Author: Carol Williams

“I know what I need to do; I Just Need More Discipline”

Right?

NO.

Raise your hand if you love discipline (crickets).

Nobody likes discipline. OK maybe control-hungry, authoritarian micromanagers. Otherwise, what do we want? We want to feel like we matter. Our opinions matter. Our work matters. We are valued.

So do stuff that matters. How is it that, even then, it’s not so easy? Great question.

The Time Dilemma- here’s what’s really happnin’: THE FARSE REVEALED

We often think we can achieve more in one day than is realistic (I see you hiding), and by contrast, we CAN achieve more in one week than we realize.

Oooooohhh….(nodding of head)…..Wait, what?

Knowing this reality…. you can plan and manage yourself (aka your “time”) around it.

The obvious, yet not done: Understanding how long things are going to take

Do you know roughly how long the tasks on your to-do list are going to take? No, nobody really does. I hate to-do lists but that’s another rant for another day.

So here is what you do, right? “I will do these 10 things before my 10 am appointment.” And then you start. You open your computer. You find there are messages. You of course, answer them. If you are really lucky, you realize that 20 to 30 minutes have just passed and you now only have 30 min left before your call. But most likely, that 10am app’t comes around and you may not have even peeked at the list.

Right?

So first, you have to find a way to not look at the messages. I know. How can this happen? How? Hmmmmm, how? Maybe shut off your wireless? Maybe shut down your email tab? Maybe draft something in a word doc first? You are going to have to come up with your own ideas here AND you know what your cryptonite is, so…..your choice, superman…

Next, never leave LIFE without a timer. How did we ever survive without timers? Right now as I write this I set my timer for 20 min so I could stay on task and finish this edit. Really? Yes, really. My life is seriously dictated by timers and it’s the only way I could get anything accomplished or show up to my apt’s on time.

We’ve looked at using a timer before in order to create focus and regular rests, but you can use a timer to measure how long those repetitive regular tasks take as well.

What to do when you run out of time

If you run out of time, you have a couple of options. You can add the tasks to-do elsewhere in your week or you can try to cram them into the same day – and I wouldn’t recommend the latter.

If you have a task list which incorporates the estimated time things will take, you’re in a much better position to allow for adjusting your plan where necessary. Rejigging your week is likely to be something you’re up against regularly, so the focus on scheduling has to allow for these moments.

Feeling overwhelmed often comes from having too much on our daily to-do list, so don’t make this mistake.

How to get back on track with your system

If, however, you have become snowed under and you’re facing overwhelm, you may be tempted to bury your head in the sand. Don’t beat yourself up! We all go through times like this and we must be kind to ourselves. Beating yourself up will just exacerbate the situation and you’ll find it harder to restart.

Reset and re-center. Go for a walk, do something fun, meditate, whatever you need to do in order to rest and re-center yourself.

Then take a look at your current plan. Identify what went ‘wrong’. Try to figure out where and when things took a turn and you felt unable to continue. Identifying these moments means we can take them into account and not repeat them in future.

Routine sets you free

Now, this may sound like a contradiction in terms, but believe me when I tell you, you will be liberated by routine!

I’m not telling you to schedule exact times each day for tasks, although many people find this useful. I’m saying routine itself is a Godsend. How you begin your day, for example, will set your course and mindset for the rest of the day. This might be listening to your favorite podcast or it may be doing some morning yoga, whatever gets you in a good place.

Knowing what you’re doing and in what order each day means you don’t have to think about it. It becomes a natural habit and it’s less for you to plan as it’s already a factor of each day (like brushing your teeth).

Key: Do the same things in the same order each morning. Make the Things no more than 3. For example, 1. Get up 2. Make coffee 3. meditate

Remind yourself of your purpose

When we work in alignment with our sense of purpose, we naturally WANT to do the things we need to do. Continually remind yourself of your purpose and make sure you’re following the right path. Remind yourself WHY you’re doing what you’re doing and how it will feel once you get there. Doing what you must do, with purpose, gives us a sense of calm and clarity and motivates us to get things done.

Make it fun to get it done

What could you do to make the things you have to do more fun? Rewards are always a good idea, sitting back and focusing on the fact you’ve just checked something off your list is an ideal way to keep you motivated. Reward yourself with something that nourishes you.

Another great idea is to use creative methods. For example, if you’re planning or mind-mapping, use colored pens, stickers, drawings, whatever makes it visually appealing and fun to create. If you would rather do your mind map electronically, here is a tool some of my clients like: https://drive.mindmup.com/

Now…how about YOU? How could you make your day to day tasks more fun? Hit reply/leave a comment!

We all want success, of course we do, it’s natural to want to create this for ourselves and those around us. But how do we keep on track? How do we make sure the path ahead is clear and we continue to make progress on our journey?

Everyone will have their own unique method to stay on course but there are some questions you will need to ask yourself frequently, in order to stay on track.

So, here they are. The 3 Critical Questions you need to frequently ask yourself:

I. Am I doing the right things in the right order?

This is really a question of two halves. Am I doing the RIGHT things? And am I doing them in the RIGHT order?

To figure out whether you’re doing the right things, you need to look at the action, then look at the outcome. I’ve talked about this in my blog post How to stop worrying and start doing…

“You need to look back at what you have achieved and acknowledge your progress. If you keep note of what you’re achieving each day, you’ll also be able to analyze what the most productive actions were, meaning you have a better picture of where to focus your efforts the following day.”

