Paring Down, Staying Sane: Harnessing Excitement

As you know if you've been reading, this is the third part in a series about paring down and staying sane. Time management isn't just about being organized and efficient; it's about getting organization and efficiency to help you do more of the stuff that matters to you, while enjoying it more. And so, this article is about how to use your excitement as a time management tool.

Choosing Projects that Excite You

So let's say you're paring your project list down, trying to decide what matters to you the most. Don't let yourself decide what projects to keep active based solely on criteria that are dutiful, dull and obligation-oriented. Don't even decide which projects to keep based just on the long-term outcomes you want, or even what truly forwards your great grand life vision. Plenty of the projects on your list should be there for just one reason: because you feel deeply excited about them.

We all choose to do some things that don't especially excite us. I have to go scrub out the pan from dinner soon, for instance. And I have a sub-project on my plate, interviewing contractors for a basement remodel, that really doesn't excite me at all (even though I'm quite excited by our desired end result).

But I also have tons of things on my to-do list that fill me with delight. For instance, writing blog posts, working on my e-course, and practicing my drumming all get me bouncy and giddy when I think about doing them most of the time.

Please let the wow factor shape your choice of some of the projects on your list. There's no point in managing your time and your projects unless some of them are not only practical but also inspiring and satisfying.

Also, if you spend enough of your time feeling passionate about what you do, it makes you more energetic overall... and you will get more of everything done because you will be a happier person. Even the people around you might get more done... that kind of energy can be contagious.

Harnessing Enthusiasm

The other aspect of enthusiasm important to good time management is choosing when to work on what. So long as you are still spending reasonable amounts of time on your various responsibilities, if one project is particularly exciting you at a given moment, I say go for it! Work on the project that's got you fascinated and compelled at that moment. Take advantage of that enthusiasm because it may not transfer to other projects if you try to do something else instead, fighting your own natural ebb and flow. If you can spend a higher proportion of your time working while excited about the task at hand, you'll get more done, have more energy overall and be a much happier person.

If you're feeling just generally high-energy and excited but not about a specific project, that's great too. Work on whatever is on your task list that requires the most creativity or persuasion. Heady, non-specific excitement is also a great mood to channel into brainstorming solutions to a problem, or ideas for future projects.

Harnessing Other Moods

Other moods can also be harnessed if you choose work to suit them. For instance, quiet, contemplative energy has its powerful place too, and as with excitement, you can notice that energy and choose a task suited to wherever you are at.

Sometimes it's important to do a specific project at a specific time no matter what, or an authority at your job has told you to work on things in a specific order, or you need to tackle something that you're dreading so much that no mood will really fit getting it done. But when feasible, it's best to take advantage of your natural rhythm and your natural moods, and fit the project you work on to your mood and the moment.

What's exciting you today, and how do you use enthusiasm to be more effective?