I enjoy being busy, and it has gotten me into trouble. Over-committed, overwhelmed, overworked, and managing an overflowing schedule leads to being overstressed. I am no slacker. I climb mountains to honor my commitments. People rely on me, and I wouldn’t change it. But, when I say, “I can’t,” I’m not exaggerating. Being overextended teaches many lessons.

We’ve read those posts. You know the “10 Ways to Productivity” lists. A few tips sometimes work, while others are a complete failure for me. One helpful suggestion I hear often is an admonition to clear your desk. While the experts extoll the virtues of an empty workspace, it drives me crazy. For me, a pristine desktop signals a lack of activity and performance. No inspiration, no ideas, no novel connections to make because of a notebook, open to a random page on which I slop my coffee. I dab the mess, a phrase comes into sharp focus, and voilà, I have an interesting topic to explore.

That wouldn’t happen with a tidy desk. I might still be staring at a clean counter, as I listen to my deadline swoosh past me. Instead, I reach my goal in half the allotted time, freeing me to move to another task. With a big win notched in my belt, I have positive momentum I fly, completing more jobs than I imagined was possible.

How do you get things done?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer