Get Anything Done, Part II
Written by Michael Weaver | Follow me on Twitter | Free updates via Email.
This is the second post in a four-part series. As I mentioned here, each month in 2011, a series on a different topic will be posted every Wednesday. Check out Get Anything Done, Part I
In Part I I talked about the importance of mentally simplifying the things you need to do in order to Get Anything Done. Projects, tasks, to-do’s aren’t complicated, they are simple.
Complication gives you clouds and shades of gray, simplification gives you blue skies and clarity.
It’s important to understand that what you say, what you tell people, and that your expressions are a mirror image of how you truly think.
Simplify, then do. Part I focused on the importance of taking action. Your path, is automatically carved out if you are consistently taking action and making things happen. There’s no point in avoiding simple, and there is no point in not taking action!
Have a Program
I’m not going to tell you that you need some elaborate organizational system in order to get anything done, but I will tell you that you need something to keep your momentum going in the right direction. Keep it simple, but do something. And that something can be really, really a small thing. I’m serious, what that actually is doesn’t really make a difference.
My pen and my highlighter. It sounds ridiculous and trivial, but my pen and highlighter help me stay organized and get the things done that I need to everyday. My pen writes great in my notebook where I keep all of my important to-do lists and notes on whatever it is that deem important enough to write down. Everything is in one place and my pen, highlighter, and notebook go everywhere I go.
My pen and highlighter are two things that I pick up in the morning and put down at night before I go to bed. In my world, my pen and highlighter are symbolic of the consistency and momentum that I have established. I’ve heard of people doing similar things to ensure that they express gratitude every morning and night. Heard of the gratitude rock? Keep it in your pocket everyday – pull it out before bed and grab it in the morning. It’s a reminder, a symbol of positivity and consistency – things I think we all need in our lives.
When Reading Productivity Books is Dangerous
There are so many quality books out there relative to productivity, getting things done, and my topic in this four-part series. So why would I say that reading these books can be dangerous? Because people, myself included, tend to implement these tactics and methods that don’t come natural to them. I’ve tried this, I’ve tried that, and in the past I’ve let my shortcomings get to me. I’d get upset with myself because I’m trying something that sounds so great in theory, it reads so well and makes so much sense in the book, but man it’s just not working out in my world, in my reality.
From my experiences, it’s great and essential to learn what these books have to offer, but always remember that not everything will work for you. Allow your creativity, complexity, simplicity, etc. – to drive the manner in which you keep on task, get things done, and seriously progress through life on your terms.
Back to my pen, highlighter, and notebook I like talking about so much! This is what I did while in college. It worked great and I was always on top of everything. Then I’d read books like Getting Things Done by David Allen. David has a very simple system, but some of its essentials are things that just don’t work for me. Nothing wrong with that. In the end, it turned out to be a great learning experience for me. Its helped formulate the methods and thoughts that I’m sharing with you now – that I currently use to stay organized and get things done.
It’s On You
I’m using that short phrase more and more it seems like! Well, I did post this Monday Quote. Whether you like it or not, you are and will always be held accountable for what you do or don’t do. You are in the driver’s seat of your life – and nobody is taking over the wheel while you go snoozing for a few years. So, by accepting that you are going to be held accountable for your successes or shortcomings, you may be inclined to do the little things that can make a huge difference. Live with purpose!
Part III Coming Next Wednesday
Next week I’m going to talk about never going at it alone. It’s amazing how easy it is to find help, advice and resources if you just try.
—
Image by pagedooley.
If you liked this post, please subscribe, hit the retweet button or follow me on twitter!
Thanks for reading!!
Related Posts
What up!
