With today’s fast pace, you’re bombarded with email, snail mail, to-dos, and the number one culprit, paper. The only way to manage it all is with systems, processes and habits that support you in making your day productive. For that to happen, you need to make decisions about what to do with everything that sits on your desktop every day. You have to choose between the three Ds: discard, delegate or do it now.
Paper is the number one culprit that can challenge you, leading to a pile of clutter in no time. Considering the amount of paper you encounter every day, it’s important to make a decision. It would be nice to handle each sheet of paper just once, but it’s just not possible, which also makes it that much more important to choose one of the three D’s. You may think about being able to make those decisions on paper alone, but you can make the lady with items on your to-do list, postal mail, email, and phone calls.
The first time you touch a piece of paper, read an email or postal mail, or have a request arrive by phone or voicemail, choose one of the following options:
discard it – If you no longer need it or can get it back, please get rid of it. Throwing away something you don’t need is one of the best things you can do. It’s a small step, but it keeps the clutter away.
delegate it – If you don’t have to be the one to do it, give it to someone else. You might think that in the time it takes you to explain something to someone, you could do the homework yourself. The truth of the matter is that if you take the time to establish that foundation, you save yourself time in the long run. If there are things that can be delegated, determine who is the right person; give them clear instructions on what needs to be done and a due date for what you have assigned. Make sure the instructions and expiration date are clear. If what you’re delivering is critical or may take longer to complete, set times for status updates so you know where you stand on a regular basis.
Do it now – Because anything you don’t rule out or delegate falls into the “do it now” category. These are the things you want to put on your to-do list and on your calendar to get them done. Prioritize the things you have to do and make sure you schedule enough time for each of the things you undertake and don’t overload yourself.
The keys to getting things done are found in the systems you create and the clothes you wear. The three D’s should be a part of it to keep you organized, manage your time effectively, and keep things from piling up and cluttering your workspace. If you don’t already have systems in place to support what you do, it’s important to set them up now. Getting it done and then incorporating the 3Ds will help you go from to-do to done!
