Getting things done
I have mentioned a number of times my penchant for lists; for making plans, creating goals, and generally getting things done.
My problem has always been in the execution of said plans; while I love organising and making suggestions, I have never been hot on implementation.
Times are going to have to change – I have just got too much to do to be sat around merely thinking about acting.
It is time to move… and if you want to move you will need space.
So I am getting out of my own way, and getting on with getting things done. Why not follow these tips, so you can too?
Start Small
It is important to have grand plans and ideas; they give us purpose and move us forward.
But there is a difference between writing down your ideas and then putting them into practice.
This is where making your plans realistic and breaking them down comes into play. What I find is that sometimes I just don’t help myself; I have too many ideas and plans and overload myself with work.
Getting things done is all about focus and working smart.
The 5 steps to getting things done:
Make a list
I appreciate I come across as a bit of a list obsessive, but it is totally necessary for this step (and possibly a few more of the steps!).
Knowing what needs to be done is the obvious first task in getting things done. There is a tale about the famous business magnate Warren Buffet which illustrates the process perfectly.
counter-intuitive!
One day he asked one of his employees to list 25 things he wanted to get done in his life and to rank them in order of importance. For you, these could be anything from ‘learn to play the guitar’ to ‘pay off my student loans’.
The list you are making may not even be this all-encompassing. It may just be the things you need to get done this month or today, but the principle is the same.
In this instance, he needed to list things that he intended to do at some point in his life. The hard bit came when he was told to pick his top five. Prioritising what we want can be complicated, but it is essential for the next step.
Before you can get anything done – even if you know what you want to do – write it down.
If it will take you less than 2 minutes to do, such as ‘take the recycling out’ or ‘put the washing away’ – just do it now. Don’t even add it to the list…It’s fine, I’ll wait.
Focus
We now have our list of tasks, in order of importance.
To continue the Warren Buffet story, the employee was asked what he intended to do about the other 20 items that weren’t part of his top 5.
He said he would work on those too, but to a lesser extent than the main 5. This is when Buffet told him that what he should do was completely ignore those 20 items until the top 5 were completed.
If you have too much to do you end up doing nothing. If, however, you have a narrower focus you are more likely to get your tasks done.
This is precisely why I choose 5 things from the Kettle List each year and focus on them.
Multitasking is a myth. Pick the items on your list you will focus on, and focus ONLY on them.
Make another List
I’m sorry, I know. I have a real problem, but I will go get help while you write your next list.
You can do this one of 2 ways:
a) Select the most difficult task. Maybe you have been putting it off for a while. That is what you will do first.
In some circles, this is known as ‘eating your frog‘. This saying is variously attributed, but most famously to Mark Twain. The idea is that if you start your day by eating a frog, metaphorical or otherwise*, your day can’t possibly get any worse.
Just get that dreaded task done, and all other tasks will be easy in comparison.
b) Use a 1-2-3 formation.
Select the most important task – the ‘must be done’ task.
Then the next two which should ideally be done soon as well.
The final three, while obviously important enough to make your priority list, will have to wait. Decide how long you want to devote to the main task, and then the second two tasks. Focus your energy on the most important task and do as much as is feasible in the time you give yourself.
Do not spend all day doing one thing.
If it is an emergency essay – and I know that pain, believe me – you will sadly just have to get it done, especially if it is due tomorrow.
But for future reference, plan ahead. You know the dates by which time-sensitive tasks have to be completed. Make a note and work backwards to give yourself time to get it done.
If you don’t get to the last three tasks that day, make them the priorities for the next day. If you find you are constantly putting them off or avoiding them, question how important they really are to you.
Find a way that works for you to put the tasks you must do in a more focused order of priority.
*May I recommend that the frog actually be metaphorical – Amphibian eating should rarely need to appear on your list!
Break it down
Once you have selected the task you will focus on first, you might need to break it down into manageable ‘mini-tasks’.
Trying to complete an entire task is often daunting, but when you separate it into its component parts it becomes easier and less intimidating.
Pick your task and make a separate side list* of what you need to do to achieve it. Even if completion seems a long way off, what can you do now that will get you a step closer to getting this job done?
Maybe you wrote down “Pass my Driving Test”.
That is not a one day job.
You will need lessons, you will need practice, there are theory elements, costs and then the test itself. Before all of that, you’ll need to apply for a licence.
What if today, if you can’t go out and practice driving, you had a go on the app and learned the stopping distances?
You are still working towards your goal and doing something useful. Then set dates and times for when you intend to complete the other aspects of the task.
(* Yes. That is the third list. Have I ever mentioned how important lists are? Just get a pad or a notebook to jot all your jobs down!)
Smaller tasks are always easier, and every task can be deconstructed into more manageable mini-jobs.
Keep going
I have a terrible confession: this post took me about 2 days to write. This is because I have over 20 tabs open on my laptop as I type.
There were words to be looked up and I had to confirm who said the quotes I used above. There was even a point where I went off looking for a picture of Confucius to use in one of them.
Instead of just focusing on typing this article, I have stopped every now and then and been distracted by social media, or ideas for other posts.
These required me to open another page and write a few notes and copy a few links to other pages…
In short, I have completely ignored all of my own advice above and, in effect, proved it right. I also just had to go look up if I should use effect or affect in that previous sentence. So don’t be like me. Remain on target and focused – if you have to come back and ‘edit’ afterwards that is fine. The important thing is that you are finally getting things done.
Fight the distractions. Find a space and make room for yourself and the task you are trying to complete.
You should be your own best friend – not your worst enemy.
If you know you will be distracted, put things in place to mitigate those distractions.
Is one task, in particular, weighing on your mind? – get that task done first. Do you keep putting off a certain task and it always falls to the bottom of your to-do list, every day? Just remove it.
If you aren’t going to do it, forget about it, it can’t be that important. And If it is a ‘frog’ you have to eat – get it done and out of the way.
What if you don’t get it all done today? There is always tomorrow. Although if you are constantly leaving things to the last minute and everything becomes a priority all at once, then you are going to have to develop some time management skills.
I will have to write an article about that at some point…when I have time, obviously.
Over to you
What tasks are on your list? Have you been putting them off? Which of these tips can you use to get started?
Let us know in the comments.