Getting Stuff Done – TPW279

What gets in the way of getting stuff done, and how can we overcome those obstacles?

Overcoming obstacles to getting stuff done

We all have stuff to do – things we need to do, things we want to do. But a lot of us feel like we’re always behind. Sometimes our to-do list becomes an accuser or a sign of failure. I don’t think it has to be that way, but what can we do about it? How do we decide what needs to be done and overcome the obstacles to getting it done?

How do we decide what to do?

• Make a list of all the things you’re doing or need or want to be doing
• What’s MOST important to you?
  • WORK: What are your key responsibilities, the key tasks you’re getting paid for
  • PERSONAL: What is most important to you? (This might change depending on the stage of life you’re in.)
• Identify what’s getting in the way of you taking action on those most important things.
• What can you change to make sure your best time, energy, and attention are devoted to the things that matter most? Examples:
  • Say no more often
  • Learn to let go – Get others involved (family, co-workers, etc.)
  • Do you have the resources available to hire help?

Obstacles

• Overwhelm – You have too much to do or you have projects that are too big so you don’t know where to start.
• Fatigue – You just don’t have the physical or mental energy it takes to do what needs to be done.
• Lack of confidence– You’re simply not confident in your ability to do what you need or want to do.
• Disorganization
  • No place to capture those to-dos, so you’re not really sure what needs to be done
  • Rather than taking purposeful, efficient action, you’re reacting to whatever’s making the most noise
  • Disorganized space makes everything take longer because you can’t find the supplies you need your you have to work around clutter.
• Unrealistic expectations
  • About what we need to or “should” do
  • About what we are or “should be” capable of doing – taking on things we need not do, that other people could do
  • About how long it will take (how much we can do in a set period of time)
• Lack of preparation – Not getting the information or resources we need
• Interference (whether internal distractions  or interruptions from other people)

How do we overcome the obstacles?

• Overwhelm
  • Triage – learn to identify the tasks that are most important and need to be done by you, and delete/delegate the others. The clearer you are on your key values and priorities, the easier it is to weed out those projects and tasks that don’t reflect those values.
  • Listen to TPW Episode 175 on Delegation
  • Break the big things down into small components

“There are four types of tasks: unnecessary work, distracting work, necessary work, and purposeful work. With a finite number of things we can focus on, he urges us to choose “purposeful work” that’s both productive and attractive. Purposeful work involves activities that are simultaneously engaging and impactful. . . .

~ Chris Bailey, author of The Productivity Project and Hyperfocus, quoted in
A Masterclass in Getting Stuff Done, Straight from the Experts

• Fatigue
  • Set boundaries – Learn to say no to others and to your own impulses to do too much
  • Self-care – Develop better habits that contribute to having enough energy to do what you need and want to do
    • Get adequate nutrition and water
    • Go to bed at a decent hour rather than staying up late

• Lack of confidence
  • Trust yourself
  • Learn what you need to know – books, YouTube videos, other people you know who know how to do what you want to do

• Disorganization
  • Declutter and organize your space – less time and energy lost to working around clutter or searching for materials you need
  • Use techniques to organize your work
    • Write down every task
    • Identify similar tasks
    • Batch where you can

• Unrealistic Expectations
  • Get clear and honest about how long it takes you to do certain key tasks: time yourself, keep a log of how long you spend doing those tasks
  • Use that information to plan what you’re going to do and when
  • Look for ways to reduce time spent on routine tasks: Declutter, organize, and develop routines to become more efficient.
  • Set time boundaries:

“It takes me 30 minutes to clean the bathroom” vs “I’ll spend 15 minutes cleaning the bathroom.”

Set a timer and work steadily and quickly during that time. When the timer goes off, move on to the next thing.

• • Stop “shoulding” and give yourself grace. You don’t have to be a superwoman. Nobody is.

• Lack of Preparation
  • Plan ahead – It’s that simple. Not necessarily easy, but simple! If there are projects you’ve been putting off, sit down and make a list of everything you feel you need to get started: equipment, information, advice, help… whatever it is you need. Then assemble the tools and materials, round up the help, meet your mentor for lunch and get her advice.
  • Laura Vanderkam, author of Off the Clock and 168 Hours and past guest on TPW 217, encourages us to “think through your weeks before you are in them” and notes that Friday afternoons are good for this (from A Masterclass in Getting Stuff Done, Straight from the Experts).
  • If you can do it Friday afternoon, that can leave time on the weekend to gather your materials, etc., but Sunday afternoons can also be a good time to take a look at the coming week and get your plan in place
  • Set yourself a time limit for this preparation – a deadline by which you’re going to start. Don’t let planning be a procrastination tactic!

• Interference
  • Figure out where the interference is coming from: random interruptions, vs. specific people repeatedly
    • If it’s the latter, have a conversation with them about what you’re trying to accomplish and how their needs can be met while still giving you the time you need to get stuff done
  • Identify time periods when you can work without interruption, allocate those times to key projects or tasks, and protect those times
  • Instead of letting ourselves get derailed by frustration over interruptions, focus on what we can control, and do what we can do with that.
  • Look at past episodes where we’ve talked about things like how to stay focused (TPW194), Dealing with Distraction (TPW243), and workplace productivity (TPW258)

What do you think?

What do you do when you feel like you can’t keep up with your to-do list in general, or when there are specific tasks that keep getting put off? Please share them in the comments section below this post or in The Productive Woman Community Facebook group, or send me an email.

Resources

Previous TPW Episodes

• TPW Episode 175 on Delegation
• TPW Episode 194 – 10 Ways to Stay Focused
• TPW Episode 217 – Being Intentional with Time, with Laura Vanderkam
• TPW Episode 243 – Dealing with Distraction
• TPW Episode 258 – Workplace Productivity

Articles 

• A Masterclass in Getting Stuff Done, Straight from the Experts

Announcements & Reminders

Thank you to our sponsors Freshbooks & Metpro for helping me bring content to you at no charge.

• Let FreshBooks help you manage the never-ending accounting paperwork so you don’t waste any more time. To claim your 30-day unrestricted free trial, just go to FreshBooks.com/WOMAN and enter THE PRODUCTIVE WOMAN in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.
• If one of your goals for this year is to get healthier, MetPro’s personal concierge coaching program might help. Visit Metpro.co/TPW to get a complimentary Metabolic Profiling assessment and consultation. Learn about your metabolism and receive personalized advice from a Metabolic Expert.

I would love to have your help!

• Subscribe, rate, and review The Productive Woman in Apple Podcasts or subscribe in Stitcher.
• Join the conversation at The Productive Woman on Facebook.
• Your feedback matters to me. Please share your comments, questions, or suggestions.

I Was Just Thinking . . .
Legal Blog: Real Estate Law Blog
Follow @LauraMcMom
Contact me