Problems, People, Paper, and Plans
I looked at the calendar this morning. Roughly 6 weeks stand between me and the end of the year. I’m not much for New Year’s Resolutions, but I love the feeling of new beginnings when everything is cleaned up, put away, and ready to rock. On the other hand, I don’t like to make work, especially at holiday time. So this morning, I’m putting together a plan that I’m calling . . .
25 Days to Organize My Life in Time for Holiday Fun
At this time of the year, conflicting goals can intrude on the most uncluttered life. They can stress and overwhelm the calmest soul. Chaos like mine is already out of control.
This year, with that in mind, I’m organizing my life to avoid possible nuclear meltdown. I’ll do something each day to wrap things up so that I totally enjoy the end of the year fun.
I plan to clean up my live AND catch up with my friends as we make the season merry and bright.
I. Problems and Solutions
Day 1: Get help with common problems. I’m going to quit trying to figure out everything on my own. It silly for me to invest time digging up basic answers, when Simple Help has probably already figured most of them out. Simplehelp.net is a site that is both interactive and re-active; if you can’t find the solution to your problem, you can request content and the tutorial will be created for you. If I let other folks share what they know, I can save my time for the problems so unique to my situation that only I have the experience and detail to solve them efficiently. I have a couple that need attending to right away.
Day 2: Ask for help with my blog, too. I’m going to let more people know that I welcome guest posts on my blog. Though my blog can’t offer revenue it doesn’t earn, it’s got visibility and an intelligent, cool audience that’s priceless. AjaxNinja suggested seek out guest writers and I’m doing it today . . .
This is an invitation. . . . If you can submit an appropriate post by Friday morning, I sure could use your help. I’ll be in the UK Dec 1-9, 2007, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to blog while I’m gone. You’ll find my email address and topic ideas on the Guest Writer page.
II. Thousands and 150 Important People
Days 3-8: Update one of my “networks” each day from this group of sites:
MyBlogLog,
StumbleUpon,
Digg,
Facebook,
LinkedIn,
and Propeller.
When I find folks who have common interests, add them to my contacts.
Day 9-14: Review other “social networks” I belong to: Xing, Ning, Spock, Zude, Rapleaf, 8apps, Pownce, BlueChip, Zaadz, and Doostang. Decide which I should stay with and which I will resign from.
Day 15-17: Use MyLifeBrand or social url to incorporate the remaining Social Networks into one global platform. Make this a 15-30 minute part of each day moving forward. Place that block during a time that my mind needs a break from other kinds of work.
Day 19-20: Sort and group my email address book. Email is my most natural social network. Delete entries for folks I don’t recognize or haven’t corresponded with in less than 6 months. Email folks on the 6-month drop list that I want to keep current. Check my email settings. Delete old emails I no longer need need.
Day 21-22: Go through the contacts in my phone in much the same way. Delete those I don’t know and calling those I’ve not spoken to but want to keep on as a contact and part of my life.
III. Paper and Plans
Day 23-24: Clean off my desk and clean out my paper files. Maybe I’d better start doing a little bit of this one every day from day 1 . . . hmmmm.
Day 25:Develop an Editorial Calendar for next month using the form below. Allow for spur-of-the-moment ideas and variations.
Then sit back with a nice glass of my favorite beverage and listen to my favorite tunes. . . .
How would your 25 day plan to organize for some fun work out differently?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
What a great idea to get organized BEFORE the New Year so can hit the ground running more efficiently. Thanks for the tips! Happy Thanksgiving!
Great post, as always!
This is such a good idea. I do this kind of thing a couple times a year, but the funny thing is, reading yours today made me feel like I want to add all of your clean up to my clean up. Yikes.
About that guest post thing. Wow, now that’s an invite that’s hard to pass up…
Hi Lisa!
It feels so great already . . . like when you clean the windshield of your car and it feels like it goes faster. 🙂
Hey Liz,
I go/get way crazy introverted — clear the decks get organized at this time of year – starting with formulating a holiday letter I begin to reflect – what’s been the year past?
Poured out of me this morning in a post that felt really cathartic
and so it begins
similar to you — countdown to year end
This past year being a real doosy – the anniversaries begin tomorrow – one year ago … we got the dog, one year ago I fell, the accident hear and so on — it’s going to be a very healing 3 weeks for me. Very memory lane
I started doing my taxes of all things 3 yrs ago on thanksgiving weekend. With my kids gone I get 3 days to bury myself in what I hate most. Having it done this early is sortof amazing.
I also love gifting and have switched to purchasing online – since the budget is nill this year it keeps it pretty simple. NO money not much shopping. January is the month of launch and personal growth and training. I get to lead at least one workshop that I know of with collage. Psyched.
I reaally love to teach
From a blog perspective and writing perspective I don’t know. I have nothing to gage except the last 6 months and what others might be doing – social networking, perhaps exploring affiliate marketing and landing more freelance writing especially in the blogging arena.
You have planted the seed though Liz because I feel this is something I need to have a plan about – Thanks for that. Just not sure what to plan. Hmmmmmmmmmm
I too am intriqued by guest authoring, what could I say to YOUR readership? It’s quite the thoughty crowd.
Mother Earth aka Karen Hanrahan
http://www.bestwellnessconsultant.com
Not even on a good day could I pretend to be this organized. I do a surprisingly similar list of ‘things’, but never in such an organized fashion. You’ve got me thinking – it would probably save a lot of time. But sometimes I’m in the mood to do one thing and not the other, so if it was ‘scheduled’ I might not be in the mood..
Hi Karen,
Anniversaries and the end of the year . . . and taxes and cleaning up the clutter . . . In some ways, it’s like sweeping out our brains, isn’t it.
I’m going to email you about guest writing. 🙂
Hi Ross,
So, okay, I’ll admit I put only 25 days because I know it will take me more than that . . . and my goal is to get done before the end of the year. 🙂
Liz,
This is great! Thanks for sharing all of your social networking sites as well. I can’t believe you keep up w/them all! (Well, maybe you don’t, which is why you’re making this public proclamation!)
My 25 day goal is to further clutter my life by checking out all of those great links in time for my regular year-end post, “Your 20xx Web Marketing Plan.”
Stay Tuned….
Hey Rich!
How great to see you. I’m going to have to look for you on all of those social networking sites. 🙂
Did you see that you’re a Week 108 SOB?
Awesome post, Liz! I may borrow parts of it. I’ve begun putting together a plan for next year, which is quite something because I’ve never had one before! Thanks for another nudge.
Glenda!
You are the most amazing one!
I know. I know!
Imagine what you’d do if you REALLY got determined with all of your head AND your heart!!
OH!
Just need a Thumb 2.0!
I need a brain . . .
Maybe we should find a friend and go visit OZ. 🙂
Great idea, Liz!
I was just looking at your editorial calendar again. Could you perhaps explain how you use it? And, I’d love to hear how you manage all those social networks without wasting, er, spending an inordinate amount of time!
Hi Glenda,
I use that calendar to plan out the ideas in batches . . . I’ll write a post on that on Wed. 🙂
I only visit one or two of the social sites daily and the rest about once a week. That’s why on the Days 15-17 I’m putting them all on one url. 🙂
You inspired me; I just stuck my “blogging editorial calendar” on the wall in front of my desk and pre-posted my Monday “Great Travel Links” post!
Now, can I keep it up into Tuesday….:)
Hey Sheila!
Even one day is a better track record for me. 🙂