If you’ve read any of my books you’re familiar with those words – think before you act. Recently I got an email from a reader asking me to explain what I meant. She said that I gave several examples of how not to act. Here’s, basically what I told her.
There really aren’t any specific steps to take, it’s just a matter of identifying a problem and thinking it through. For example, you have several errands to run. Here are some things to think about. How much time do you have? Do you have time to do all the errands or do you want to do the important ones first and then take care of the others if time permits? Once you’ve determined what you’re going to do – then map out the most efficient route.
You want to organize a closet, cabinet – or whatever. Here are some things to think about. What will be stored in this area (remember to store things at or near the point of first use)? Measure the area so you’ll be able to get containers, drawer dividers, cubbies, etc. that will fit into the space. How will these organizers be sued and what will you store in them? Take a tape measure to the store and measure potential organizers, etc. to determine whether they’ll fit in the designated area and if they’ll accommodate what you want to put into them. An advantage to shopping online is that measurements are provided for you.
Making a housekeeping schedule, planning menus and calendaring your time are all examples of thinking before you act. It’s sort of like looking at the GPS before you take off on a trip. Don’t listen to the naysayers who say that planning wastes time. Planning saves a lot of time – as long as you don’t use it as a tool to procrastinate a project. Sometimes we get so detailed that we keep planning and tweaking and we never get around to the job at hand.