Tips & Talk 41 – It’s About Time!
How is it that some people get so much accomplished and others struggle to do one simple project? Obviously, there can be extenuating circumstances – like interruptions, emergencies or simply the lack of interest or desire to do whatever project you’re laboring over. But that doesn’t erase the fact that it needs to get done.
It just so happens that one of my super powers is productivity. I know it’s one of my strengths, for real, because I’m classified as a “Follow-Through” on the Kolbe Personality Profile.
Since I get asked a lot about how I accomplish so much, it might be helpful to share my secret strategy with you. It’s not supposed to be secret, in fact I’ve talked about it before in a couple of my longer podcast episodes. But it can easily get buried as a minor point within a bigger conversation.
So today I thought I’d bring it front and center and specifically highlight what I believe to be my single most valuable method of managing through my days to get as much done as possible – even the things I don’t particularly enjoy.
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Transcript
Hi there.
Speaker:It's Sue.
Speaker:And thanks for joining me for tips and talk day.
Speaker:These are bite-sized topics that I pull from community questions and
Speaker:things that I'm observing in the world of handmade small business.
Speaker:If you'd like to submit a topic,
Speaker:DME over on Instagram at gift biz,
Speaker:unwrapped time is a funny thing.
Speaker:Sometimes it passes quickly and other times it drags on and
Speaker:on. I meet with a special group of girlfriends on Friday
Speaker:nights. Sometimes we go to one of our homes and other
Speaker:times we go out to a restaurant.
Speaker:Each get together is slightly different,
Speaker:but there have been times,
Speaker:particularly in my friend Debbie's backyard where one minute it's 10
Speaker:30. And I swear a second later,
Speaker:it's two in the morning,
Speaker:where did all that time go?
Speaker:Then there are other times when I'm anxiously awaiting a test
Speaker:result or anticipating a delayed flight arrival,
Speaker:that's bringing home one of my children.
Speaker:And in those times,
Speaker:minutes pass like hours and it seems to take forever.
Speaker:How can that be?
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:every minute is really the same amount of time,
Speaker:right? And here's another super aggravating thing.
Speaker:How is it that some people get so much accomplished and
Speaker:others struggle to do one simple project?
Speaker:Obviously there can be extenuating circumstances like interruptions and emergencies,
Speaker:or simply the lack of interest or desire to do whatever
Speaker:the project is that you're laboring over,
Speaker:but that doesn't erase the fact that it still needs to
Speaker:get done.
Speaker:This happens to me all the time,
Speaker:even though one of my superpowers is productivity.
Speaker:I know it's one of my strengths for real,
Speaker:because I'm classified as a follow-through on the Colby personality profile.
Speaker:And people recognize this in me too,
Speaker:because I get asked a lot how I accomplished so much.
Speaker:Now the truth is,
Speaker:as my business has grown,
Speaker:of course,
Speaker:I'm not doing everything myself anymore.
Speaker:I have an amazing team that helps me out.
Speaker:Perhaps that's a topic for another tips and talk episode now
Speaker:that I think of it.
Speaker:But even when it was just me,
Speaker:I got a lot done.
Speaker:So I thought it might be helpful to share with you
Speaker:my secret strategy.
Speaker:It's not supposed to be secret.
Speaker:In fact,
Speaker:I've talked about it before in a couple of my longer
Speaker:podcast episodes,
Speaker:but it can easily get buried as a minor point within
Speaker:a bigger conversation.
Speaker:So today I thought I'd bring it front and center and
Speaker:specifically highlight what I believe to be my single most valuable
Speaker:method of managing through my days to get as much done
Speaker:as possible.
Speaker:Even the things I don't particularly enjoy,
Speaker:because here's the thing it's so easy to stray off.
Speaker:Course. Let me give you an example.
Speaker:Let's say you're writing a newsletter and you're struggling with that
Speaker:next sentence.
Speaker:So as you try and figure it out your mind wanders,
Speaker:then you decide to take a break and go and get
Speaker:another cup of coffee.
Speaker:When you get back to your desk,
Speaker:it's probably time to check those emails.
Speaker:What you're doing here is avoiding a painful activity and rationalizing,
Speaker:putting it off by replacing the hard task with other things
Speaker:that you're more comfortable doing,
Speaker:then an order comes in.
Speaker:And of course,
Speaker:you're going to fill that afterwards.
Speaker:You look at your bookshelf and decide it needs straightening.
Speaker:Now, time for lunch.
Speaker:After that yummy tuna sandwich,
Speaker:you have a few calls to make and on and on.
Speaker:Eventually it gets to the end of the day.
Speaker:And that newsletter gets bumped to tomorrow,
Speaker:too many days like this.
Speaker:And the newsletter is completely forgotten,
Speaker:substitute in whatever project you'd like,
Speaker:but I bet you can admit you've done this too.
Speaker:We all do.
Speaker:I catch myself trying to do it every day,
Speaker:but just because it's a natural human tendency,
Speaker:doesn't help get the work done.
Speaker:So here's the,
Speaker:what's not supposed to be a secret secret tip.
Speaker:The first thing I do before I start each day is
Speaker:to decide the top three things I need to get done
Speaker:that day.
