This week I worked on trying to get ahead of myself. I went to San Francisco to see my mom for a couple of days and I didn’t take my laptop. Oh yeah, I live on the edge! Instead I took a stack of paper, and spent an hour both mornings I was there planning how to get ahead of my plans. I did a great job on that, but any week that is two days short is one where I never get ahead on the ground.
Plans to Get Ahead
Instead of trying to figure everything out, I spent my short planning sessions figuring out what projects I had in my sights, their relative priority, both short and long-term, and how to move each of them ahead to the next stage. It is correct to assume I have way too many projects to realistically keep track of. I’m going to give myself credit for doing a pretty good job given my excess. It is no mystery to me why I never get ahead and why I’m exhausted all the time!
Methods to Get Ahead
So focusing on fewer things would be good. This isn’t so likely to happen though. I want to get ahead, but I also have big plans. After months of not having any knitting help, I finally threw in the towel and found knitters to help me. I’ve got yarn out to four of them, and yarn to get to about about the same number more! That isn’t as dramatic as it sounds–some of these are for projects that won’t get released for a year.
I also use a couple of virtual assistants to do things that I just can’t find time tackle. Some of it is administrative (thanks Linda!) and other is technological and strategic (thanks Holly!). Sadly there is still a lot that only I can get ahead to the next stage. I always feel like I’m the bottleneck in my system.
How to Get Ahead
But there are always things that don’t move forward as they should. They always seem possible, but once I dive into the reality of my life, there are only so many hours. I made less progress on my list for this week than I thought I would, but I got tons done!
While visiting SF:
- I walked 12 miles (7 of them pushing Mom in the wheelchair),
- trouble-shot a few things for Mom,
- met with a friend/colleague,
- took Mom to lunch (two) and dinner,
- got a flu shot,
- I went to the museum, and
- had dinner with friends.
Since returning:
- I went to Pilates,
- ran 3.5 miles,
- got a guest blog ready to publish,
- got my newsletter out,
- put together a handout on Action charts,
- drafted an accessory pattern,
- did a few drawings (definitely not enough),
- made eight meals,
- did 5 loads of laundry,
- knitted pieces for a tutorial,
- went to the grocery store, and
- worked on a swatch.
Of course there were emails and phone calls, posts to Instagram, and all the little things that happen every day. Plus the tugs and pulls and pokes at projects large and small that don’t really seem like much, but are actually how things ever get ahead!
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