The Seven D's - Daring To Discover the Dreamy Details of Designing Your To Do List

Written by Lynn Cutts


Continued from page 1

On my list, I decided that I would put off defrostingrepparttar freezer, planningrepparttar 150602 March trip, and cleaning outrepparttar 150603 linen closet at least until afterrepparttar 150604 holidays.

DELEGATING. Ask yourself:

- Can someone else do this job as well as or better than I can? - If someone else can do this job, but not as well, or notrepparttar 150605 same way I do it, can I live with that? - How much will it save me in time, energy, or money to delegate this task – or to hire it out? How much will it cost me?

Are you going to delegate that task? Great! Write downrepparttar 150606 name ofrepparttar 150607 person you're delegating to besiderepparttar 150608 task.

I assigned sewing buttons, putting on snow tires, planningrepparttar 150609 March trip (that one got DELAYED and DELEGATED!) and bringing inrepparttar 150610 balcony furniture to others. I also decided to turn much ofrepparttar 150611 web site copywriting over to a professional copywriter. While that eliminated a couple of items fromrepparttar 150612 list, it added one: find a professional copywriter. That I could mostly delegate as well to Dawn, my Virtual Assistant.

DOING LESS. Ask yourself:

- Can I combine this chore or errand with another to save time? - Can I get by with doing less of this chore? - How much of this really needs to be done right now?

Are you going to do less of that chore? Note where you are going to drawrepparttar 150613 line.

I combined sending our gift lists to my brother and parents with calling them, which saved me a couple of e-mails. I pared my list of future teleclasses from 12 to 5. I also culled my holiday card list, which saves me time and money.

DELETING. This is your most powerful option, since it gets tasks completely off that list. Ask yourself:

- Will this activity, project, or task be important to me next year? How about in five years? Ten? - Is this activity, project, or task something I will enjoy, learn from, or be positively challenged by? - What isrepparttar 150614 most likely outcome of this activity, project, or task? Is that something I really want?

If you decide to delete a chore completely from your list, draw a line through it. Remember, you can always add it back later when things have settled down.

I decided to delete repaintingrepparttar 150615 laundry room. It doesn't look that bad, guests rarely go in there, and it would be a huge chore.

Finally, we get torepparttar 150616 fifth D:repparttar 150617 actual DO list. By this point, everything left on your list should be a pretty significant DO. In my example,repparttar 150618 number of tasks dropped from 20 to 8. And we're about to pare it down even more. (Byrepparttar 150619 way, if you didn't cut your list by at least half, run though it again, applyingrepparttar 150620 four D's. This time, be really stringent.)

Go through your new, shorter DO list and note every chore on that list that you can do in 15 minutes or less, and DO them! On my list, those quick tasks included calling my brother (calling my mother always takes at least an hour) and balancing my business check book. I'm now down to 6 items.

The sixth D is DEADLINE. Go through what remains on your list, and put a target completion date for each task. Then write those deadlines onrepparttar 150621 calendar, and pencil in when you are going to work on each specific chore. Calling my mother, for example, is best done inrepparttar 150622 early evening, but not on Thursdays when she plays Bunco. Finishing my e-book gets Monday mornings when I'm at my freshest. And so on.

And now you're done! You've just appliedrepparttar 150623 6 D's to your to do list. Congratulations! You can welcome inrepparttar 150624 holidays in brighter spirits because you don't have as much STUFF weighing you down.

Oh, andrepparttar 150625 seventh D? DARK CHOCOLATE, of course!

NOTE: You are welcome to use this article online in electronic newsletters and e-zines as long as it remains complete and unaltered (includingrepparttar 150626 "aboutrepparttar 150627 author" info). If use of this article is desired in print, you must first contact Lynn Cutts at Lynn@ManageYourMuse.com.

Copyright 2005 Lynn Cutts

Chocolate-loving Life Coach Lynn Cutts’ mission is to change the world for the better, one person at a time. At www.ManageYourMuse.com, she shares free tips, articles, games and newsletters to help you realize your dreams. Lynn offers one-on-one coaching, group coaching and self-guided programs to help you create your own boundless life. Lynn is certified by the Coaches Training Institute, and is a member of the International Coaches Federation.


"Play Piano As Fast As Possible!"

Written by Ronald Worthy


Continued from page 1

In my E-book, I've included many basic exercises with background music to assist you in acquiring this level of keyboard performance. In other words, you will be practicing with other instrumentalists. You will hearrepparttar drums, bass and an unobtrusive piano accompaniment that provides a harmonic blanket for YOU to practice your course material!

Ideally, then, both ways of practicing should be used!

First, we should practice slowly enough to learnrepparttar 150601 notes and fingerings. Then, we should "practice as fast as possible"; that is, as fast as we can without losing control ofrepparttar 150602 basics we learned in slow practice.

Here' how this would work. Take a short part ofrepparttar 150603 piece; you might choose a four- or eight-measure phrase. Practice it slowly. When you feel comfortable withrepparttar 150604 music, increaserepparttar 150605 tempo. Don't wait until you've practicedrepparttar 150606 entire work slowly. In this way, at each sitting you'll get to learn a little section, bring it up to tempo, and feel into what is needed to bring it to life.

Atrepparttar 150607 next sitting, work onrepparttar 150608 next four or eight measure. When you have that section brought up to tempo, combine it withrepparttar 150609 first section. Now, you will begin to understand howrepparttar 150610 phrases relate to each other. You can introducerepparttar 150611 idea of dynamic shading and decide which lines to bring out at a given moment. In fact, you will be making real, exciting music—even before you've learnedrepparttar 150612 whole piece!

As you go on in this way, you will probably change your mind about how to playrepparttar 150613 work as new sections are added. This is part ofrepparttar 150614 process of discovery and experimentation. Concert artists are always re-interpreting, because they think about these elements allrepparttar 150615 time.

So play as slowly as you need to; but as fast as you are able!

I wish yourepparttar 150616 best of success.

Ron Worthy http://www.mrronsmusic.com/playpiano.htm

Ron Worthy is a Music Educator, Songwriter and Performer. He provides online piano instruction for all ages at: http://www.mrronsmusic.com/playpiano.htm


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