Getting It All Done, Part 1 (How I Do It) – TPW460

There is always something that needs to get done. This week we’re starting a 2-part series about getting it all done, with Part 1's focus on some of the things I personally do to accomplish what matters most to me. Getting it all done is not the same as doing it all! Does being a productive woman mean we’re going it all? Sometimes it seems like that’s what the world thinks. We’ve all seen the articles, the books, the portrayals on the screen of women “doing it all,” and if you’re like me, you’ve sometimes felt discouraged, because that vision of a productive women seems impossible to achieve.  I’ve often thought that it’s possible to do it all (whatever that “all” might be for you), but not all at the same time. I tend to believe that instead of trying to "do it all," we need to decide what’s important to do at each stage of our lives, and then find ways to get all of that done. This is, I believe, somewhat different from “doing it all.”   This week is part 1 of a 2-part series on getting it all done--accomplishing the things we need and want to do today, this week, this month, etc. This week in part 1 I’ll share some of the things I do personally to be as productive as possible. Next week I’ll talk about some “best practices” recommended by others. I’ve been asked many times how I “do it all,” especially when I had kids at home and was working, podcasting, etc. I usually tell people I don’t do it all, but I have gotten a lot done over the course of my life so far. I’ve been thinking lately about what that means, and how I’ve done it.  For me, it’s crucial to start with thinking deeply about what I want in my life and, even more important, who I want to be in the world, and to do my best to order my life accordingly. Finding ways to be both efficient and effective is key--to use my time well.  Family has always been the most important thing to me, although I’ll confess that priority hasn’t always been reflected in my calendar and to-do list. Nevertheless, much of my thought over the years about productivity has been focused on finding ways to be as efficient as possible, to allow me to get the necessary stuff of life and/or my job done as quickly as possible, leaving time for the things that matter to me  Another priority has been to foster and preserve my own peace of mind. I’m by nature a worrier, always looking ahead to how things might go wrong. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about ways to be at peace and to manage my time, space, and life to make that easier for me. With those two priorities in mind, I’ve compiled a list (in no particular order) of things I do to help me get it all done. 1. I don’t do it all   At each stage of my life there have been things I wanted to do but deferred. For example, when my kids were young and I was having babies and home-schooling, I didn’t have a full-time outside job, and we limited the outside activities for us and for the kids so we could protect family time. Now I have a demanding career and a podcast, but my kids are grown and gone (so don't require my daily attention), we don’t socialize much (and I miss that), and I’ve deferred writing until I retire.  At each stage of my life, I think hard about what matters most, about what my personal limitations are in terms of time, energy, and attention, and I intentionally focus my time, energy, and attention on those important matters for that stage of life and let other things wait. 2. Most of the time, I put things away right away (don’t put it down, put it away) * Open mail at the trash can.  * Put my purse away when I get home instead of dropping it on the kitchen counter.  * Dishes into the dishwasher   * Clothes in the laundry or hung up as soon as I take them off  * When I cook,