Ask Erin | Productivity 101

by ERIN SHARPLIN LOVE
erinlove@panachebyerin.com

With each passing minute, hour, day and month, it seems like it is getting harder and harder to focus on priorities and get things done.  There are a million things that pull us in all directions – texts, emails, social media notifications, kids, work, pets, and the list goes on and on.   As a mom, wife, and entrepreneur, I crave routine, consistency, and organization.  But, I am human and things just kept getting in the way of completing daily and weekly tasks.  With that in mind, I needed to take a step back and refresh myself on Productivity 101.  Here is what I learned:  

1. Making a formal “to do” list is a must!   Don’t rely on your brain to remember everything that needs to be done. Get every plan on paper as soon as you can.  I have gotten back into the habit of reserving Sunday for planning time.  I sit down with my “Project List” and make a weekly to-do list of what I need to  accomplish during the following week.  I include every aspect of my life – kids sports, school, home life, personal time, work projects and tasks, menu planning, cleaning, etc.  I go down this list and write down anything and everything that needs to be done.  Then I prioritize by importance.  

2. Eat the frog!  If you are unfamiliar with this term, it simply means that you should do the thing that is hardest or that you are dreading the most, first.   The longer you put something off, the harder it gets to do it; so don’t wait!! It should go directly at the top of your list.

3. Identify the times you do your best work. For instance, I am not a morning person or a midnigh person either. In other words, I do not want to get up earlier than truly necessary (5:15 on school mornings and 6:30 on regular mornings), nor do I enjoy staying up all hours of the night.   My most productive times are typically between the hours of 8:00am and 2:00pm.  I make sure to divide my schedule accordingly and still have short bursts of evening productvity as well.  

4. Schedule everything!  If you want to make sure something gets done, schedule it. Want to have time to read during the day but never quite get it done?  Decide on the best time and mark it on the calendar as if it were an appointment and then honor it.   Just because it isn’t an actual job or business meeting, that doesn’t make it less important.  

5. Batch similar tasks. Schedule a block of time for making phone calls or sending emails, for instance. It is much simpler and time-effective not to space them out.  When running to the grocery store, take care of any other errands at the same time.  

6. Where and how do you work the best?  Do you need complete silence?  Find a spot at home or at the office that is conducive to silence.  You may even benefit from muting your phone and notifications while you are “Eating That Frog!”  Or, do you enjoy a bit of background noise?  Find a cozy spot in a coffeehouse or at the front of your office building.  You could also turn on a bit of music if you are at home or in an office by yourself.  

7. Set deadlines! If you get stuck in a rut during a task, move to the next one when time is up. You may need a fresh start later to regain inspiration.

8. Make sure you utilize your five-minute lulls.  There will always be a time when you are waiting for something or someone (car line, early or late for an appointment, etc.).  Make sure you have a list of small tasks that you can accomplish during this time.  For instance, I usually make my social media business posts, send quick texts, add to my shopping lists, read, or return phone calls during these lulls.  

9.  Reward yourself! Actually, getting things done will be the reward in itself, but if you accomplish a big task, you may want to reward yourself in a different way.  For instance, buy that expensive bottle of wine, go to dinner with a friend, or simply take a day off.  It is amazing what a little positive reinforcement can do!

11. Plan tomorrow today.   In other words, make your to-do list for the following day at the end of each day.  Even though you planned your week on Sunday, you still need to plan tomorrow today.  Things come up, plans change, etc. so make sure you keep up daily.   I like to keep my to-do list in a purse-sized notebook, and to make it more fun, I use different colored ink pens!

12. And finally…delegate! Delegate anything you can. If there is something on your to-do list that someone else can do, let him do it! For instance, I typically delegate a lot of errands and paper filing duties.  

I can promise you that if you follow these simple productivity rules, you will accomplish every single goal you set for yourself. It is a work-in-progress though. I have to keep myself on target and so will you.