I’d do the “OMG – I can’t believe we are halfway through the year” thing… but I know you’ve heard it a million and times already.
To be fair though… I was thinking it. Seriously, wtf… I’m not even sure where my days go at the moment.
I’ve been trying to settle into this “new normal” of working and having baby Gus around all day, every day (not that I think there is ever a normal). Some days go great, others not so much.
So below is a wrap up of what worked for Q2, which strategies you can use, and what comes next.
What worked:
– Smaller to do lists
Personally, I find this one really hard. I’m a shocker for creating a list a mile long each day, when in reality there is no way it would all fit into one day, even without a baby.
So, this quarter, I’ve been focusing on writing smaller lists. I try to aim for just 4 specific goals a week, one for each day leaving Friday to catch up. Sure, there are a heap of other little jobs that get added in too, but these 4 tasks are my main aim for the week.
This helps me feel more focused, less overwhelmed, and helps me make progress in the right direction.
– Breaking tasks down
Rather than just writing “update website” on my to do list, and then staring blankly at it each day, I’ve taken to breaking these big tasks down into smaller steps.
This way, I can allocate small steps to my to do list each day, and chip away at a bigger project, chunk by chunk.
This process helps me make progress towards goals I wouldn’t have time for otherwise.
– Having accountability and a group to rely on
I’ll be honest, if I don’t have tight deadlines I find it very easy to put tasks off. VERY easy.
So I needed to get accountable.
Rather than always chasing the next shiny thing, or quick fix, I’ve focused on making the most of my existing mastermind groups and support circles.
The truth is, we often have so many opportunities available to us, that we don’t commit to one and make it work. We’re too busy joining the next group, rather than really supporting the ones we are already in.
What didn’t work:
– The days when I thought I could do it all still
I could see the difference between the days when I had a long, rambling to do list, and the days when I had a shorter, focused list of tasks. I didn’t get through anywhere near as much, and I spent the whole day feeling flustered when I didn’t cull my list.
I could also see the difference on the days where I just wrote “work on writing content”, rather than breaking that down into small, specific outcomes for the day. I didn’t get through anywhere near as much. It took me much longer to get started (if at all) and I often felt overwhelmed by the size of the job in front of me.
– The times when I thought I could do it all alone.
There were still days where I tried to tackle a huge to do list, plus look after the baby, plus wrangle the kids… etc. The moral of the story is that it always left me with a short fuse, feeling frustrated and like I wasn’t getting anywhere.
I’d forget to ask for help.
There are lots of people around me to support me, but I have to remember to reach out and ask… I don’t have to shoulder all of the workload alone. (This is a HUGE one for me. It’s taken me a long time to begin to learn this, and I’m still not great at it)
What can you learn from this?
– Break tasks down
It’s very easy for big projects to feel too big. As a result they sit on to do lists for months on end.
You know the thing… it’s the one you keep putting off, the thing that you think you really should do, but haven’t yet.
Break it down into little steps. Try and make these steps as small as possible. Ideally you would be able to do them in one sitting, however long that is for you. For me, it is rare that I get more than about 20 min at a time without being interrupted by something, so little steps should be no more than 20 min where possible. This works especially well if building an online course is currently on your to do list.
– Find support
Find your peeps and use their support. You don’t have to do this alone. You can join a paid program like the Academy… join a free support group like #RealLifeBiz… or even find a private mastermind group.
The key is to find something and commit to it.
– Get accountable
Tell people what you will have finished and by when.
Tell your support group.
Tell your list
Tell your page
Tell your friends and family.
Get accountable.
Want more accountability? Join the next Get it Done program.
What comes next?
I’m transitioning to another “new normal” for the next quarter.
My daughter is moving in with me (she’s been living with her Dad for the past 5 years).
The upside of this is I won’t have to drive 200km every Tuesday and Thursday to go and see the kids (long story!)
The down side is that I now get to deal with the school run and homework dramas every day, rather than every other day.
From a work perspective, I’m going to be trialing a new process of clearer 90 day goals, and really focus on progress rather than perfection.
I’ll keep you in the loop at the end of the quarter, to let you know how it all goes.