The Boring, Unsexy Thing That Gives People Confidence
This one isn't a fun one.
You know how these posts go, by now.
Sometimes it's motivational, sometimes it's metaphorical, a lot of the time it's reflective and a little of the time it's hyper nitty-gritty detailed and tactical.No matter how the information gets out, it's usually about doing more or increasing output.In general, we each tend to focus on the output alone and forget the other factors that exist alongside it.This is not a post about focusing on less.This is a post about using what you have until it's spent.
This is a post about being patient with others, with yourself, and with the world around you as you move through it.
The hard part isn't understanding the problem or even taking action--lots of people make it that far.The hard part is executing again and again and again.The hard part is continuing on, even when it's boring or when it looks like you're not going to make it.The hard part is not doing some of it without doing all of it.The hard part is showing up every day.Drip.Drip.Drip.
2 Minute Action
What's the boring, unsexy part of your day?Exercise?Phone calls?Paperwork?You pick.Do that first.You will build trust with yourself, which will lead to confidence and achievement.
How To Use Trust To Crush Your To-Do List
If you have a pile of to-dos that are sitting, waiting, all with expired due dates and no prioritization . . .. . . just stick with me.
Step 1. Create three columns
Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Done.The Backlog is the space for you to drop undefined, kinda vague tasks that don't really have a clear start or finish in your mind. It's the place for "someday maybe" tasks, and other ideas for things you should do. This list doesn't have to be prioritized and it doesn't have to have due dates on tasks.The Sprint Backlog is the space for your working to-do list. You should keep it to only a list of things you can accomplish in 1 or 2 weeks. This list should be prioritized and you should have an idea of how "heavy" the task is. Since humans are notoriously bad at guessing how much time things will take, I've used point systems and T-Shirt sizes (S, M, L, XL) to gauge task "weight."The Done space is for, you guessed it, stuff you've done. By keeping track of this list, you can see how many tasks (or points) you've accomplished in the sprint period. This will give you an idea of how much you can reasonably get done from sprint to sprint. The obvious benefit of this is that by consistently predicting a feasible workload for yourself, you won't be disappointed or surprised when if you don't get some massive amount of stuff done.Together, these three columns create what's known in Agile Management as the Scrum Board.
Step 2. Prioritize the Sprint Backlog
Use the Eisenhower Decision Matrix if you're having trouble with this step.
Step 3. Delete stuff
Everything on that list should be fighting for it's life to stay there. Your time and attention are the most valuable assets you own. Don't overload yourself with tasks that don't matter!When you don't trust your to-do list to be true or accurate, you stop trusting the one tool that will help you see your priorities clearly. Your most important tool will become less and less useful.When you don't trust your to-do list, you don't get as much done. When you don't get as much done, you stop trusting your abilities.And if you lose trust in your abilities, it's going to take you a lot of small wins to get your mojo back.That's it.
2 Minute Action
You probably can't do all three steps above in 2 minutes, but I bet you can do one of 2 things:
- Delete stuff that doesn't matter. Each task should fight for it's life.
- Schedule 30 minutes on your calendar to run through steps 1-3 today.
It's your life. It's up to you how you spend it.You can keep doing what you've always done, or you can get serious about your output.It's your day.