We judge ourselves based on how well we perform and how organized or reliable we are throughout our lives, thereby setting high and not always realistic standards!
When everything revolves around “doing,” we put ourselves down for failing at mastering skills: “I never finish anything! Where to begin? Why am I always behind on schedule?”
This self-talk where our inner critic (this ugly judgmental voice inside us) takes over sabotages our will to even try. And we start believing that how we do (or misdo) things can never change.
Wrong!
Getting -many!– things done can be quite simple once you create the suitable systems, ones that serve the purpose of what YOU really want to achieve and above all, that are adapted to how your brain works.
Then and only then, tasks become so easy that one cannot not do them.
Check out these GTD (GET THINGS DONE) strategies to get you positively started:
Keeping the brain engaged is the surest path to gaining focus and momentum. That happens when such things stimulate your senses as using colors to prioritize or classify items and when you break big tasks into “small and doable” actions that represent milestones for your growing progress. Nothing is more satisfying than completing something, as it floods your brain with happy hormones, making it want more.
Avoiding boredom is also a smart way to boost motivation: Do different things in different places, shuffle your schedule, and allow for restorative breaks and small rewards after reaching objectives. While your brain associates efforts with positive outcomes, your willpower will be significantly reinforced.
Start your day by completing a small task (new or from the previous day) because getting closure on one thing makes the rest of your day meaningful. You can also choose to get started on something that worries you to avoid this internal distraction that will likely to drain your capacity to get things done.
Effective systems are not complicated to put in place but can be tricky to maintain. Therefore, set some ground rules from the get-go and stick to it for three months while including some minor tweaks based on what consistently works best for you:
- Commit to handling any task once only by following the “4 Ds logic” and save yourself precious time. Choose between:
- Do it NOW.
- Defer it by scheduling it for a specific date
- Delegate it to someone
- Delete it IMMEDIATELY
- If interrupted, hold on to a physical artifact to remind you what you were doing. This allows you to smoothly and quickly transition back to what you were doing.
- TO-DO LISTS are powerful organizational tools because they free your brain from the effort of remembering things. To make your lists impactful:
- Items should be listed as actions: buy milk, email Diana, meet parents…
- Write daily lists and transfer what was not accomplished to another day. However, jotting too many tasks or deferring the same ones over and over should make you question their real relevance ( Keep or Delete?).
- Apply the “1-3-5 rule”: Jot down ONE big goal (with deadlines, important outcomes, or consequences…), THREE medium goals, and FIVE small goals for every day.
Amidst all these functional strategies and measurable outcomes, you can also choose to include actions that support your emotional needs and overall well-being.
How about a recurrent “have fun” reminder or a list of your biggest dreams?
