Avoid the side track, get to what matters first!
To get results we need to give enough attention to the tasks that matter. We all intuitively know which tasks are most important to focus on and would bring us closer to meeting our goals if checked off…the problem is we get side tracked and just a five minute focus in the morning on the wrong thing can so easily lead to an hour or a couple of hours of going down the rabbit hole. When we look up again the day has ended and we haven’t even started on our ‘important’ list.
So what can we do to change this? I believe we need to find simple ways of getting our day started in a positive way and then factor in tactics that help us focus first on what’s important which means we relegate the rest to late afternoon or after hours.
Below are 4 ideas to help you bring that crucial focus into each day
“Eat Cake for Breakfast”
A quirky productivity tip I read entitled…“Eat cake for breakfast”…certainly got my attention. I’ve always believed you CAN have your cake and eat it too so why not eat cake for breakfast. As Jenna Abdo, founder and producer of Beyond the Headlines @33 Voices says, it doesn’t literally have to be cake, find something to eat for breakfast that brings you joy in the morning and double it up as a mindfulness exercise to boost energy, inspiration and ultimately productivity at the outset of the day.
Schedule appointments daily with “Yourself” and do this at a time when you’re at your most productive
To get things that matter done everyday, block out time to do the important things that will take your business forward. If you did ‘deep work’ everyday like refining your strategy; finding solutions to burning issues; creating ways to add greater value or writing a ‘thought leader’ post, what would that do for your business?
Love to-do list
Instead of just having an ordinary ‘To do list’, how about setting up a, “Love to do list.” If we managed to delegate or outsource most of the things that don’t require our personal attention and focused on the important things we love to do, we’d be super productive and get better results, faster!
“Five-Minute Rule”
Beth Comstock, vice chair of General Electric, has a great tip for staying productive, she calls it the “Five-minute rule”: “If it’ll take you five minutes or less, just do it now,” she says. “Send that email, look over that spreadsheet, or walk over to your colleague’s desk and have a quick conversation. A small action now can keep you moving toward a big deadline.” I would add to this… If it’s an important matter and it will only take 5-minutes then absolutely do it right away.
Very often it’s a simple change that makes a massive difference. So try out one of these simple tips and enjoy the spike in productivity it could bring.
To you having a super productive year and loads of fun too!
Carmen Wilde: Co-Founder Wilde Success; Business Coach & Breakthrough Specialist
P.S.
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