Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - March 14, 2023

People who use time wisely spend it on activities that advance their overall purpose in life. – John Maxwell

Working smarter is learning to prioritize, plan and focus our energies with meaningful intent. - Michael Thomas Sunnarborg

Yesterday, marked 100 days until summer, which means we are in a double-digit countdown!  Texans know this means we are getting closer to hot summer days.  For others, it represents the number of days until vacation.  The author’s much needed vacation starts 94 days from today. 

When summer hits, most people do not want to stay home.  They want to be out having fun enjoying exciting activities. Is the reader ready for summer and the long, cold days of winter to disappear?  Has the reader completed all of the outstanding tasks that need to be completed around the house? 

As we start to prepare for summer days, it is good to understand Parkinson’s Law and how not to fall prey to it.  Parkinson’s Law states that work expands to occupy the time given to complete the work (www.economist.com, www.verywellmind.com). How does this affect the reader? Knowing that there are 99 days until summer, procrastination will set in and the reader is more likely to wait until closer to summer to accomplish tasks instead of focusing on completing the tasks now.   

Does the reader fall into this trap? The author hates to admit it, but she does. For the author, she needs a purpose to focus on to complete a task before the due date such as her pending vacation.  How can one outsmart Parkin’s Law?

Here are some tips:

1.      Create a to-do list.

2.      Estimate amount of time to complete each task.

3.      Set a deadline for each task that is reasonable and attainable. 

4.      When completing tasks, set an alarm and do not allow any distractions to take the reader away from the goal.   

5.      If the task is not fully completed after the allotted time, create a revised task allowing for a checkmark of completion on the original task.  This will provide motivation to continue working on tasks. 

The author is choosing to PAY NOW, PLAY LATER.

ACTION: Create your to-do list to accomplish before summer arrives so you can pay now and play later.

Resource

·        https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-parkinsons-law-6674423#citation-1

·        https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1158604/

·        https://www.economist.com/news/1955/11/19/parkinsons-law

·        https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20191107-the-law-that-explains-why-you-cant-get-anything-done

 

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