All too often we can feel overwhelmed by the amount of work that we have to do and it is easy to get caught in the trap of trying to accomplish too many things at once and never completing any to your own satisfaction. Often there is a push to accomplish more and more, especially if you are focussed on your career and want to impress.
However, if you want to be really productive, and actually get more done the answer is to actually do one thing at a time. This can sound counter-intuitive and there has been a push over the past few years for people to take on more and more and to fill the 'empty' periods of their day so that they are constantly doing something.
In reality 'do more' is not the same as 'accomplish more' and top performers the world over aim to do one thing at a time. For those of you who remember him Daley Thompson (perhaps the worlds top decathlon athlete) was interviewed on how he became so successful, his answer was to focus totally on the current event and to complete that, the other events just didn't exist in his mind during that time.
People who perform well in business follow the same strategy. Focus on one task at a time, concentrate and complete that one thing and then move on.
This doesn't mean that their waiting time is 'wasted', if they are waiting for something to happen with a particular piece of work they concentrate all of their energy on 'optioning' and 'optimising'.
On those occasions where they do move on to something else while they wait for a resolution they do several things:
(a) Take a Break ? The take a physical break from their desk. They get up, go for a 5 minute walk, get a coffee, anything that will take their mind off the previous task.
(b) Put it in their Schedule ? They plan in time in their schedule for the new task and set this time aside. If the first task comes back to them they finish the new task (or work on it for their allotted time) and only then do they return to the first task. They always go through (a) to change their current mental state.
(c) Schedule a re-visit ? They put into their schedule a time when they will re-visit the first task.
They never jump from task to task, everything is planned and measured. They plan to 'accomplish' rather than to 'work' on a task and the top performers never feel 'overwhelmed' or as if they are 'drowning' and they consistently achieve more than those around them by doing one thing at a time.
Give each task your total, complete and utmost focus and watch your productivity fly.
More information regarding Organisational Change, Coaching and Performance Development can be found at http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk
2005 ? Achieving Greatness Ltd. All rights reserved.
----
PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link.
L Stuart Avery is the Managing Director of Achieving Greatness Ltd, an organisation dedicated to raising awareness around personal and management behaviours. Achieving Greatness specialises in offering advice and support to organisations going through change intitiatives and looking to enhance the performance of their staff. It provides training courses, facilitiation services and coaching to business leaders on Leadership, Management and Strategy.
Stuart has over 20 years of experience across a wide range of industries including Government, Charities, Retail, Travel, Insurance, IT Services and Logistics.
For more information visit http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk
I'm sure we've all had the experience of having a... Read More
Increased productivity, the ability to get more value for our... Read More
Want to improve your time management?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker,... Read More
Balancing a family's varying schedules can be near impossible. Soccer,... Read More
41 practical and quick ways to get on top of... Read More
* spreading yourself too thinTaking on too many things at... Read More
It's easy to waste time on things that seem urgent... Read More
Do you manage your time or does your time manage... Read More
As a professional organizer, consultant and trainer, I have come... Read More
It's been said, "That no one has enough time yet,... Read More
Your time and energy are the two most precious gifts... Read More
You can use the Power of 90 Seconds to transform... Read More
Many of you have expressed the challenge of not having... Read More
Everyday, in life, we are bombarded with 101 tasks that... Read More
According to a Miller Heiman 2003 Sales Effectiveness Study, over... Read More
Whether you're a new business owner or if you have... Read More
We are all born equal! We all have the same... Read More
Last week I attended a presentation from Parenting Expert and... Read More
Benjamin Franklin wrote: "If you want to enjoy one of... Read More
If you can motivate yourself at will to get any... Read More
A common remedy for improving your time management is to... Read More
Many folks tell me that they just don't have time... Read More
One of the most common complaints that small business owners... Read More
We don't realize many things we do until we draw... Read More
How do you manage your time? Or is the more... Read More
In this world there is something more precious than gold.... Read More
?busy, busy, busy, busy, busy?busy, busy, bus? OK, slap me... Read More
I am an ordinary man - A middle class high... Read More
Once you have completed your day you can boost your... Read More
What are the most important things you should accomplish today?... Read More
"Time is what we need the most and what we... Read More
We all face decisions that involve doing things that affect... Read More
Letters, magazines, bills, flyers, what to do with them all.... Read More
"Slaves to the clock" was the cover story in the... Read More
The techies could do a lot more to make our... Read More
Whatever providence has in store for us tomorrow is not... Read More
Time and money are both very important in business. Yet,... Read More
"TIME CANNOT BE 'MANAGED.' THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF TIME MANAGEMENT... Read More
Today, it is hard to open an e-mail newsletter, a... Read More
Most people want to start a home-based business to make... Read More
If I had a dollar or even better a pound... Read More
It's been said, "That no one has enough time yet,... Read More
Many of the world's most driven and successful people sleep... Read More
Do you feel guilty about all the publications you purchase... Read More
Whether you're a new business owner or if you have... Read More
How you spend the first sixty minutes of your day... Read More
We are constantly inundated with routine (often boring!) tasks around... Read More
It's 6:00 a.m. I'm awake. I'm pumped! I'm ready to... Read More
From Potential to PerformanceOne of the great things about life... Read More
Most of us have a to-do list ? some of... Read More
Time Management |