This article is about getting things done.
Some people have the natural ability to fight their inner being who loves being distracted.
For those of us who were not born with that superpower, it can be discouraging to see the hours go by and have nothing to show for it.
If you identify as a procrastinator and can’t seem to get anything done, here are some tips that will dramatically improve your ability to accomplish things.
This article is about getting things done.
How to Start Getting Things Done Today
Get Organized.
You should have an idea about what it is that you want to accomplish and how you think that you might get there.
To find success in getting things done, you need an organized mind. It is hard to keep track of everything and not forget if you don’t write your thoughts down.
The whole point is not to have everything figured out, but you want to surpass the desire to do nothing or something unproductive because you can’t get yourself to make a decision.
There are many tools that you can use to get organized. It helps to get what you need to do out of your head and somewhere else that you can see.
Some things that you could use to get organized are:
- Planners: I usually get my planners from Ross or Marshall’s but Amazon has some great versions too. Check out this planner and this planner.
- Post-It Notes: If you need something to hold your ideas that are portable Post-It Notes are great.
- Dry-Erase Board: Dry Erase Boards can be fun and simple to use and it is easy to make edits to your plan
- Notes App: By this point, I think that every smartphone has some version of the noted app. You can brainstorm from anywhere as long as you have your phone.
Another post that you will enjoy: https://thrivingindependently.com/how-to-start-getting-things-done-today/
Simplify
The next step to take toward getting things done is to simplify your tasks. See if you can break them down into smaller chunks or combine them so that you can get more done.
When you review your list, it gives you a better view of the timeframes that you have available and the number of things that you need to get done. You have the opportunity to decide what is most pressing and most important and create your plan of action.
The process of planning out what you have to do can be overwhelming, but it is necessary for you to see progress in what it is that you want to complete.
Having a visual representation of what you want to accomplish will make the goals more tangible and increase the chances of you completing your tasks.
The more simple that you can make this process, the better because you will be more likely to stick with the system.
Plan out your tasks
Now that you have figured out what it is that you want to do, you need to create a plan of action.
This is where you can prioritize your tasks by the time it takes to complete them, by importance, or by difficulty level.
Since you have written down what it is that you need to do by now, it shouldn’t be difficult to take your list and put it in a planner.
You have to make time in your schedule to complete the tasks. A full planner with no intentions to complete the things that you have inserted is not going to help you.
When I say plan your tasks, you have to be specific.
For example, if you give yourself a whole day to clean your room and you don’t set a specific time, you may wait until the end of the day to clean it. If you procrastinate and push the task off, you may negatively impact your schedule going ahead.
It is also not productive to fill your days with more tasks than you know are more than you are reasonably able to complete. You need to plan for time to rest and take breaks because if you get overwhelmed, you will probably take more time than necessary for breaks.
If you plan for these things ahead of time, you will have a smoother transition to becoming more productive.
Assess the actual work required to complete the task
One thing that I know humans don’t do enough is anticipate the actual work required to complete a task. We can overestimate our expertise and underestimate the amount of time that it will actually take to complete a task.
Our brains are great at blowing things out of proportion. For the tasks the more difficult tasks that we have to do, it is easy to leave them for last because you anticipate benign able to fly by your easier tasks.
One thing that would help make larger or more difficult tasks less scary to do is to break down the task into sections.
If we can get a feel for what is actually required to complete a task, we may not have to push it to the end.
I think the unknown is what is intimidating.
For example, when you have to write a paper, you may not know how long it will take for you to find a good topic to write about.
If you consider this beforehand, you can allot yourself the time dedicated just to doing that part of the paper. When you get a clear vision of what it is that you want to write about, writing the paper is less intimidating overall.
If you are able to run through the steps of the task in your head first, you can avoid the guesswork that comes with dealing with a new problem for the first time. You can anticipate the problems that you might have and then be closer to finding a solution.
Another post that you will enjoy: https://thrivingindependently.com/how-to-use-your-two-weeks-notice/
Do more tasks
Practice is everything, and the best way that I have found to start getting more things done is to start doing more things.
When you get into the habit of doing things, it becomes easier to do them. You get better at gushing the amount of time that it takes you to do something when you have done it multiple times.
You also get a better sense of the process that works best for you and at seeing what is required to complete the task.
As you practice doing more things, it becomes easier to do them and the planning period gets smaller.
The decision to start is the hardest part
Realize that the most difficult task is deciding to start, the most effort that you will make happens at the beginning.
You just have to get the ball rolling and eventually, the momentum will carry you through.
Don’t expect to be good at what you are doing or that the process is going to be easy. The better mindset to have is that you are capable of solving any problem and if you can’t solve it, you will be able to find the person who can.
This mindset will carry you very far. Actually starting the task means that you got out of your head and are able to begin acting on the things that you have planned.
You may find that the next steps are easier because you choose to start something.
There isn’t a clear formula on how to make you instantly more productive, but there are steps you can take to get closer to where you want to be.
The key to getting more things done is to start in the first place. You are instantly more productive when you put your thoughts into action than if you had just thought about all of the things that you need to do.
Let’s Keep the Party Going!
Follow me on Pinterest so that we can share the knowledge!
![how to start getting things done today!](https://thrivingindependently.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/how-to-start-getting-things-done-today-683x1024.jpg)
![too much work](https://thrivingindependently.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/too-much-work-683x1024.png)