Getting ready for a weekend and getting ready for a vacation have a lot in common for me. I like to look around, clean up, and clear out so I can get away.
Looking at the next month or so of your life, are you planning to leave town, take some time off or just enjoying a weekend at home with friends and family? If so, consider getting your “stuff” together so you can break away, easily and completely.
There are three things that I do before I feel “great” about going/getting away from work:
Review the Outstanding Business
It takes about an hour a week (and, if I’m leaving town, away from my computer/office for more than four to six days, I usually plan about three hours for this) to review my outstanding business. Specifically, I review my “Sent Items” in email, my “Waiting on” inventory of things that other people are doing for me, and my “Projects” list.
I like to go through and scan the last seven to ten days of sent items in my email. While I’m doing so, I will forward emails that are still outstanding and delete emails I no longer need. This keeps me current in my agreements and waiting-for items, as well as manages the “size” of the overall email system that I am keeping.
I keep a separate waiting for lists of items I ask people by phone, in meetings, or with a hand-written note. Of course, I look at this several times per week (like just before calling someone or meeting with them face to face). But, once per week, I really review. I’m looking for anything that I need to follow up on, or something that I need to “take back” because I feel that the owner of that piece is not going to follow up/follow through for me.
