So, you dutifully read LifeHack. You bought and read Getting Things Done and The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People. You KNOW that you would be much happier if you could get more of the important things at work done and you vow to make your To-Do (or TeuxDeux) list every morning…but you don’t. You get sucked into email and meaningless meetings then find yourself pulling all-nighters to get a deliverable out the door on time. You feel burnt out. You feel unfulfilled. You miss your spouse and kids. Why can’t you get more organized?
The truth is, it’s not about tools or techniques. It’s about your beliefs about yourself and the world, your mental software, if you will, and until you upgrade that, it doesn’t matter what neat tools you try to implement.
So what’s going on? First, perhaps the real pay-offs aren’t clear to you. Yes, of course, you know you SHOULD get more organized, but that’s rarely enough. You SHOULD eat better, exercise more, quit smoking, call your mom, start your taxes, get a good night’s rest, lose ten pounds, blah blah blah. Yeah, you know you SHOULD do those things, but SHOULD isn’t enough. What’s the REAL pay-off for getting more organized? (Hint, it’s a FEELING) You feel at peace, you feel powerful, you feel like a good Mom or Dad because you see your kids, you feel freedom because your boss isn’t nagging you for the report that’s two weeks late, you feel accomplished because you are actually doing the work you love, you feel the thrill of trying new things. You get the idea. You won’t make a change for a SHOULD, but you will make the change to get that feeling you want.
Next, what are your beliefs about planning and time management? If you’re not sure, try filling in the blanks:
“I’m not organized, I’m _______!”
“People who plan their day are so _______”
“If I were to make a to-do list and follow through, I would have to ___________”
This will help you illuminate your beliefs, so you can question them. One of mine was “I’m not organized, I’m creative!” But this is a false choice. You can be both (or neither, for that matter). Think of how much more time you have to be creative if you are caught up on paperwork instead of chronically late and looking for misfiled forms! Maybe you think people who plan their day are boring. You don’t want to be boring, so you will subconsciously resist. So, bring these beliefs to the surface, then challenge them. Find people who are creative and organized and ask them their secrets! Find people who plan their day and have a lot of fun and fulfillment and find out how they do it! Similarly, we have to find the “sideways payoff.” Believe it or not, you get some crazy benefit from your struggles and failures. Maybe you tell yourself you are too busy to start that exciting new project, therefore, keeping yourself busy means you don’t have to risk hard work and even failure on the project! The sad part is if you never start, you have already failed.
Lastly, you need a system for follow through. You are changing a habit, and that requires time. Make a chart and post it above your desk, give yourself a gold star when you make your to-do list. Make your list at Starbucks over a favorite drink. Enlist a friend, kinda like a marathon training group or a boss (or 12-step sponsor). Keep at it, and if you fall off the wagon, own it, learn something, and get back on!
So, to recap, in order to get past the struggle and actually become more productive:
- Make clear the emotional payoff you are working for
- Find and replace your old beliefs, false choices, and sideways payoffs
- Create a system for follow-through
Article Tags:business, business blog posts, career, change, coaching, focus, leadership, life, Performance, productivity, time management, work
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