We all have errands. Whether it’s picking up the dry cleaning to returning library books. Errands are small tasks that are outside of your usual routine. While they often result in a good outcome, they can often be hard to organize, easily forgotten, or pushed aside.
In this article, we give an overview of what errands are, how to organize your life to get your errands done and give you some secret tips about how to life-hack your errand list.
What Do Your Errands Say About You?
Errands are highly personal tasks, and no person will have exactly the same errand list as another person. They are a reflection of your personal style, priorities, hobbies, and values. For such a mundane idea, an errand list can actually say a lot about a person. For example, if you see an errands list that includes:
- Pick up dry cleaning
- Book theatre tickets
- Call tailor
It gives you a very different sense of the person from a list that includes:
- Return library books
- Pay the art gallery membership fee
- Call Aunty Mabel.
How to Organize Your Errands
Having a system to organize your errand is essential if you are ever going to get them done. Especially if you have errands that are time-sensitive, such as returning borrowed items or purchasing tickets. How you organize your errands needs to be in fighting with your overall organizational style. Do you write lists or prefer voice notes? Do you always stick to your calendar, or are you impulsively going through your day?
One good method of organizing your errands is taking some time on a Monday to put them in order of priority. What is most pressing? What is the least urgent? The errands that have the biggest consequences should go first – ie paying bills, fees, or returning items. At the same time, the errands that have the least consequences should have less priority.
When To Do Your Errands
This is an important question, and its answer depends a lot on your lifestyle. Do you work a strict 9-5, forty-hour week? Or are you a freelancer or entrepreneur with a flexible schedule? If you are the former, you will need to utilize your precious lunch breaks to complete your errands. This requires a high level of organization! A good tip is to call ahead to wherever you are going so they are expecting you and can have your item that needs to be collected ready to go. FOr example, call your dry cleaners and have them prepare your clothes for you and possibly even prepay over the phone, so all you need to do is grab them and run!
When Errand Lists Get Overwhelming
Sometimes errand lists can get bigger than they need to and feel suddenly overwhelming. This may happen during especially busy times of the year, such as the end of the financial year, Christmas, or other major holidays. If your errand list is getting too long, you can’t bear the thought of pushing through crowds to get your personal tasks done or if you just simply don’t know where to start – consider an errand-runner.
