Getting stuff done.

February 1, 2022 Lynn Pilkington

Is there a better feeling than ticking off things on a ‘To-do’ list?

I certainly don’t think so.

I’ve been doing coaching and self education over the past year about to design a life that works for me. A big part of this has been developing my executive function. I have a productivity habit. I’m super creative but I know there are some executive functioning skills I struggle with.

I wrote an article on how I was approaching the 2021 festive period that aligns with my core values and needs. I realised I really didn’t need or want stuff. Gifts were Secret Santa gift cards for morning coffee, new stationary, a swing chair, and books.

And that’s what Santa delivered. But I think I may have taken my efficiency too far. By noon on Christmas day I had opened, cleared up and tidied away all my presents.

UX Glasgow - a space to dscuss, debate, share, learn at meetups, workshops, and talks - had heard of my efficiency and invited me to speak about making habits that work on January 5th 2022. Personally, I did not set any New Year’s Resolution -my resolution is to just keep going and embedding what I’m doing already.

It was a fab session where I highlighted four key points about habits:

Habit one: Make it handy and obvious. Prioritise efficiency over beauty. Put stuff where you are going to use it. Leave spare toilet rolls at the toilet, look out your exercise gear the night before, have a pair of car glasses and TV glasses, unwrap your art materials and leave out the project to work on.

‘Just because something is organised doesn’t mean it that it is efficient’ - Organising Solutions for People with ADHD, Susan C. Pinsky.

Habit two: Limit your sources. I love links. I love researching and gaining knowledge. When I started running I printed 50 pages on how to start running. I bought a Festive TV guide, highlighted everything I wanted to watch and then watched nothing. I now limit myself online to 3 sources, I use recommendations over researching myself when I can, I return to familiar things over new things as that takes more mental energy, I avoided the sales – anywhere that you tend to get overwhelmed by noise, find a way to DO IT rather than learn it.

‘You need ‘enough sources, not infinite ones’ - Anne Bogel, in ‘Don’t overthink it’.

Habit three: Make yourself accountable. Get someone to check in on you, make a checklist for yourself, journal each day about your progress.

‘Knowing that someone else is watching you can be a powerful motivator’, James Clear atomic habits

Habit four: Change just one thing. Only do one thing, make it super easy, and then add to it.

I loved sharing my tips with others - this really helped my reflect on the progress that I am making.