Allowing Time for Flexibility

Structuring Yourself to be Flexible

I'm often criticized because of my "planner" attitude. Sometimes I am heckled because I plan too much. But, under all of my planning, I have become more flexible over time through trial and error. It's funny; now, when I see people who are super organized and serious planners--I smile and remember when I was that tight and rigid. I have certainly progressed, and my progression can be attributed to the realization that there are just certain things I cannot control.

Recently, I scheduled a day to get a specific task complete. I was so excited that I had an entire day to work on this project that I planned my prior and subsequent days accordingly. When the day came, I woke up that morning with a terrible headache. Even my headache medicine didn't work--talk about a hindrance to my productivity. I had to rest until my headache subsided, which was the next day. So, what did I do? Well, although I was momentarily bothered by the fact that I would have to rearrange my schedule; I was relieved, though, that I was actually able to rearrange my schedule. Even though I didn't get the task done on the day I scheduled, after some adjustments, I was able to complete the task.

Practicing flexibility means that if you are forced to divert from your plans, you're still able to regroup and move on with getting things done. I know a lot of organized people who are extremely productive only when things are going their way. However, if something interrupts their plans, oh boy! Here are some ways you can maintain your flexibility, while retaining your productivity:

• Never overbook your schedule. If you're days and nights are packed with so much to do that if you're diverted you can't recover, then you need to scale back. You should be able to be productive, maintain your load and be flexible when needed at the same time.
• Don't be afraid to say no. Sometimes you can't get it all done.
• Recover from distractions quickly. Don't spend too much time deciding how to recover; just recover and move on.

Remember that you can always rework your plan when inevitable distractions are thrown at you. Exercising flexibility is a choice and will also affect your overall attitude! (Be selective with how you choose to be flexible however, you don't want to be labeled as a slacker.)