How To Get Back On Track

Dead Tree - New Mexico

Occasionally, it is a great thing to just get away from it all. Unplug completely and reconnect with yourself, your family, and maybe one of your favorite places. That is more or less what I did last week as we celebrated my son’s birthday with a trip to the Land of Enchantment. New Mexico is a beautiful state with a lot to see and, thanks to lengthy drives from Oklahoma City, you spend a lot of time with others in the vehicle. After a relaxing week away though, how do you get back on track?

I use several apps to help me keep myself organized. I have a set of Google calendars I use (like my booking calendar) that are helpful in making sure my schedule doesn’t run rampant over our family calendar. To remind myself of tasks I need to do, I have started using Trello and am finding it quite useful. Not only can I use it as a “to do” listing, but it helps me to collaborate with others. Then, for things I want to track a bit more closely, I use Excel quite a bit. For my blog, I use Excel to track what I have posted, written, and planned as well as when they are scheduled. It is very helpful in keeping an eye on the topics I cover.

The problem I have is figuring out where to plug back in first. It often seems like there is so much to do that it looks unmanageable. Then, I remember a rule I was given by a mentor: Look for the low-hanging fruit. There is a huge tree of tasks to complete. You can try to chop it down with a sharp axe or a chainsaw, but that sort of brute force will kill the tree. Instead, look for those little things you can do to prune the tree. With proper care, the tree will grow while staying manageable.

Do you have a favorite tool you like to use? Leave a comment and share!

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