So, the first step is to make sure you’re doing the RIGHT things that pave the way to achievement.

To figure out whether you’re doing them in the right order, you need to look at your attention to detail, your energy levels, and how efficient your progress is in relation to your to-do list.

Hopefully, your to-do list will already be broken down into manageable sub-tasks. The trick is to then prioritize these tasks into how simple they are AND how much impact they will have.

“…the 80/20 rule asserts that 80% of your result will be dictated by 20% of your input. And so, identifying the 20% of tasks that will lead to the greatest achievements helps you sustain focus and prioritize what’s most valuable in terms of your goal (and therefore the most productive use of your time).” Read More Here

You’ll want to get that one thing you keep putting off done first. Eat that frog, as they say. Get it out of the way and you’ll feel much more energized and ready to tackle the other stuff.

If you’re finding your attention to detail is waning, this is often due to context switching. Make sure you batch tasks of a similar nature together, so you can maintain focus and not get distracted by the next thing on your list.

Finally, work WITH your energy levels. If you’re feeling especially productive and motivated, use that energy to check a few more things off your list. It’ll put you one step ahead of yourself and allow the opportunity to do less when your energy levels dictate it.

II. Do I know what my overall goal is?

According to Stoic philosopher Seneca, “There is no favorable wind for the sailor who doesn’t know where to go.”

If you don’t know where you’re going, how do you know which steps you must take to get there? Clarity is absolutely KEY. Once you have that clarity, you’ll gain focus and you’ll know which tasks will propel you forward on your journey. You’ll also feel much more motivated to take action.

Quite often, we feel stuck and overwhelmed when our goal is unclear, so it’s an absolute must for you to identify your goal clearly and be certain about WHY you wish to achieve it.

III. Am I having fun?

What’s the point if you’re not enjoying what you do while doing what you love? Of course, there are always tasks we don’t want to do, loitering in the background, sucking up our energy and making us feel anxious. As I’ve said before, get these out of the way as soon as you can, then you can focus on doing the tasks you enjoy that bring you further towards your goal.

Alignment with your values and principles is also necessary. If you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, ask yourself why. Is it because it doesn’t feel right? Is something not quite sitting well with you? If that’s the case, it may not be the tasks that need adapting, it may be the goal you’ve set for yourself so it’s worth analyzing this aspect to make sure you’re headed in the right direction.

In my next blog we’re going to be tackling the importance of time management as well as how to create fun and follow your purpose – so be sure to look out for it!

For those of us who struggle with procrastination, learning how to stop worrying, and start doing seems like the holy grail.

Most of us have busy lives, whether that’s running a business or running a home – or often both! There are usually things that we naturally tackle, like getting the kids ready for school for example, or checking our emails, but sometimes the other tasks we know we have to do just pile up and become like a mountain we must climb.

When you have so much to do but don’t know where to begin, say hello to overwhelm.

Overwhelm is much like fear and both have a peculiar effect in that they can paralyze us completely. When you have business work and/or ‘life admin’ to combat, it can all just seem too much and this stress, overwhelm, and fear will trigger your brain into fight, flight, or freeze mode.

When fight mode is triggered, you may become a productivity machine and find you’re able to naturally tackle tasks with zest and efficiency. Your brain is fighting to keep you alive in this instance and you get a rush of the hormones and chemicals that gear you up to face things head on.

When flight mode is triggered, your brain and body are attempting to flee a perceived threat. You may even physically feel the fear, overwhelm, and stress through tightness of the chest or a faster heartbeat, for example. This can often manifest as seeking distraction, avoiding the ‘problem’, trying to escape.

And then we have freeze mode. Your mind will be completely overwhelmed, and you become indecisive, inactive, and on shut down. You might catch yourself staring off into space or repeating the same phrase over and over in your mind. 

If that sounds familiar, you’re really not alone. There has been a vast amount of studies done on this subject and the results show that this biological response can have real negative impacts on our mental and physical health.  

So, what do we do?

We find ways to adjust our behaviors and habits so that we can best manage our responsibilities without having to face the fear and overwhelm.

Snack size tasks

I always recommend breaking tasks down into smaller tasks. Divide, and divide again. Try to break the tasks down into such small sub-tasks that they appear ridiculously simple to achieve. Then check them off the list as you go. This action of checking things off your list will release some happy hormones and you will feel a sense of achievement knowing that you’re on the right track.

Tracking

And talking of tracks, tracking your progress can be really useful. You need to look back at what you have achieved and acknowledge your progress. If you keep note of what you’re achieving each day, you’ll also be able to analyze what the most productive actions were, meaning you have a better picture of where to focus your efforts the following day.

Talking

Something that can be hugely beneficial is talking it out. Vent. Whether it be with a friend or coach, just discussing the feelings you’re experiencing and releasing some of that pent-up frustration will have a positive impact. Often, just having the conversation will allow you to gain clarity and help you to feel more motivated and stronger and ready to face whatever it is that’s causing the stress.

In my next blog we’ll be looking at HOW to start when you don’t know WHERE to start. I’ll continue on the theme of overwhelm and we’ll cover more techniques on how to handle the heat without having to get out of the kitchen.