Many people think of me as a highly productive person. They ask me how I accomplish so much. They want to know my methodology for getting so much done.
I don’t think of myself as a high producer or high performer. Yet, its true that I create a fair amount of written work, such as blog posts and books, per year. I also release a few products, such as courses, annually—possibly more than the average person but not as many as some high performers I know. I also show up for a variety of events during a 12-month period
How do I do it? Typically, I say I work all the time—which isn’t far from the truth. I have the luxury of working when I want. My children are grown and out of the house, and my husband works long hours. Yet, I wouldn’t say I get an enormous amount accomplished during the long hours I spend in my home office each day.
My Personal Struggle
Like many people, I struggle with focus. In our digital age, and as a person whose business relies to a great extent on social media marketing, I am easily distracted by social networks, promotional activities and my email box. Being online even for a few seconds can mean I discover a link to a video (Yes, even a cute cat video.), and lose 30 minutes before I realize I originally turned to the Internet to research something for a blog post or project. Or that moment on the Internet reminds me I need to promote an event or send an email, and it could be an hour or more before I return to my task.
I sometimes think I have ADD… I have so many projects, so many ideas, and my mind toggles between them all. I start one thing, and then jump to another for some reason, only to skip to another and another, only returning to the first many hours later. “Oh, right…that’s what I was doing!”
Simply said, I have a hard time focusing, but focus constitutes the key to getting anything done. It’s the secret to productivity.
The #1 Way I Get Stuff Done
I use a variety of different techniques to get stuff done—to increase my productivity, but making myself focus is the primary one. The best tools I have in my tool box help me settle in and concentrate on one project for a period of time without distraction. Period.
I can flit from one thing to another all day long and get a little bit done here and there. It isn’t until I block off a period of time and focus on taking action toward one goal that I see real progress, though.
Focus is necessary. Action is imperative. The two together, make me—and you—unstoppable. They provide the keys to high productivity.
So here’s my secret: I create times during the day when I place all my attention (and action) on accomplishing one task.
3 Other Ways I Get Stuff Done
To help myself focus on completing a task or a project, I use a variety of tools. They include:
- Mind mapping: I use mind maps for everything, but they keep me focused as well. First, I use them to organize my projects and to chunk them down into manageable pieces—tasks I can compete one by one so I eventually finish the project. Second, I use them to create to-do lists. I work hard to knock of items on the list daily.
- Deadlines: I give myself firm deadlines to complete projects. These force me to work more efficiently, because I am aware of the time-bound nature of my tasks. Pressured by the clock, I focus and do what it takes to move forward.
- Power blocks: I create short periods during the day—the more periods the better—when I work on specific project tasks. Although some projects require a block of two hours or more, many can be adequately handled in 30 minutes or an hour. A timer pushing me to get done quickly (like a mini deadline) is just the thing to focus my attention. I bring all my attention and activity to getting a task, or more than one, completed in a short amount of time.
Last, but not least, this comes down to attitude. There are days when I am content to surf the Net, call my mother, and click back and forth between my email and social media accounts while “trying” to write or work on a project. (At the end of the day I’m usually not so content anymore because I’ve fallen behind.) My attitude on those days isn’t that of a high performer.
On other days, I am unwilling to leave my desk for any reason until I finish the priority items on my to-do list. And that could mean that I don’t go exercise or I go to bed at 2 a.m. I’m committed to getting the job done—no matter what. That attitude, which I maintain on most days, helps me produce an enormous amount of work. That’s the attitude of a high performer and producer.
Are you producing the amount of work you would like? What tools do you use to help increase your productivity?
Copyright: archerix / 123RF Stock Photo
