Have a Plan
Any productivity tip must be able to free up time and help you close your day feeling accomplished, fulfilled and satisfied.
What I see with many of my clients is one of two ends of a spectrum. On one end, there's the leader who arrives at work and deals with things as they come. Without a clear intention, aim or goal for that day, week or month. They may have a vague idea of the big picture and what they need to do but there's no priority of focus for the present moment.
On the other end, there's the leader who relies heavily on the monster to-do list. There's some order or prioritization but the list is burdened by nonessential details, tasks and activities.
Both leaders are high achievers as they can get many things done. But are they truly productive? Do they leave each day feeling accomplished, fulfilled and satisfied?
It's too easy to be pulled in a million directions if you don't have a clear plan that is right sized to what you can reasonably accomplish in a set period of time. You get consumed by less important but seemingly urgent matters, distracted by emails, texts and tiresome meetings. Then you're left with working longer hours just to catch up. Then you shamefully compromise time for yourself, family and friends.
Starting your day with a plan can help you focus on what needs to get done, minimize distractions and puts your personal needs on the agenda.
At the start of each week, create a plan with your major goals, tasks or projects. Prioritize work that only you can do, then work which you'll need help and reassign everything else (provided you have the resources). Be sure to include activities that Stephen Covey would consider 'sharpening the saw'. These are activities that renew, refresh or reconnect with your physical, mental, social and spiritual self.
Now, I'm not talking about creating or managing another monster to-do list. To-do lists can be a means of control to manage feelings of anxiety and fear. To-do lists delay any sense of satisfaction, fulfillment or accomplishment leading to frustration, fatigue and burnout because the list never ends!
What I'm suggestion is to identify and allocate time for no more than three priority items, tasks or projects that can be completed in a day. Some items you may complete in an hour. Some items may require more time. If you do rely on to-do lists, I would suggest to create a separate list to help manage everything else.
The first and last thing you do in your work day is to review your plan, what you've accomplished and what's next. Each day reminding yourself of your intentions, priorities, and desired outcomes. Then make any adjustments to protect your time so you can continue to focus on your priorities.