Organisation key to my success

As Head of International Life for The Argus Group, a Government Senator, Junior Minister responsible for Health and Seniors & Public Works, a member of the OBA, a volunteer and a person who values spending time with family and friends, I have a lot going on. And I know I’m not alone — I come across women every day who have busy lives that pull them in every direction. 

How do I do it? In a word: organization. I need to be organized in all parts of my life. I even have to be organized to effectively manage the two cellphones and four email accounts I have — and these things are meant to help keep us organized!

If I keep my life and all its parts organized, I can accomplish a lot in a day. I am even able to get the rest I need and to enjoy social activities. 

So how do I stay organized? I found that an important place to start was to understand what makes me tick and how to apportion my energy.

For me it helps to keep one calendar up to date with all of my activities and commitments — both professional and personal — to avoid conflicts. I schedule things well in advance, and am sure to allow enough time to prepare for and follow up on all of my activities. 

My calendar isn’t just full of work meetings and Senate obligations. I have time set aside for other interests, volunteer time, my husband, family and friends. Those who know me know that they need to get on my calendar if they want some of my time!

At the end of the day, I review my calendar for the next day. At the end of the week, I look at the next two weeks so I know what is coming up. 

On a daily basis, I have a running list of everything I have on the go, and then prioritize what should be done first. By identifying the actions with the highest pay-off, I can ensure that my time is well spent. I delegate when possible, defer when I can and conquer the most pressing tasks at hand. 

And if something in my head keeps me up at night, I organize my thoughts. I turn on the light, write out what is keeping me up and defer it until the morning. 

Part of my being organized is getting others involved. If there is a task that I can delegate, I will

 I also take advantage of others’ knowledge. When I started in the Senate I didn’t know exactly how to proceed: it isn’t like in the corporate world, where you are presented with a job description and off you go. 

So I was not afraid to ask questions of people who could guide me. Then I could organize my thoughts and my actions for what needed to get done.

This works for me. It’s how I tick and has allowed me to enjoy success in many parts of my life. And whether it is on my calendar or not, I always take the time to celebrate all of my successes, big and small.

Lynne Woolridge joined The Argus Group in June 2012. She is the Head of International Life, responsible for the overall management of the Group’s International Life insurance and annuity operations and Bermuda Life Insurance operations. She is also a Government Senator and Junior Minister responsible for Health and Seniors & Public Works.