Taking Myself to Task: Excel Spreadsheets for Procrastinators

WEEK OF 6/6WALKMAPREADBLOGMARKETINGJOURNAL
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WEEK OF 6/13WALKMAPREADBLOGMARKETINGJOURNAL
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As I've documented in many, many posts, I have more clever ways to procrastinate than just about anyone. Which means that if I want to get anything done, consistently, I need to figure out a way to hold myself accountable.



Which is when I came up with this Excel spreadsheet.



Yes, it's crude and lacking both in sophistication and beauty. But it gets the job done. Since I began using it last month, my productivity has increased in every area. And when I slack off, I can see where and how long it's lasted.



Creating the spreadsheet was simple. On one axis I listed the days of the week. On the other, I listed the activities that currently meant the most to me, things that would improve my life if practiced consistently.  These included: exercise, writing, and reading. Each day, as I spend time on a different task, I color in that activity.



As you can see, last week I did a better job of working on MAP than this week. On the other hand, I've gotten more exercise in this week. Either way, the spreadsheet is a convenient way for me to hold myself accountable and to see, over time, where I spend my time and where I need to focus if I want to meet my goals.



How do you keep track of your progress on important projects?