In This Episode…
It is the end of the week and I have been experimenting with my weekly review after making some progress with it last month. I share those developments.
However in this episode I start laying down the foundations for my new identity as a highly productive person. I’ll be interested to know what you think.
Episode Show Notes…
It’s Time For Another Weekly Review
Well it worked well for me last week so it’s time to do it again this week. As a reminder, here is what I did last week:
Step 1 – Review my Outcomes – Long Term, 90 Day
Step 2 – Review Current Projects
Step 3 – Review E Mail
Step 4 – Review Calendar
Step 5 – Tie up Loose Ends and Close off any mental loops
Step 6 – Check The Financials
So today I have done the same. Or at least I started to do it that way.
I know that last week’s version of the review will change. It has to because these things evolve. So this week I realised I needed to get a bit more clarity at the route map towards my 90 day goals.
I have defined what it looks like at the end of the year, but I’ve not really mapped out how I am going to get there. So that is what I have done today.
In big chunks, I have sequenced the order I am going to create things and mapped that out over the next three months.
Then I have taken a month view and worked out the order of activities to complete over the course of the month to make sure I am on track.
Now in the past I have been quite fluid about flexing the plans I’ve created.
This time, I am cementing the plan and have plasticised it so it is permanent!
Characteristics Of A Productive Person
This question of having or not having the identity of a productive person has been bothering me.
So I’ve started to work out what the characteristics of a productive person would be.
First of all I started with a brainstorm and this is what I came up with:
- DO IT NOW mentality – Just like Daniel
- A belief that I can do it
- A belief that if it’s not obvious then I’ll find a way
- A growth mindset mentality
- Razor sharp focus
- The ability to single handle a task to completion
- The sensitivity to be aware when things are starting to pile up and the ability to step back and take stock
- Iron will discipline
- A system to support all areas of my life
- Processes to follow
- A strong support team around me to allow me to focus on my strengths and passions
- The ability to deeply concentrate when it is needed
- The skill of spotting the ONE thing and focusing on that until it is done.
- The ability to balance energy expenditure with renewal
- Unbelievable energy and stamina
- Fantastic enthusiasm for life
- The ability to be able to create fun and enjoyment out of everything I do.
- Emotionally intelligent and resilient
- Neutral thinking as per Trevor Moawad
Then I thought I would go to Google and get some input from the great and the good. These two articles gave me some more great ideas:
- Know what’s important and not just urgent
- Plan my day
- Able to get back on track faster
- Know what my priorities are and protect them
- Say No more than I say yes
- Be a problem solver
- Use the right tools/have the right resources
- Laser like focus
- Highly organised
- Continuous learning
- Be a big picture thinker
- Curious to seek out answers
- Cut away the unimportant
- Allocate breaks strategically
- Remove all productivity killers
- Have a source of inspiration
- Don’t be too accessible
- Productive use of “downtime”
- Set timelines and deadlines
- Automate your processes and workflows
- The Eisenhower Matrix
- Belief (in themselves?)
- Resilience
- Flexibility, Adaptability
- Grit
- Practice getting better all the time – practice practice practice
- Risk taker
- Handle the big rocks first
- An effective communicator
It would be so easy to keep listing all of these traits from Google searches, and so I stopped gathering ideas when I found this article from the Harvard Business Review:
https://hbr.org/2018/04/7-traits-of-super-productive-people
This article gave me these traits to consider:
- Set Stretch Goals
- Be consistent
- Have knowledge and expertise and acquire new skills
- Drive for results
- Anticipate and solve problems (mental contrasting – spot what’s in the way ahead of time)
- Take initiative -start quickly and get going. (ask forgiveness not permission)
- Be collaborative and work well with others
So that’s a huge shopping list of things to consider.
What do I choose and where do I start?
Those are good questions.
I’m not 100% sure of the answer, though I do think I have an idea.
