Month: May 2016

The Lingering Task

The Lingering Task

When talking to people about how they manage their tasks and whether or not they keep a to-do list, inevitably the conversation turns to how their lists get too long and overwhelming. When that happens, many people get frustrated and just give up on the list.

The most troubling aspect of maintaining a to-do list is the annoyance of the lingering task that just stays on the list and never gets done. When you break it down, there are really only a few reasons why certain tasks linger longer than others. Here’s how you can get rid of those lingering tasks.

JUST DO IT

Some tasks are important but for whatever reason, we just don’t want to do it. We just keep procrastinating and avoid the task altogether. In “Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time,” Brian Tracy popularizes the old adage that if you eat a live frog first thing in the morning, nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. He suggests that you should take your most important but dreaded task and just attack it, get it done and move on.

DELETE IT

Successfully maintaining a to-do list is not just about completing items but making decisions about what’s most important and also what should be removed from the list. Sometimes you add a task to your list with all good intentions of getting it done, but over time it lingers on the list because it’s just not that important. In that case, it’s OK and should just be deleted from your list. If it’s important enough, you can always add it back to your list later.

BREAK IT DOWN

Other tasks stay on your list because they are just too big and overwhelming to tackle. In this case, break it down and create a task just for the first step. Once that’s complete, you can then create a task for the next step. For example, if you added a task to “Plan the Party” I bet it never gets done. Instead, start with some of the following:

  • Set Date for the Party
  • Create Guest List
  • Draft Party Invitation
  • Select Menu

You’ll find that you will have much more success tackling and completing the smaller, quicker and easier tasks. Similarly, instead of creating a task to “Read a Book,” you can break it down into specific chapters.

Keep in mind, the magic of a to-do list is in checking things off the list and not letting tasks linger.

TRY THIS OUT:  Look at your to-do list and review the tasks that have been on your list for over two weeks. First, decide which ones you can just delete. Then, start to break down the tasks that are too big. Finally, if it’s important make it your top priority for tomorrow and just get it done.

The DONE List

Recently I launched a new to-do list app in the iTunes App Store called priorigami: the art of productivity. The initial product is just a bare-bones MVP designed to test the app and get feedback from users on what works and what doesn’t. Interestingly, the number one requested feature is to add the ability to see completed tasks.

Several articles have been written about the value of keeping an “anti to-do list” or a “done list” as a key motivator and driver of increased productivity. Some people track daily accomplishments and then move on, others keep an active spreadsheet listing everything they have completed. Or, some just focus on their three big goals and track progress against those goals.

Back in 1993, I started keeping a weekly list of achievements. In 2013, I switched to one annual list of major accomplishments. At the start of each new year, I eagerly create my new list and anticipate how it will get filled in over the upcoming 12 months. Every other week or so, I go in and update it.

Here are the categories that I am keeping track of this year:

  • Product Launches
  • Blog Posts
  • Research
  • Books Read
  • Influencer Outreach
  • Networking
  • Training & Development
  • Agreements & Contracts
  • Community Service

Over the years the categories have shifted and morphed based on where I was working and what I was focused on achieving that particular year. The key is to keep track of the things that are most meaningful and important to you in terms of achievement. Think about how you define your own success and how would you measure it.

Not only does the DONE list serve as a motivator, it documents my achievements for future reference. I certainly helped me when I had to write my annual self-assessments. Years later, I have gone back to my lists to confirm key product launch dates. I have been able to quickly find out which training courses or assessments I completed in order to make a recommendation to someone else. I have also gone back to find names of people I had met or networked with so we could reconnect.

These lists have become an incredible historical repository that I find myself referring back to time and time again since as I age, I can no longer just rely on my memory.

TRY THIS OUT:  What did you accomplish today? Write it down. What did you get done this week?  Write it down. How do you feel? Are you amazed by what you were actually able to get done? Or, do you feel you didn’t get enough done? How would you measure your productivity or success based on what you achieved? Use the answers to these questions to help you design a format and a system for your own “Done” list.

A Perfectly Productive Day

A Perfectly Productive Day

One no-brainer way to increase your productivity and sanity is to perfectly plan out your day to ensure you’re doing the most important things when you are most focused and energetic.

To get started, spend a week assessing your focus and energy levels throughout the day so you can identify your finest hours for deep work. During this time, keep a notebook handy and log when you are able to focus and be productive versus the times when you are restless, unfocused or lack energy.

According to my focus and energy levels, this is how my typical day unfolds. First, I need some “me” time in the morning and then my most focused and productive time of the day is between 8 and 10:30 a.m. After that I quickly lose my focus. By noon, I need some social interaction, movement and external stimulation. The afternoons are my most unfocused and low energy times and then I get my second wind in the early afternoon to evening. After that spurt, I really need time to wind down.

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It doesn’t really matter how your energy levels rise and fall through the day, it’s just helpful to recognize your natural highs and lows.

Once I understood how my energy levels ebb and flow throughout the day, I was then able to clearly determine the best times for certain activities or tasks that would result in optimal efficiency. I must admit that as a result of this exercise, I decided to change my schedule around to focus on deep work versus checking email first thing in the morning. For many years, I started my day pouring through and responding to emails and then I realized I was wasting my most productive hours doing mindless work.

So, based on my findings, here’s what my perfectly productive day would look like:

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While this presents an ideal case, inevitably things will come up that will prevent you from sticking to your optimal schedule but having a solid starting framework will still help you structure your day when you do have flexibility.

Watch this entertaining video to inspire you to plan out your own perfectly productive day.

TRY THIS OUT:

  • When scheduling meetings, proactively propose times that best suit your schedule.
  • Block your calendar during your most productive times to focus on deep work.
  • Turn off email and social media notifications during focused work times to eliminate unnecessary distractions.
  • Proactively reach out to your network to schedule lunch meetings, walks or outings in different and new places to get motivated and energized.

 

Not Enough Time

Not Enough Time

I hear this sentiment too often these days: “I’m super busy and I just don’t have enough time.” When asked how we are doing, we often just instantly and thoughtlessly respond: “I’m busy.”

It appears that being busy, overbooked and frazzled is seen as a sign of success. Perhaps it shows that we are wanted and needed. It could be that it makes us feel important. Or, maybe it’s our way of projecting our productivity. But being too busy and being productive are not necessarily one in the same.

Time is one of our greatest treasures and how we use our time is critical to improving productivity. Are you spending your time on the most important things? Do you find time slipping away without getting anything done? Are you running around all day but not accomplishing anything meaningful?

The best way to make the most of your time is making sure you’re spending time on the most important things first, foremost and at the times during the day that you are most focused and productive.

So, what’s most important? When considering taking on or starting a new task think about these questions to determine if it’s a good use of your time:

  • How does doing this task benefit you?
  • Does it fit within your current goals?
  • Are there any dependencies or deadlines?
  • Can it be done later?
  • Could someone else do it?
  • What is the impact of deciding not to do it?
  • If you do it, what won’t get done?

Based on your answers to these questions, pick your top three tasks for the day and then plan when you’ll get them done. By going through this process, you may still be busy but you’ll also be more productive in terms of accomplishing the things that matter most.

Keep in mind that it’s not about not having enough time, it’s just a matter of how you decide to spend your time.

TRY THIS OUT:  As a next step, review your calendar for last week and assess which things were a waste of your time and figure out how to eliminate them going forward. Then, look to the week and ahead and plan how you’re going to spend your time on the tasks and appointments that really matter.