Are you sitting in your chair with your feet propped up, twiddling your thumbs wondering what to do next?
I didn’t think so.
Or rather, is it that you have a million things do? Too many projects on the go?
I get you.
As an entrepreneur or professional, you have a busy life. But when you have too many things to do, it is also easy to become overwhelmed and stressed. And then your productivity slows right down. You get stuck. You can’t give quality attention and focus when your energy and creativity are spread thin. You are all over the place and nothing gets done, gets done late or gets done poorly.
Can you relate to any of these scenarios?
- You start a project and then don’t complete it or abandon it.
- You have many projects going on; yet you tend to move to a new one before completing the current project.
- You are unsure of your priorities.
- You don’t have clearly identified goals.
Now, ask yourself how you feel when you haven’t completed a project. You feel pretty lousy, unfulfilled and perhaps even more frustrated and stressed.
You can’t say you “want this result”, but then not take action to achieve it. “Want” is an elusive verb; to be in a state of “want” is not doing or acting.
Now, reflect on those times when you have successfully achieved a goal. You felt great, proud, happy, successful, healthy, awesome, and yes, even productive.
How do you take action?
You start taking action by writing clearly defined goals and priorities. Your goals drive your actions. Your priorities represent your “steering wheel” to keep you focused on the right course.
A goal becomes effective when you have identified the plan to achieve it. For example: Say you have a goal of increasing revenue 20% over the prior year or quarter. That’s a great goal, but you need to write down the steps—that is, the action plan to accomplish that goal, otherwise it still remains a “want” sitting idly.
Start with one project goal.
Specify the daily and weekly priorities to work towards achieving your stated goal. Write those priority action items (tasks) down and set blocks of time in your calendar.
Make your tasks small and measurable. One phone call can be a significant task and accomplishment if it is on the path to achieving your goal. Until these priority tasks are written down and marked in your calendar, you will be in constant flux of what your priorities and projects are. Writing down what you want to achieve and how you plan to achieve it keeps you focused. Being focused leads to completion.
Finally, be totally and unwaveringly committed to the achievement of your goal. Remind yourself daily of your goals and that wonderful feeling of achievement. Focusing on the good feelings will keep you motivated.
Being productive is not about being busy. It’s about doing the right things effectively. “Your time is precious. Manage it wisely.” (SM)
If you have any other productivity tips, we’d love to hear from you.
Rosie Aiello is a Productivity Consultant, Small Business Mentor, Speaker and Author. She is the founder of ClearVista Consulting International Inc., which specializes in improving productivity and profits for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and other professionals.
Author
Jenn Steele
Jen Steele is a dynamic, results-driven leader with over two decades of experience in the technology and marketing industries. As the CEO of KissMetrics, Jen is responsible for driving the company's strategic direction, growth, and overall success.
