As I’m writing this, I’m feeling particularly rundown. I think it’s just a cold, but whatever it is, I’m not at 100%.

Some people would choose to take this opportunity to stay in bed all day and rest up. Unfortunately, I’m not one of those people. It’s not that I don’t agree with the idea, or that I look down on those who do. I’m just not very good at it. I would probably make a terrible meditator.

Being at less than 100% means that you can’t get everything done. Sometimes it’s really obvious. If you just broke your leg, you know you can’t go jogging today. Other times it’s more subtle. Having a head cold isn’t life altering, but it’s still a terrible time to make any profound decisions. If you’re stuffed up, exhausted, and dizzy, this isn’t the day to change your business plan or appear on Jeopardy.

Trying to get work done today reminded me of something David Allen said in Getting Things Done. Part of deciding what tasks to perform has to do with what you’re capable of doing at that moment, not just what’s at the top of your list. Papers need to be shredded, and desktops need to be cleaned. If you’re feeling uninspired or rundown, this is the perfect time to accomplish those mindless tasks. It doesn’t make sense to do these when you’re on a roll with a big project.

I think a big part of productivity comes down to expectations. The bar you set for yourself should be ever changing. Some days getting 10 tasks completed is a win. Other days it will be 1, but it might be a really important task. The point is, be aware of that.

Don’t equate < 10 tasks = loss. Find ways to make every day a success.

For me, I’m amazed I got through this post. Hopefully it’s somewhat coherent. If not, my apologies. Now that it’s done, I think I’ll go organize my paperclips.

Given my propensity to get distracted, especially by apps and gadgets, I may not represent the norm. However, I find that one of the biggest productivity killers in my life is productivity apps.

I wanted to sit down today and write a post. The flashing GMail logo in my taskbar pulled me off track. It was an email from Producteev. Now, I believe at some point I did a free trial last year of their task management software. Their emails are infrequent enough that I haven’t bothered to setup a filter so they don’t hit my inbox. Long story short, I ended up spending the last 30 minutes looking at their site, and checking out screenshots from the iPhone app. I’m almost positive that those 30 minutes would have been more than enough time to write a short post. Instead, I spent it unproductively analysing my current productivity system. What’s worse, I really liked what I saw, and I’m pretty sure their prices have come down a lot from last year. Now I’m stuck wondering if I should make a switch.

{update: <shame> Yeah, I’m totally trying it out now, but really liking it so far. Maybe a review in the future. </shame>}

Although I’m about to give you a tip, it’s probably one I’ll have to come back and read far more often, in order to keep myself on track.

As David Allen has said many times when asked about GTD, there isn’t any one system you should be using for task management. The important thing is that you pick one, learn it top to bottom, and then stick with it.

Imagine you want to start biking to work. You realized that, after all the red lights, stops to refuel, and parking spot searches, it would actually take you less time to just ride a bike. Great! You’ve just saved yourself time and money. But, instead of taking the direct A->B ride, you stop every 2 minutes to change bikes, shoes, and water bottles…just to see if any of those changes will help improve your time. Sounds kinda dumb when I put it that way, doesn’t it?

It’s the same with your task management systems. There’s a big initial investment of time and focus when you learn a new system. There are new ways to add tasks, new keyboard shortcuts, and a new signup process. Then there’s the process of transferring all of your data from your current system into the newer, shinier one. In the end, you rarely improve things enough to “pay back” that initial investment.

From the start, spend some time researching your options, and allow for growth. Will you need to track your tasks on your smartphone? Will you need to dictate notes while you’re driving? Now choose a system that will work within your set of requirements, and is within your budget. Once you’ve found a good system, stick with it.

If you get distracted by a killer feature on another system, see if there’s a way to add that to your own. Maybe yours doesn’t have an iPhone app, but their mobile site works just as well. You can also see if a 3rd party has developed an add-on or plugin to serve your needs.

In the end, you may not have all the bells and whistles, but you’ll have an efficient system that keeps you focussed on your work, which is why you wanted it in the first place.

Based on the view out of my windows today (above), it’s hard to believe that it’s Spring. We just got another round of snow last night, and it’s not showing any signs of letting up today. Yet, despite that, the calendar says that Winter is officially over. If you live somewhere that looks like Southern Alberta, then just close your eyes and pretend with me for a while.

Spring cleaning shouldn’t be reserved for your basement or garage. It doesn’t even need to be exclusive to physical spaces in your life. If you run a home business, this is a great time to get reorganized, and better prepared to have a breakthrough year. Here are 5 areas of your home business you should focus on.

Physical Files

When David Allen talks about GTD, he describes how it’s important to get things out of your head, and into a better system. I believe the opposite is true as well. If your physical workspace is full of clutter, that will get right back into your head and kill your creativity and productivity.

If you haven’t already, take out all of your 2010 files from the cabinet, and place them into proper filing boxes. Keep them around for reference until you’ve got your taxes done. Once that’s behind you, be sure to safely store them somewhere away from your daily workflow. Having a big stack of boxes in your office clutters up the space and your head, so find somewhere else for them to live.

Digital Files

Just because they aren’t falling out of overstuffed folders doesn’t mean your digital files shouldn’t be cleaned up too. First, make sure all of your files are backup up; either online (backup service like CrashPlan or Carbonite) or offsite (hard drive in a safety deposit box or with a friend). Then, transfer all of your 2010 files to a separate folder and away from your current projects. If you feel you will need to access them, then keep them tucked away on your computer. If not, store them on an external drive.

Equipment

This is a great time to give all of your office equipment a good once over. Get a can of compressed air and give all the digital equipment a good cleaning (turn them off first). Check to see if anything needs to be repaired or replaced. Having a broken chair can hurt your body as well as your efficiency. This may also be a good time to replace your keyboard and mouse. Face it, they’re full of germs, and it’s an inexpensive way to feel like you’ve upgraded your equipment.

Supplies

Now that you’ve cleared out your 2010 folders, it’s time to stock up on supplies. Make sure to pick up new folders, pens, paper, labels, and whatever else you use on a regular basis. There’s nothing worse for productivity than having to stop your work because you ran out of stamps or envelopes. Taking one day away from the office to get all of this done will save you a lot of time in the future.

Clean Up

Now that everything is repaired, restocked, and backed up, give the office a thorough cleaning. If you can, find a way to take advantage of the extra sunlight that Spring has to offer. Maybe a plant or two will help you out of the funk that Winter tends to put us in. Oh, and make sure to give your kids back that stack of toys that managed to pile up in the corner. Better yet, finally admit that those are your toys, and put them away yourself.

If the weather where you are looks anything like mine, this is the perfect time to do this. You can have a combination Spring cleaning/Snow Day. When the weather finally comes around, you’ll already have the cleaning done. Then, you can duck out of work early, and get outside to enjoy it. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.