Routines
To Get More Done

As much as I would like to have no set routines and do whatever I want, whenever I want, I am not financially independent. I go to work every day, just like millions or maybe billions of people worldwide.

Since I want to spend as little time as possible on things I do not want to do and as much time as possible on things I want to do, I find that having systems really speeds up most of the normal things that I do and I get more organized.

I have routines for the following:

1) Getting ready for work, Monday through Friday.

2) Making coffee at work, Monday through Friday.

3) Getting to my office and starting my day at work. I start the computer, put an x through the previous day on my wall calendars and start working.

4) How I start projects. I try to set up projects in the same manner as much as possible. I want to concentrate on the actual thinking and designing part of the work, not on the setup.

5) How I finish projects. It is normal to be finishing up the project close to the deadline, not because I am disorganized, but because I am working with others who are. Knowing that I will be right up to the deadline means that I need to really have the completing part of the project fine tuned, with a specific list of exactly what needs to be done. This way, I will not forget something while I am hustling around finishing the project.

6) How I keep track of paperwork. I want my project files to be in chronological order with the latest things on top. I cannot believe there would be any other way to do it. I want my reference material to be at my fingertips in the correct location in my file drawers. I do not want to rummage around looking for things.

7) How I write reports. The reports I write normally are somewhat similar. So I just keep editing the same few reports for each project. It would be a total waste of time and energy to start from scratch each time since I have had so much success with the format of my reports.

8) How I write letters. I do not want to spend a lot of time writing letters, so I use a similar format for all of them.

9) How I run my normal errands after work and on the weekends. Everyone has errands. I prefer to minimize how much time I spend on them.

10) How I make dinner and lunch. I love to eat, but I don't want to spend much time preparing meals and cleaning up.

11) How I do laundry.

12) How I write articles for this website.

Once I have a routine in place it is quite easy to follow. I can just do it without thinking about it and get those things done. I do not want to spend my major thinking on getting on getting normal things done that I do all the time.

I think you will find that by developing routines, you will really save time and get more done. You will have more quality time for your deep thinking and entertainment.

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