Monday
Jul072008
Do that which you dread, first.
Monday, July 7, 2008 at 7:01AM
Mark Twain is attributed with the quote "If you have to eat a frog, don't look at it for too long." The idea is simple. If you want to increase your productivity, lessen stress and get more out of your day do the thing which you're absolutely dreading, first. And don't think about it, just do it!
This is great advice, and I've used it on many occasions to pick myself up out of a rut. The problem is that some times we don't realize what's got us down. As business owners and managers we often get burdened with a multitude of unsavory tasks and rather than one ugly frog sitting on the corner of the desk we feel like there's a whole room full of insects waiting to be digested. If this describes the way you're feeling this Monday morning try the following exercise.
You need an hour. If you're not committed to giving up the next hour to feel better and less stressed print this out, put it aside and come back to it when you have the time or when you have the desire to make the time. Trust me, if you just read through this email it won't be as powerful as if you follow the exercise through to the end and to do that YOU NEED AN HOUR. If you just read it through you're going to think about it too much, otherwise known as procrastination. If you aren't committed to spending the next hour on this stop reading and go do something more important.
OK, you're in...good. First clear off your desk. Don't spend more than five minutes preparing your work area. If you can't clear a spot in five minutes go to a conference room or the coffee shop downstairs. Just find a clean place to work. Take only a pad of paper and a pen with you.
During the next five minutes write down all of the stuff that you're worried about, all the things your procrastinating and all the decisions you face that are creating doubt. Go as hard as you can for five minutes and don't let up. Keep the pen moving.
Take a quick break for a minute or two. Now for another five minutes go back through the list and if you can delegate a task to someone on your team write their name in the left hand margin. The trick here is not to become a martyr by taking on too much, but also don't slough off your responsibility as the leader by delegating something that should truly be on your plate. And don't thing about it too much. Five minutes is all you need.
By now you've spent 15-20 minutes of our hour. This is where you're going to earn your pay for the day. Very quickly go back through the list and pick the TWO items you can't delegate that are causing you the most stress. This shouldn't take you more than 30 seconds. You know what's got you stressed out. Pick the two biggest culprits and ATTACK THEM RIGHT NOW. You have two twenty minutes blocks of time left. For each item decide what you can do in the next twenty minutes to make significant headway if not wipe it out entirely. Don't procrastinate any more. JUST DO IT!
When I do this exercise I find that twenty minutes is way more time than I need. Once these two "frogs" are taken care of you may decide to go on and knock out several of the other items that are causing you stress. Congratulations, you're on your way to a fantastic day!
This is great advice, and I've used it on many occasions to pick myself up out of a rut. The problem is that some times we don't realize what's got us down. As business owners and managers we often get burdened with a multitude of unsavory tasks and rather than one ugly frog sitting on the corner of the desk we feel like there's a whole room full of insects waiting to be digested. If this describes the way you're feeling this Monday morning try the following exercise.
You need an hour. If you're not committed to giving up the next hour to feel better and less stressed print this out, put it aside and come back to it when you have the time or when you have the desire to make the time. Trust me, if you just read through this email it won't be as powerful as if you follow the exercise through to the end and to do that YOU NEED AN HOUR. If you just read it through you're going to think about it too much, otherwise known as procrastination. If you aren't committed to spending the next hour on this stop reading and go do something more important.
OK, you're in...good. First clear off your desk. Don't spend more than five minutes preparing your work area. If you can't clear a spot in five minutes go to a conference room or the coffee shop downstairs. Just find a clean place to work. Take only a pad of paper and a pen with you.
During the next five minutes write down all of the stuff that you're worried about, all the things your procrastinating and all the decisions you face that are creating doubt. Go as hard as you can for five minutes and don't let up. Keep the pen moving.
Take a quick break for a minute or two. Now for another five minutes go back through the list and if you can delegate a task to someone on your team write their name in the left hand margin. The trick here is not to become a martyr by taking on too much, but also don't slough off your responsibility as the leader by delegating something that should truly be on your plate. And don't thing about it too much. Five minutes is all you need.
By now you've spent 15-20 minutes of our hour. This is where you're going to earn your pay for the day. Very quickly go back through the list and pick the TWO items you can't delegate that are causing you the most stress. This shouldn't take you more than 30 seconds. You know what's got you stressed out. Pick the two biggest culprits and ATTACK THEM RIGHT NOW. You have two twenty minutes blocks of time left. For each item decide what you can do in the next twenty minutes to make significant headway if not wipe it out entirely. Don't procrastinate any more. JUST DO IT!
When I do this exercise I find that twenty minutes is way more time than I need. Once these two "frogs" are taken care of you may decide to go on and knock out several of the other items that are causing you stress. Congratulations, you're on your way to a fantastic day!
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