#0065 Leave it Till the LAST Minute

Why is it that we are 10 times MORE Productive when we have a FIXED deadline looming?

The Tender that MUST be submitted, the proposal we PROMISED to produce, the presentation we COMMITTED to giving.

Seems that if we have a STRICT deadline then we FOCUS and get it done. So why is it when we come to day to day tasks, often IMPORTANT and strategic to the GROWTH and prosperity of our Business, we PROCRASTINATE, put it off, get DISTRACTED by other shiny things?

If it wasn’t for the Last Minute, I’d get NOTHING done.

Here are a FEW tips to tricking your subconscious into BELIEVING it’s the last minute and helps you GET things done:

• Place a deadline on ALL important tasks (whether actual or not) and importantly, promise it to someone you RESPECT enough to stick to it. A Coach, Mentor, your Partner or an Accountability Buddy. Someone who you would rather NOT disappoint. Create that sense of the last minute looming.
• FOCUS on the current most important TASK for right now and don’t overwhelm yourself with the 100 other things you need to do as well.
• Have at LEAST 1 major task you can and intend on COMPLETING each day so that each week you are progressing in big steps. Imagine how many major tasks you will have done by the end of the month, quarter and year. You do the math.
• Break down your Goals into tasks that CAN be completing in one sitting i.e. no one task should be greater that a couple of hours. This way you will COMPLETE something rather than bits and pieces. It provides a GREATER sense of accomplishment and you are MORE likely to keep going till its done. Marathon runners often do this by breaking their runs into INDIVIDUAL miles and FOCUS on one at a time rather than the Marathon as a whole.

SIMPLIFY Complexity by continual ACTION and FOCUS.

PS How do you think I keep pumping out these Blogs. In my mind I have committed to YOU that I will continue to produce these twice per week on my Tuesdays and Fridays at 10am. Very specific deadlines and I FOCUS to stick to my commitments.