5 Keys to Getting the REALLY Important Stuff Done

If you are like me (and I know you are), your work piles up and you have trouble getting it all done. In fact, you and I both know that we’ll never get it all done.  You, and only you, can manage your workload, deciding what gets done, and what does not.  For me, choosing what NOT to do is become more and more important.

The critical thing, without a doubt, is to pick the work that is most IMPORTANT, and find a way to get THAT WORK done.  This is much easier said than done.

For artists, their most IMPORTANT work is their art.  Not meetings, not emails, not social media – their ART!

For leaders, their most IMPORTANT work is the people they are leading.  Not meetings, not emails, not social media – their TEAM!

For entrepreneurs, their most IMPORTANT work is their business, which could be their art. Not meetings, not emails, not social media – their BUSINESS.

As my businesses have grown dramatically over the past several months, I’ve found it increasingly difficult to get everything done. I’m choosing, on purpose, to NOT get everything done, but to FOCUS on getting the MOST IMPORTANT WORK done, and done first.  How?  Here are some of the things I’m doing, and they seem to be working:

1) I’m scheduling entire days to do specific tasks, not trying to jump back and forth between a bunch different tasks in one day.  For example, today I’m spending the entire day out of my office, at an entrepreneurial incubator, working on my next book (Living at the Summit) and on blog posts (what you’re reading).  Tomorrow I’ll spend the entire day on business development for my recruiting company. On the next day I’ll spend the entire day doing research and recruiting.

2) I’m writing down in my journal, the night before, exactly what I’ll accomplish the next day.  I’m not writing down what I PLAN to accomplish. I’m writing down what I WILL accomplish. There is a BIG difference between the two.

3) I’m spending fifteen minutes each morning meditating, and then at least twenty minutes each morning exercising – all before starting work.

4) I’m staying off of social media and turning off the ringer/buzzer on my phone during my GETTING IMPORTANT WORK done time.

5) I’m observing my thinking to make sure that I am FOCUSED and PRESENT to the task at hand, and not letting my mind wander in all different directions. I’ve found that when I’m FOCUSED on a task, and I can get a huge amount of work done in a very short time. I bet you’ve experienced the same.

I’m committed to staying disciplined on these new approaches, and I’m looking forward to seeing the results. I can already feel the satisfaction of getting the IMPORTANT WORK done, and then being free to have fun when I’m not at work.

Remember, “Personal Discipline leads to Personal Freedom.”

Please let me know your thoughts or if you have any suggestions on how to get it all done.