A Community Contribution from April Perry
The first day of school started out great. My three oldest children dressed in their new clothes, laced up their new shoes, ate a healthy breakfast, and then headed off to school with homemade sack lunches and brightly-colored, fully-stocked pencil cases. I felt like a wonderful mom.
They returned home seven hours later, happy but tired, toting folders overflowing with paperwork, and that’s when MY work started (I mean…continued). As I shuffled through more than 50 sheets of fliers, forms, and date-specific notices, I started to feel a little dizzy. The pile on my counter harbored a LOT of information, most of which needed my attention right that minute. I was tempted to break into tears or bury my head in a carton of Rocky Road, but then I thought, “Wait a minute. I’ve been trained in GTD. I was MADE for situations like this.” [Read more →]
A Community Contribution from April Perry
Just about every mother I know has a refrigerator that is completely covered with party invitations, handouts for school assignments, reminders for community events, coupons, and about 50 other things calling out, “Me! Me! Me!” We’re so afraid of the “out of mind, out of sight” rule, that we want to keep everything that needs our attention smack dab in the middle of the kitchen.
Although this tactic might help us feel slightly organized, the drawbacks greatly outnumber the benefits. For example, how are moms supposed to calmly make it through the dinner hour when every time they turn around, they’re reminded of all the things they’re not doing? How are they going to remember which items have associated computer work or which ones require a run to the grocery store? What happens if an important notice gets buried under alphabet magnets–or stolen by a toddler looking for something to color? It just doesn’t work. [Read more →]
Community Contribution from April Perry
Mothers need Getting Things Done as much as (or more than!) any other group. Why? Let me show you a glimpse into my life “pre-GTD.”
My 7-year-old son, Ethan: Mom, want to see this cool toy lizard I got as a prize today?
Me: Yep. Ooh. That’s neat. (Then in my head) I need to buy paper towels, we have ants in the bathroom, it’s my niece’s birthday Friday, there’s a permission slip form somewhere around here I need to sign…
Ethan: Mom, you’re not even looking!
Me: Sorry. Okay. Yes, I really do like that lizard. What’s his name? I didn’t even exercise today. I’ll remember tomorrow. Don’t I need a sitter for Friday night? How’s the laundry doing? If I could just get that laundry room organized, I would feel so much better. Where’s that book I was reading? I need to remember to get some chocolate chips at the store. The carpet needs to be vacuumed. Where’s the baby? [Read more →]
