Creating and Maintaining Momentum for Those Tasks That Matter Most
Making material progress doesn't have to include complex witchcraft or wizardry. It can be as simple as picking one task to complete that day.
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What does it look like when you peel back the curtain of a highly successful person? What are their processes like? What are their habits? What is their focus?
Perhaps it is different for everyone? Perhaps it is similar? I can’t say. What I can say is that Tim Ferriss, the author of “The 4-Hour Work Week”, has given pretty explicit instruction on how he spends his time in a way that allows him to be effective.
The Process
1. Sit Down with a Pen and Paper
Avoid sitting in front of a screen. Allow your mind to focus on the pen, paper, and your thoughts. You don’t want your mind to start going into “email” or “work” mode.
2. Write Down 3-5 Tasks
Think through the tasks that are bringing you the most anxiety or stress. There is a good chance that these tasks are ones that you have repeatedly put off doing. Write them all down.
3. Ponder the Impact of Each Task
Read through each task and ask yourself these two questions:
If this were the only thing I accomplished today, would I be satisfied with my day?
Will moving this forward make all the other to-do’s unimportant or easier to knock off later?
4. Identify Your Task
Looking at the 3-5 tasks that you wrote down, focus on those tasks for which you responded “Yes” to one of the two questions above. If you did not respond “Yes” to either question, then push that task to the side. It is not the most important.
Once you have narrowed down your list, then select only one task to complete that day. The other tasks will carry over to the next day’s list.
5. Schedule Time for Completion
Block out 2-3 solid hours in your day for you to complete that task. This should be a solid and continuous 2-3 hours. Trying to piecemeal it together in random increments of 10 - 20 minutes is not sufficient. You need to give it the proper attention that it deserves.
6. Show Yourself Some Grace
You may still get distracted. If you do, don’t beat yourself up. Redirect your focus and start working on it again.
The Outcome
Following a simple approach such as Tim’s will help you to keep moving the important work forward. You will maintain constant and consistent forward progress and momentum. The outcome of consistency can be material when it is completed over a long period of time.
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