Here are three ways to get going and sustain an
action-orientation to your own productivity:
Choose smaller verbs.
One of the reasons that people don't do things as they think of them
(especially entrepreneurs and senior leaders) is because of their skill at ‘Visionary
Thinking’. Because they CAN think big, they do. Chunk your objectives into
smaller markers along your path to success.
Find, create, utilise
and assess the extra time you have each day. Arrive to an off-site meeting
somewhere early? Other people running late? Maybe you get a last-minute cancellation
of an appointment you had scheduled. What can you do during that time? Get
ready for 15-minute blocks of time throughout the day. Why 15 minutes? That
window is long enough to actually "do" something and short enough to
find!
Focus on what has
happened. Regularly through the day (before lunch, and before you go home),
take a moment and mentally check off what is complete. All too often there is
so much going on, and so much you can think of that is UNDONE, you tend to
forget how much is finished. This is your chance to recharge – as acknowledging
completion is a quick way to get back on track.
Too often, long-range goals fall into the “important but not
urgent” category of day-to-day workflow management. We put off doing the most
important things while making start-and-stop progress. When this happens, the
urgent – latest and loudest – clamours for our attention.
Work smart, maximise short windows of time, and mark something as
complete…it’s the best way to beat procrastination!
