Done!

When we are over our heads in papers, the piles are mounting, the trash can is overflowing and the to do-list no longer is legible, it's time to do the one and only right thing - clean out! Today's Done! is about how to do the seemingly simple, but very important, task of cleaning up in order to get a clearer view of things.

Getting started may often be the part of a project or task which induces the greatest amount of reluctance. Helping yourself to make the transition from inertia into motion as smooth as possible is the key to getting more done in a more constructive and easy way. Today's Done! is about how to reduce that initial disinclination to get started, to lower the thresholds.

To know, or not to know, that is the question! Knowing where you are is by extension knowing where you are going, and knowing where you are going is an absolute requirement to get to where you want to go, to be who you want to be. So Hamlet's existential reasoning applies in our context of having good personal structure as well. Today's Done! is about how knowledge is power, and how it helps us acquire the overview necessary to advance in all our engagements and endeavors.

Orderly structure, by all means, but sometimes doing things a little differently will only do us good. Turn things on its head to get a new perspective and to, so to say, "burn the candle in both ends" intentionally. Today's Done! is about getting rid of all the items that get stuck at the bottom of the pile in a smart and simple way.

Most of us strive to acheive goals, to move forward in our lives, to become the best we can be, and there is nothing wrong with this, but in order to be able to excel, we need to be able to appreciate the process, the road we walk to get where we are going. Today's Done! is about allowing ourselves to enjoy what we have accomplished.

For all procrastinators, the inefficiency springing from the mere fact that we do not act, tends to be familiar. Not acting, making a decision on what to do, is the root of many evils, but do not fret ? here is a simple and direct method as to how to get moving whenever inertia has got you in its grip! Today's Done! is about how to get ourselves going, and get going immediately.

There are hindrances in everyone's way at some point, but the question is how to get passed them? How to get rid of the piles, to get an empty inbox and our things in order without the anxiety re-organization sometimes is accompanied by. Here's the solution - Play with it! Today's Done! is about how to get into the relaxed mode of playing our way to a new way of doing something which we all knew as children.

Disturbances can come in all shapes and sizes, but they have one thing in common; they distract you in your work. But there are methods to avoid unwanted interruptions. Today's Done! is about how to create a temporary oasis of serenity and calm, allowing you to work undisturbed.

A brilliant idea never announces its arrival on beforehand, and honestly, how many can claim to get these epiphanies on command? Today's Done! is about how to better pay attention to great ideas when you get them and make sure to give them an opportunity to grow.

There are many ways of describing or illustrating a process, a goal or a businessmodel, but a picture says a thousand words, so why make it more difficult than it needs to be? Today's Done! is about how to with simple means sketch out what you want to convey.

Not being organized has it's price. It is costly in time, effort and energy which could be better spent elsewhere. Today's Done! is about getting a grip on your digital documents and enjoying the benefits of doing so.

When the to-do-list is filled to the brim with tasks and not all are initiated by you, it can be difficult to determine what needs to be done immediately and what doesn?t. Today's Done! is about knowing what is urgent and what is not, and prioritizing accordingly.

When you have done all you can to make your work as efficient as possible, prioritized by the book, made all lists and project-overviews you can think of, the to-do-list might still be too long. The solution may be to do less. Today's Done! is about a method which will aid you in reducing the workload in order to be even more effective.

When the tasks waiting to be done keep mounting, the skill of prioritizing is more than essential. Today's Done! is about the urgent-important matrix; the splendid tool for knowing what to prioritize right now.

If you have a tendency to accumulate all kinds of documents and other miscellaneous items on your desk and then get distracted by them when you need to focus on a single task, this week?s Done! was as made for you. Today's Done! is about a number of concrete solutions which will help you get control over any office-desk-mess, and you will before you know it have an empty desk.

The Holidays are approaching and with them time to stop and refocus, reflect on the year that passed and start afresh in the New Year. Today's Done! is about reflection and making a fresh start when you get back to work.

Being optimistic is always a positive quality, but being positive in the sense of unrealistic in terms of for example sticking to deadlines, getting things done etc, isn't... Today's Done! is about a trick for getting even the things which continuously fall through the cracks done.

Last week I promoted the mind-map, and as if that wasn't enough, I will continue doing so this week! In today's Done!, I present you with another five ways in which to use a mind-map, and invite you to indulge in this multi-tool for personal structure.

There are many ways of getting an overview of things, but none beats the mind-map. In today's Done!, I provide you with five powerful usages of my favourite multi-tool - the mind-map.

Piles of paper everywhere, notes scattered about, Post-its on every available surface... Sound familiar? In today's Done!, the physical inbox gets promoted as what saves a messy desk from the possible chaos caused by a continuous inflow of physical material.