10. Focus more on things you can control.

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There’s a difference between being a Control Freak and being organised.

I tend to be mostly organised.  It harks back to the days when I wanted to be a Professional Organiser.

(My organisation motto is “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” That way you don’t end up owning 3 sticky tape dispensers.  My girlfriend Karen always has a laugh at me.  She’ll ask me where the sticky tape is, and I’ll answer with “computer cupboard, shelf above the moniter”.  I like to be organised.)

I’m organised in my home and my family life.  Have had that down pat for a while now.

When it comes to my work schedule though…. well, let’s just say that it could use a little help.

As an Independent Creative Professional, I’m my own Boss.   I say what work I need to get done for the day.

What I have trouble controlling is how easily I get distracted.

And this is making me stress.

Friday’s post – Do one thing now you’ve been putting off – got me to thinking.

I have four hours in my day – when my kids are at school and I’m not at school myself doing my in-class aide work.  I need to utilize those four hours to my advantage.

Focus on what I can control.  Control of my work output.  My ‘productive’ work output.

So I’ve set myself a schedule.

I work in 25 minute blocks.  I have to for my back.  I set my kitchen timer so that when it goes off, I get up and do my yoga stretches for 5 minutes.

I therefore have 8 blocks of 25 minutes to work in.

I know I’ll never control the weather or the price of eggs in China.  But, gosh-darn-it, I will learn to control my time-wasting!

What areas can you focus on?  Areas that you can control?  Or at the very least, direct a little more…

Today completes the ’10 tips to stress less’ series.

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