Catch Up Day

Wednesday, December 12, 2007, by Leigh Anne

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Have you ever felt like you just weren’t getting everything done? Do you have too many projects that won’t fit into your weekly/daily schedule? Too many loose ends - not enough time! I feel that way quite often - especially with a homebased business when there are so many other distractions during your day. Those “waiting to be done” piles/lists just keep getting higher and longer. Those piles/lists can include things like getting that customer newsletter out, making needed phone calls, bookkeeping, bill paying and even things like sewing on a button, a pile of ironing and this time of year things like getting those Christmas cards out and finishing up your gift shopping etc.

Whenever I get feeling this way - a bit panicked by all the things I haven’t finished, I declare a Catch Up Day! It is a great time management technique. The Catch Up Day is basically a whole day (or if you have to - half a day) of “white space” on your calendar. The need for a Catch Up Day happens to all of us - even the most disciplined and most organized. When you are feeling that “panicked feeling” select a day from your upcoming week/month that you leave totally white - I actually draw a big X through the day I select on my calendar - and then try your hardest to schedule NOTHING for that day(except things that you need to get done). I know, I know, this can be a challenge so that’s why if you have to - a half a day is better than nothing!

Well, I was having that “panicked” feeling last week so I decided it was time for a Catch Up Day -so I had one yesterday! To make the best use of your Catch Up Day spend some time the night before preparing. Make a list of all the things you want to accomplish - even sewing on that button or filing those papers. The next day you will be ready to go - now for those of you with small children at home this may require a babysitter but I promise you it will be worth it! Find a friend and trade babysitting for each other’s Catch Up Days!

Once you designate your Catch Up Day DO NOT be tempted to allow other people to fill up that white space for you, only you are allowed to choose what you will do that day.

I use my Catch Up Days for both personal and business things - doesn’t matter what it is - if it is something that has been bugging you, hanging around for ever, put it on the list! Even going out to lunch with a friend you haven’t seen in months qualifies! The important thing is you choose how to use that time - don’t allow others to fill in that white space for you.

I thought I’d share with you what I did on my Catch Up Day. My least favorite holiday activities are sending out Christmas cards and stocking stuffers. I always leave these two things to the last minute and it ends up causing me all kinds of stress! So this year I decided I wasn’t going to do that - so I included them in my Catch Up Day list.

1. Purchased holiday paper and labels for Christmas cards and wrote family letter(the cards had actually been ordered and printed before Thanksgiving). Began addressing envelopes (didn’t finish)

2. Went to Target for stocking stuffers and all the fast food restaurants for gift cards for the stockings. Made sure I had “equal” amounts for each child - very important!

3. Placed a product order and delivered product to two people.

4. Bought a black “Marks a Lot” marker so Tessa could color her point shoes black for the holiday ballet. I had to go to THREE stores to find a “Marks a Lot” - it couldn’t be a Sharpie, that would be too easy. Every store had Sharpies!

5. Returned overdue books to the library - oops! I love supporting our libraries with my overdue fines.

6. Called the oral surgeon to schedule a time for Tessa to have her wisdom teeth out -I have needed to do that for several months!

7. Posted the photos from the school play on the website so other parents could see them (the play was a month ago!)

8. Purchased my last two Christmas gifts. Yeah!

9. Stood in line at the post office to mail off the last of the “long distance” gifts!

10. Did some research for my trip to Alabama this weekend - what is there to do in Mobile, Alabama? I discovered - not much! Jim’s company Christmas party is this weekend and they are flying me back for it. At least I can now say I’ve been to Alabama. Anyone from Alabama have some ideas for us???

So if life/business is feeling a little out of control and you have too many things on your to do list that aren’t getting done - schedule a Catch Up Day. You will be amazed how great you feel the next day!

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