Seth Godin hit me right between the eyes today when he stated:
There’s generally a gulf between what we say we did all day and what we actually did.
And it’s even more likely to be a yawning abyss if you’re working alone, at home.
Distractions abound. Coffee beckons. Incoming mail and pings torment you second-by-second.
The first step to creating order and impact from the chaos and faffing is to admit it’s actually a thing.
Repeat after me:
“I’m not as productive as I think I am, as I could be, or as I should be.”
Here are a few habits I’ve been cultivating these last five years:
1: Set boundaries, verbal and physical. Close doors and tell family when you’re at work.
2: Work in sprints. Create, write and post for no more than a solid half-hour. Then stop and breathe.
3: Put everything on your calendar. Leisure time, client calls, gym or lunch – if it’s booked, it’ll happen.
4: Say no to almost everything. Have a polite “I’m focusing on my own projects this year” response ready for random invites
5: Start early, before everyone starts trying to grab your attention. 6am is a blissful time to get twice as much done per minute
So anyway…what are you doing all day today?