Getting stuff done

Much as I love my job, I always find it tough to kick start into the working year after the Christmas break. Which why I used both hands to grab the invitation from Tilla Brook to participate in one of her ‘getting stuff done‘ events.

The session consisted of an initial phone call to quickly map out what we both planned to achieve, especially during the first 60 minutes. Then a phone call every hour until the final check-in/ review after three hours.

My first phone call was very optimistic. We discussed what it would feel like to get all this stuff done (fantastic) and how it felt to have it pending (draining). I had a glut of work to get through, lots of will power and ability. Let’s go!

The second call was less positive. During that first hour, I’d had a friend phone with a crisis; something delivered; two calls re media packs/colour separations; 10 emails, two of which needing a response same day…and to top it all, I’d mislaid the notes I needed to use. My initial optimism was waning. But what a super coach Tilla proved to be. By asking some great questions, she got me back on track. She asked if I could think of any ways to avoid distractions. … and in a blinding flash of inspiration (ha!) I worked out that I could actually turn my email off momentarily; log out of twitter; tell my friends I was busy; leave my phone on voice mail… She even made me promise to not get distracted by other stuff, but to focus solely on finding my notes, and texting her when I’d got them.  And within 5 minutes I was back on track.

The second two hours flew by, and I can report that all my tasks were completed – I felt totally energised, and frankly, quietly smug!

So on reflection, if you have stuff to get done but are struggling to stay focussed, you might like to try these tips:

• conjure up an immovable timescale (like a flight the following day/irate taxman etc)
• be accountable to someone else (Tilla was a very warm yet efficient person to talk to, and did that very clever thing of coaching-when-you-don’t-realise-you’re-being-coached)
• think of ways which you (too) could remove some of the distractions that surround us all.

Oh – think it’s time I turned the internet back on..