Have you ever felt stuck or overwhelmed with just too much to do staring back at you from either your to do list or the piles of files loitering on your desk?
Here’s the good news – in that moment of anxiety you simply forgot time exists so you don’t have to do it all at once. You can’t do it all at once. Nobody can. What’s happening is your attention is hovering, out of focus, over all of what is not getting done. You possess no clear sense of what is the best use of your time and attention in the current moment. You simply are not available to knowing what is the next best action with which you must engage. So what happens? You drift sideways to doing something that brings you back to a sense of feeling in control. Typically, it’s not anything that is productive; rather it’s an avoidance behavior of some kind that only serves to suck your precious time away from functioning effectively.
Let’s explore how to get back in control and back on the productivity track.
Prioritize and visualize in order to organize and energize.
Prioritize – At the beginning of each day crack open a six pack. Review item by item what is on your list. Identify your six most important items that MUST get done by the end of the day. Pack these into your calendar where they will fit accordingly to get completed.
Visualize – Take a moment and imagine the successful completion of each of the items from your six pack one at a time. In this process you will become more clear of what resources are needed to complete each task. It’s thereby easier to arrange the alignment of resources needed by going through this process. Imagining the successful completion also shifts your attitude to one of more wherewithal.
Organize – You can’t manage time. However, you can manage yourself in relation to time. This is done by taking inventory of your skill, will and capacity as it relates to the completion of the task. This allows you to become aware of what you need to pull together to get the job done. Other people, tools and resources that may be needed to help you get the job done become more evident.
Energize – By prioritizing, visualizing and organizing you are sure to have a renewed energy and enthusiasm for tackling what now feels like more manageable tasks. It is with this re-purposed energy that you will find the ease and grace to Optimize your potential and progress.
Make it up, make it fun, and make it happen!