Everyone wants to get more accomplished during their day, right? But how do you do that? You are already working long and hard – either in the office, at home or both – and it seems like no matter what you do, you are always behind and trying to catch up.
Can I really get more done?
People ask me every day, “can I really be more productive? Can I really get more done?” And the answer is yes! By simply planning instead of doing. So many of us begin our day by jumping right in, attending to hot issues, reading and reacting to email, and doing what is most triggering or “feels” right to do first. While we all have to deal with emergencies when they come up, doing without planning should be your fall-back strategy and not your everyday routine.
Put your oxygen mask on first.
After years of flying, we all know to put our oxygen masks on first and then help others. The same holds true for running your day. Before you respond and react, evaluate first to identify what is truly important (and not just urgent) and when your deadlines are (real or self-imposed).
Daily Routines are the solution.
So how do you really know what you have to do and when you have to do it – beyond seeing what is at the top of your email or screaming at you from your to-do list? It can all look and feel overwhelming, but by creating a set of simple steps and using them each day to guide you, you take back control by making purposeful, mindful and planful decisions.
I call these steps a Daily Routine or CEO Routine, since you are the boss and decision maker for your day. Steps in a daily routine look like:
- Calendaring – Today, tomorrow and yesterday. What do you have to do today. What didn’t you do yesterday that needs to be rescheduled? What is coming up tomorrow (or this week) which you need to be prepared for?
- Brain Dump – Write down all of the things – tasks, to-do’s, reminders and other relevant information – in your head on paper or typed in a list. The container doesn’t matter as much as consistency in collecting it all in one place.
- Field Incoming – Calls, emails, texts, slack, mail, paper notes, stickies – whatever is incoming needs to be fielded or recorded.
- Prioritize – Go through your full task list including the past list of to-dos, with the addition of your brain dump and your fielded incoming. Highlight or mark items to identify the most important things to do today.
- Time Block – Commit to your task by scheduling it in a time block on your calendar. Try to keep tasks small and specific to make them easier to accomplish.
Once you complete these steps, now you can jump in and start working, letting your calendar and prioritized task list guide your day.
Looking for more success strategies around getting control of your day? Contact us for coaching help if you’d like a partner to get things rolling.