It’s All in the Prep

by Kim Brewster

Are you a fan of cooking shows? How about home remodeling shows? Cable tv offers us a plethora of opportunities to show our creative side, enhance our hobbies or make us better at our jobs.

Take Emeril, since anyone who has watched a cooking show or seen his cookware at the store may be familiar with him. His countertop has bowls of different sizes, knives, spoons, cutting boards, hot pads; his cooktop has the pans. In essence, he has laid out the tools he will use to prepare the meal. His tools allow him to ready the ingredients – seasonings in their separate containers, cutting the meats/vegetables and heating the oil/butter/broth. The actual cooking process itself is rather seamless and, BAM, it’s done.

The home remodeling shows make painting walls look so easy. If you dissect what is done before the paint is applied to the wall, you will see a drip cloth, paint tray, brushes (angled or straight edge), a can of paint, stir stick, roller and roller cover, paint can opener, and a vacuum cleaner or lint-free cloth. These are the basic tools. After dust and dirt are removed from the walls, the drip cloth is spread, the paint is opened and stirred and poured into the paint tray, the roller cover is on the roller, you are ready to apply the paint. Now ultimately how the actual painting application goes is dependent on having a steady hand with an eye for neatness.

What is your prep process to begin your day at your desk (after you have pre-prepped by exercising and eating a nutritious breakfast)? (1) Do you dive right into you email inbox? (2) Do you spread papers and files all over your work surface? (3) Are your desk tools (pens, portable note taking device, PDA) readily available and easy to reach? (4) Is your Outlook Today tool set up so that you can quickly scan your Calendar Today and Tasks? (5) Do you take a few deep breaths?

Only three of the above options are necessary and the remaining two are not useful. Just like a cook or a painter, your day will be more effective because you took the time to physically prepare for your day, ultimately saving time. At the end of the day you will feel confident your tasks, emails and projects were handled thoughtfully and expeditiously.

Did you remember to savor the aroma of garlic in warm olive oil or bask in the glow of your freshly painted walls?