Comments on: Getting it all done

By: TxnNewYorker

TxnNewYorker — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:59:07 +0000

As Kendall says, this is indeed a “nicely worded kick in the pants”. Ouch. But thanks.

By: Kendall

Kendall — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:52:00 +0000

Thank you for this, Alissa. I’ve often read your blog in total amazement at what you accomplish. Lately, I’ve fallen into a pattern of not writing because my job and grad school takes *so* much time, but you make this seem so doable. Thanks for the very nicely worded kick in the pants!

By: Anne Dayton

Anne Dayton — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:47:48 +0000

These are good tips! And by the way, I think you mean Anne Lamott, not Annie Dillard!

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 04:16:12 +0000

Oh, some wisdom I got from soneone else…
“Rest daily. Retreat weekly. Abandon yearly.”
If you want to finish well, learn to rest well.

Appreciated your thoughts, Alissa. There is definately a tension between hard work, rest, learning, and recreation… but worth living in the tension! A tension between being people oriented and task oriented. Staying focused, yet being interruptable for important things (or people). It may go without saying, but I find it hugely helpful to pray through my day. The Holy Spirit is the only one who can help me sort through all those different priorities in my life. And at the end of the day, it’s all God’s anyway. He is the one who gives us the energy, inteligence, the air we breathe… yay, God!

And… You inspired me to stop hitting my snooze button… thanks!

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 04:07:31 +0000

So… what do you mean by bad movies? :)

By: steve

steve — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:02:11 +0000

I just chose to put a comment here. I could chosen NOT to, but even if I didn’t it wasn’t because I couldn’t, because I could and I would if I choose and I chose so I am right now.

You had me at bad movies. :-)

By: Jenni

Jenni — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:50:27 +0000

THANK YOU - to you and the commenters. I don’t have good tips (yet), and I need ‘em. I’m learning.

By: Melinda (melyndie)

Melinda (melyndie) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:08:51 +0000

I do almost all these things–everything but the Google docs (not necessary) and the calendar (I used to in college, but I don’t need to very much now because my schedule/deadlines are mostly consistent day to day and week to week, and I do go off a basic Excel spreadsheet charting this schedule). Also, I try to go for nothing but a lunch break, but sometimes I take a few other breaks here and there, which do–as you have noticed–make me lose my rhythm.

But everything else from the no snooze button to taking a Sabbath (and I take evenings off too almost every day, which helps me work so much more efficiently during the day) to health habits to writing to putting clothes away. I just do it, and it helps me so much. I am religious, even, about fixing my bed every day (even though hardly anyone ever sees it) because it gives me a sense of order and accomplishment every day. Except for Sunday, of course, my day off from my fastidious routine.

We have a very similar approach to life and both get mountains of work done! Good to hear your thoughts.

By: elyse

elyse — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:35:14 +0000

A+. I am trying more and more to do the same things in my life. I get home and instead of sitting down, I take the dog out, or make dinner, or straighten up. And then once I have done some things, I can sit down and relax. If I “just chill for five minutes”, no matter how tired I am or am not, nothing else gets done that day. Sometimes you just have to DO things.. just sit and do it. Some days I succeed at that. Others I don’t :)

I’m still not there with the exercising, and my eating habits fluctuate between great one week and terrible the next. I think a lot of this is because I live alone, and I hate cooking for one, because I hate leftovers. I much prefer cooking for or with someone else.

I also try to get away from the internet and even my blackberry on the weekends. My boyfriend and I are long distance now (Troy/Newburyport, MA) and so when we go to visit each other almost every weekend, it’s nice to not get online except for a few minutes here or there or to check the weather or something. I don’t watch tv, I don’t spend time reading blogs. He is very outdoorsy and we spend a lot of time actually DOING things, which is a great relief from my 9-6, at the computer ALL DAY, webdesign job.

It’s a big challenge to “do stuff” and work it all in without being exhausted all the time. I try to get a really solid amount of sleep, because if I don’t, I’m miserable. Yay for sleep!

By: Heather

Heather — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:21:49 +0000

These are all really interesting. I keep a full schedule too, but have recently let myself turn down less important things to which I’ve committed, to free up time and brain power for the more important things. I’ve also started scheduling blocks of time to work on one project at a time - definitely something I never did in college, but it seems like I need it now.