some spares, and file them for next time.  (File them where?  Yes, I’m going to write that filing article, I promise).

When I’m choosing a greeting card, I think ahead for the next few I will need, and see if I can find ones I like to put aside.

When the time comes to switch activities, stop doing one thing and start doing another, (for example, when I stop working at my computer because it’s time for me to be Mummy), we can incorporate preparing things in advance as part of the ritual of changing activities, and it can help with the transition, marking a definite end to one activity.

As I know I am ready to finish working for the moment, I tidy away any materials I was using, close any folders I’m no longer using on my computer, and check my business task list to plan what needs to be worked on in the next session.  I then give my desk a quick clean before leaving it.  When I come back to work, I’ll have a nice clean desk and know what I need to do next.

Organize Your Life – Get the Ultimate Guide here

Comments (1)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Email

Comment

smaller | bigger

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment Preview