Speaker:They can't be just anything they need to be forward moving
Speaker:projects. In other words,
Speaker:they're significant enough to bring me a step ahead with whatever
Speaker:overall goal I'm working on.
Speaker:To give you an example.
Speaker:If I'm trying to attract new customers projects like recording a
Speaker:podcast, posting on social media or having a strategy call with
Speaker:my business coach would be projects appropriate for that list.
Speaker:What's not on the list.
Speaker:Redesigning previously finished graphics because just maybe I'll be able to
Speaker:find something I like a little better or adding new products
Speaker:to my new gift biz on wrapped Mertz shops.
Speaker:So that there'll be more selection that just went up by
Speaker:the way,
Speaker:you can see it at gift biz,
Speaker:unwrapped.com forward slash shop.
Speaker:Oh, the thing's not on the important task list are watering
Speaker:the plants,
Speaker:buying new candles for my home office or reading through all
Speaker:my less important emails.
Speaker:These things can still be done,
Speaker:but they can also be put off for another day and
Speaker:it will be fine.
Speaker:However, if I delay the other important projects,
Speaker:my top three list qualifying projects,
Speaker:my business stays stagnant.
Speaker:You see what I mean?
Speaker:So once I have the three most important things,
Speaker:oh, and I should say here that they don't always have
Speaker:to be business either.
Speaker:Like maybe there's a day when you need to schedule your
Speaker:annual physical or something like that.
Speaker:But for simplicity,
Speaker:let me just stick with business things here.
Speaker:So once you have the three things,
Speaker:the trick is to stay conscious of what you're doing and
Speaker:attuned to whether you're staying on task and not allow yourself
Speaker:to get distracted.
Speaker:When it gets hard,
Speaker:I try to get my daily three done as early in
Speaker:the day as possible.
Speaker:Then I can move on with easier and more fun projects.
Speaker:My brain is best in the morning.
Speaker:You may be a night person.
Speaker:So your best time for focusing could be totally different.
Speaker:When I find myself going off track,
Speaker:I catch it.
Speaker:And I shift back to the project at hand.
Speaker:Sometimes I'll set a milestone for myself,
Speaker:like I'll say,
Speaker:okay, Sue,
Speaker:stay on this one thing until you figured it out.
Speaker:Or until you've gotten two more pages written or something like
Speaker:that. And then Sue,
Speaker:you can go take a break or I'll dedicate 30 minutes
Speaker:of uninterrupted time to getting something done.
Speaker:Meaning no breaks,
Speaker:no distractions,
Speaker:single focus.
Speaker:And guess what?
Speaker:By being strict with myself and setting limits,
Speaker:miraculously projects get completed.
Speaker:It's such a relief to get past those barriers.
Speaker:I feel accomplished and I can reward myself by moving on
Speaker:to things that require less effort and are more fun for
Speaker:me and my business advances at the same time,
Speaker:hearing the strategy probably sounds really easy,
Speaker:but in reality,
Speaker:it's hard.
Speaker:Try it.
Speaker:You'll see that staying on task when it's something new or
Speaker:uncomfortable or simply something you've been putting off is difficult.
Speaker:But by applying the method I just described,
Speaker:you can get it done and then guess what?
Speaker:It's not hovering over you anymore.
Speaker:It is off your desk.
Speaker:Completed book closed.
Speaker:Remember the feeling of finally handing in a term paper that
Speaker:deep sigh of relief that it's over.
Speaker:You can experience that weekly when you follow this productivity method,
Speaker:because this has worked so well for me,
Speaker:I decided to name and document how I do this.
Speaker:It's called the power of purpose,
Speaker:and I also turned it into a physical tool.
Speaker:If you'd like to dive deeper into my process,
Speaker:there's a video describing that you can watch for free at
Speaker:gift biz,
Speaker:unwrapped.com forward slash inspired.
Speaker:And the tool I'm referencing is the inspired daily planner would,
Speaker:you can read more about on that same link gift biz
Speaker:on wrapped.com
Speaker:forward slash inspired through the end of the year.
Speaker:There's also a special on the planner.
Speaker:Get 40% off when you enter the code sale.
Speaker:When placing an order,
Speaker:whether you're interested in checking out the video or the planner,
Speaker:I encourage you to try this technique,
Speaker:defining the most important three things that you should do each
Speaker:day, not want to do,
Speaker:but should do.
Speaker:And then self checking regularly that you're staying on task and
Speaker:getting them done.
Speaker:This will release you from the guilt of not completing those
Speaker:difficult projects.
Speaker:You'll have a sense of accomplishment and pride and to see
Speaker:real results because you're getting done the right work,
Speaker:go for it,
Speaker:accomplished great things and know I'm here supporting you all the
Speaker:way. Okay?
Speaker:Now that this is recorded,
Speaker:I can go grab myself some coffee,
Speaker:see how this works.
Speaker:That's a wrap.
Speaker:I'm a get to the point kind of girl.
Speaker:And this is what you can expect from these quick midweek
Speaker:sessions. Now it's your turn go out and fulfill that dream
Speaker:of yours.
Speaker:Share your handmade products with us.