How many to-do lists do you have?
How much on those lists remains undone?
What do you do with the tasks that remain undone; make another list?
...and so the cycle continues
For some of us, this cycle is daunting and exhausting! I remember at times when I’d scream mentally ”Please make it STOP”. Overcoming this challenge takes creativity and variety. Constructing an effective toolbox is key to consistency and productivity!
Make a Plan
We could use the famous cliche here, “fail to plan and you plan to fail”. As routine as this catch-phrase is, we can’t dismiss the accuracy of this simple truth. We easily miss opportunities to achieve outcomes because we don’t take the time to identify what our priorities are moment to moment. Some people get lost in the details while determining what method to use to plan their day. Do you use journals or planners? Are your preferred platforms digital or physical? Should you use strategies like time-chunking or color-coding? Although these questions are instrumental, laboring indefinitely over questions like these can add to stalling the process. Sometimes simple is best.
Identify Mini Tasks and An Accountability Partner
Making a plan can start as simple as identifying three tasks that can be accomplished immediately or that are high priority for the day. An example of minor morning tasks could be: #1 - washing the breakfast dishes; #2 - taking out the trash, and #3 - clearing off the dining room table. Examples of tasks that are priority for the specific day could be: #1 - laying out school clothes; #2 - packing a lunch, and #3 - setting the alarm clock. This would be a priority for the day if we base it on the fact that tomorrow is the first day of school. Starting the day by taking the time to identify three small tasks, will secure the success of having a highly productive day.
I have one friend that I call almost every morning. We check-in and take time to identify for the day our initial three tasks. We often check back in midday and at night to assess what we accomplished. This strategy ensures that we produce outcomes daily.
Set the Mood
Some days we just don’t want to! We don’t feel like it; we don’t want to be bothered; and we’d much rather not… On these days I have no choice but to depend on my motivational gimmicks.
What gets you motivated and driven? Great music and entertaining or enlightening podcasts usually pumps my blood and signals my brain to get to work! Playing a movie in the background if my task is routine or only physical, provides whitenoise which motivates me to keep moving.
I especially enjoy catching up with the besties via speaker phone, while completing tasks like chores and running errands. Combining a leisure activity I enjoy with a task I’m not in the mood to complete operates as motivational extenders. We usually discuss ordinary best friend chit-chat and shenanigans. However, other times we bring out the roots of our lack of motivation and end up encouraging and inspiring one another to get our tasks done.
Knowing Your Productivity Rhythm
Mapping out your pattern of productivity is a foundational motivational tool. Knowing when you are uber focused versus when your energy is at its lowest, gives you the advantage of planning for productivity success. If I know that I am not a morning person, I would be certain not to plan major tasks until late morning or early afternoon. Understanding the time of day you tend to lose focus or momentum will save you the grief of laboring over a task at a time of day when you exert the lowest level of energy. No one desires to consistently invite into each day unnecessary frustration and aggravation.
Just Start
Even in our most productive times of day, we experience a stall in motivation. Deciding to start the tasks anyway, usually swoops in and saves the day. Instead of tormenting yourself with the fact that there are about 10 loads of laundry to do, commit to only one necessary task associated with this chore. Your child may wear uniforms; therefore, you may decide that as long as the uniforms get washed today, that single act would push you one step closer to accomplishing the final goal. You can decide for tomorrow what is the next laundry related priority.
Each time I’ve used this tool, I’d complete much more than my original small commitment. (Ask me about the 13 loads of laundry I completed within 72 hours last week!) Sometimes just tell yourself, I commit to clearing off one table today. The end result often ends in successfully clearing an entire area or room. A single commitment to “just start” fuels momentum and productivity.
Report Out
One of the most rewarding tools for me this year has been “reporting out”. I’ve decided during specific periods, I’d compile a list of tasks I’ve accomplished and send the list out to my besties. Using this tool inspires me, by allowing myself to review what I’ve gotten done and compare it to my master goal list. It has also motivated my friends to report out their wins, cultivating this volcano of productivity and accomplishing goals for everyone. Being consistent with this practice has enhanced the value exchange that is shared within my sister circle.
In today’s climate, motivational tactics are often mocked, because operating in a constant state of chasing productivity can feel overwhelming and unrealistic. I can understand this train of thought but would never subscribe to 100% mockery. This fact does however inspire me to highlight that balance in productivity is the healthiest practice. While it is rewarding to get the tasks done, there is also value in knowing when you are depleted and knowing when it is best for you to rest and recharge. This single fact is key to nurturing the ability for one to excel at productivity and motivation.
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