Don’t Get Overwhelmed/Make it Incremental
Do not overwhelm yourself by deciding that you are going to do nothing but documentation for a full day or a week. For some lucky few this may be a relaxing idea but for most of us, especially those of us who thrive on the chaos of harm reduction, it is akin to watching paint dry. And, if we’re being honest, tantamount to admitting we will never do it.
Instead, pick an incremental, and sustainable, amount of time – maybe 30 minutes – and commit to doing it on a schedule such as daily, weekly, etc. If 30 minutes sounds like a lot, try for ten. As with all things harm reduction, BETTER IS BETTER and some change is better than none. Like any habit change, over time it will get less overwhelming and, best yet, there will become less and less to do.
Set a Timer
Use a timer to help you manage your incremental documenting window. One evidence-based method is the
Pomodoro method, which has lots of apps and other tools available for free.
Delegate
If you are working with people to whom you can delegate some of your documentation, do it. This may require a verbal download or simply showing someone where to find the information to transcribe. It is important to take advantage of your team. Not only does it lighten your workload, it also increases transparency, builds trust and, in the end, eases change.
DO IT ANYWAY
Documentation is not fun for most of us and can easily slip to the very bottom of your to-do list, somewhere below “Do a full Google Earth deep dive on the country of Paraguay”. Do not fall into this trap. Documentation is a gift to your future self and your agency’s well-being, and it is essential for successful successions.
