I know you’re busy. You’re to-do list when added to your calendar commitments equals more than 24 hours for the day.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could actually schedule only 24 hours every day?
The truth?
You already do.
Whether you like it or not, whether you believe it or not, you only get in 24 hours each day.
Each day, even though you have more than 24 hours worth of commitments, you somehow manage to choose only what fits into 24 hours.
How?
Well, that’s the key.
Are you making conscious decisions of what gets on your calendar and on your to-do list? Or are you allowing others to dictate what is important and urgent in your life? Or maybe you are in robot mode and just doing the same thing you do every day.
It’s difficult to say no, especially to a boss or client or someone you love. But it must happen.
Productivity Secret
I think you’re ready now for the productivity secret: don’t do one thing today.
Challenge:
If you do this one thing every day, you’ll begin to build your courage to say no and you’ll gain clarity as to what is essential in your 24 hour day.
Step 1: Write down all your commitments. Everything. Do NOT rely on yourself to keep it in your head. I want you to SEE everything on paper. Make sure to include every commitment to yourself, your family, your work. Include hours for sleeping, making dinner, and commuting to/from work.
Step 2: Recognize the volume of commitments. Acknowledge the different levels of importance and urgency.
Step 3: Select one thing and one thing only that you will NOT do. This does not mean you’ll postpone it to tomorrow or later in the week. This item is something that will be deleted from your commitment list. If it must be done, you can delegate it, but you must let go of it completely.
If the word doesn’t end tonight because of your decision to NOT do that one thing…repeat this activity again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.
Let me know how it goes.