26: Second Project: Clear the Weekend!

1: Take a Day Off Work
2: You can Live in Two Realities: Always Behind or Always Ahead
3: Work out your Catchup Chores
4: Things for you to do

1: Take a Day Off Work

Today is Friday the 1st November 2019 and I have taken the day off work.
The reason being is that I have seen something important in creating this blog:

"I am always Chasing My Tail
and I will never get ahead unless I take action now!"

Does this sound familiar?

For my Second Google Spreadsheet Project I decided to list down all the things I needed to do at the weekend, estimate the time required, and map out how I would do everything..
It is a normal weekend BUT to my amazement, I have over 13 hours of things I need to do BEFORE I can get onto the things I also NEED to do!

I was going into the weekend thinking I had 4 or 5 hours of chores but it's a lot more.
In reality I would not get everything I need doing done. Instead, on Sunday night I would be wondering where the weekend went and wondering why I still have lots to do. This sets up the 'Chase your Tail Time Zone" or what I have called "Always Behind".

2: You can Live in Two Realities: Always Behind or Always Ahead

When I think of all the things I have to do it is overwhelming!
No wonder people like watching sport, drinking, biking, or anything else that gives you an excuse to get away from the things you know need to be done, but you feel too "fed up with it all" to look at.

Where as if I was living in the 'Always Ahead' reality, I would have to be forward planning and do things systematically and technically before they were due.

I want to live in the "Always Ahead Reality" which will require me to reorganise a few days, drop a few things, plan, and get ahead. Then develop a plan to always keep me ahead. This is where the Google Sheets are going to be invaluable.

3: Work out your Catchup Chores

This is the list that shocked me into reality.

4: Thing for you to do

1. Start using the Google Spreadsheet and create a 'Get Ahead Sheet'
2. Make a list of all the things you need to do
3. Give each item an estimated time in minutes
4. Sum it up and see what it looks like
5. Get stuck in and clear it

You want to get into the Reality of 'Being Ahead"

5: Monday 4:30 am. 

I didn't manage to get everything done because of unscheduled events. Friends, competitions, and the realities of life... but I did get a lot done and there are only a few small things left. I am pleased with the result. I am going to keep at it and by next weekend I should be living in the world of being ahead. One particular chore was time consuming and I haden't allocated enough time to. That was clearing a mouse out of the kitchen cupboards. Plus I entered a Karaoki competition and got into the finals. And then two parties and a few friends over. I am actually happy with what I did manage to achieve.

Here are some things that helped:

1. At the parties, i did drink alcohol for a couple of hours, but then I switched to water. Lots of water.

2. I didn't watch TV

3. Pre plan wholesome meals with as near zero sugar as possible

4. Cook a base on Friday night that meant weekend meals were 3/4 done

5. Review the list and keep working at it.

Pre planning this particular activity and having a list is absolutely the way to stay focused and get things done. It made me very happy to see that I had done so much.

An improvement to effective planning and action is to do shopping early.

6: Today's Plan

Well it's just turned 5:00 am.

Time to get up, drink water, dress, get to gym.

I need to add to the list a few things and I can see this is an ongoing process. What is going to happen is the list is going to get smaller and fresher. Stick with it. I can see the benefits.

Update: 5 March 2021

Just read this. Although the exercise was good, I didn't manage to stick with this level of planning. I know it would work and does work.

Second Update 31 May 2021 :3:30 am

Well I am still chasing things that need to be done. I/we do actually do a lot. A big difference is work. When you work from home it is both good and bad. Work and home mix tends to be affected by discipline. I have evolved to working around the house for 2 hrs a day. Exercise is also 2 hrs a day. Then the rest of the time is work.