Late last month, I wrote “Keeping it together on the go.” This piece is the flip side of that strategy. A few days ago after almost three weeks on the road, I returned home for a 10-day stretch. I didn’t realize it initially, but I was tired.
Step 1: Get Rested
Working when you are tired is just asking for trouble. Tasks take twice as long and mistakes are more likely. Take a day or two and get rested up. The time spent not working will pay dividends down the road.
Step 2: Tackle the physical tasks first
You can’t do it all at once.
As I unpacked my briefcase and added to the already high piles on my desk, I began to feel overwhelmed. This was just the physical representation of the tasks that needed tackling. Added to the piles are pages of notes taken over the course of a few weeks.
Step 3: Take a deep breath
You still can’t do it all at once.
Now ask yourself what in those physical piles can be touched once – and only once – and then you’d be done with it. I like starting with the pile of postal mail as about half of it simply goes in the recycle bin. It’s also quite likely there are checks and bills in there that need to be deposited in the bank and paid respectively. Don’t shuffle the paper. Send each piece on a one-way trip to where it permanently belongs.
You get the idea. I do the same thing with all the papers on my desk. The goal is a clear desk or at least one where I can see half the desktop so I have room to work.
Step 4: Prioritize followup
In three weeks, I met lots of people and made lots of promised to follow up. Guess what? Yes, I still can’t do it all at once.
I use a CRM to keep track of my client and prospective client followup. As of today, I have 23 past due items. There is no way I will get all those tasks done in one day. If, however, I decide which five or six are most important each day for the next week, I’ll be all caught up.
Step 5: Do you really ever want to be “caught up?”
I like having enough to do that I can’t do it all at once. The alternative is that business is so slow, there is nothing new to do. Sure this can be good for short periods of time; but if you are adding new clients and growing, there is always good work to be done. The trick is separating the good work from the busy work.