LadyLeader Retreat Blog

Manage your time with a kitchen timer!

At our forthcoming LadyLeader Retreat in November we're going to be giving you some great tips and tools to break procrastination for ever!!!

I wonder if your 'to do' list sometimes gets like mine.  It's great for letting you know what you have to do - but what to do first, how long to give each item, what to leave for another day... where to start!!!!!?

This week I've been slicing and dicing my tasks into 10 or 20 minute blocks and setting my timer to remind me when that time is up and I want to move onto the next task.  The result - focus, determination to beat the clock (!), and a huge amount of work completed - all so I can work four days this week instead of five and have a wonderful long weekend.

So if you've got a long and ever-growing to do list, with a number of items on it you're putting off, go buy yourself a kitchen timer and book on our next LadyLeader Retreat!

Ooops - my timer just went so I'm heading for my next task.

Missed deadlines

I love red in a photograph.  I have a particular fascination for red telephone boxes and red letterboxes in remote places.  As someone who loves nothing more than to put the boots on, take the dog and get out in the fresh air, this photograph reminds me that it's hard to get away from deadlines.  The post van is coming along the road at an allotted time, to check the letterbox.  The time in bold black is the deadline beyond which mail will have to wait for another time.

This deadline is determined by Royal Mail.  Of course, we all have deadlines which are imposed, but it's often more interesting to consider the deadlines we set for ourselves.  Limits and Boundaries which we impose in order to persuade ourselves to get something done, or a promise we make to ourselves about a future reward.  A holiday perhaps, a meal out or a bunch of flowers.

What deadlines do you set for yourself?

It's my experience that many women (and you may be one of them) are very clear about this first kind of deadline, be that work or family, but not so motivated by a dealine by which they will bring reward.  We NEED to get the washing done, the shopping done, the homework done, the end of month report done, the emails checked... and so it goes on.

So here's the challenge.  Set yourself a positive motivating rewarding deadline - yes I mean right now.  No don't read on - write down the positive motivating rewarding deadline you are setting for yourself, and write down the first step you will take to make sure you meet this deadline.  And write down the date on which you will take this first step.

And if you're stuck for ideas why don't you come on our next LadyLeader Retreat - 18/19th November at the lovely Ardoe House Hotel.  Details available at the top right hand side of this page.

Would love to hear your comments on the positive deadlines you set for yourself - and make sure you don't miss the deadline!