Today’s episode kicks off with an audience question from Bobby, a creative asking about how to stay focused and finish projects.
Much of this question boils down to aligning goals, values and actions. What I mean by that is that if you say you are going to do something, do it. It might be uncomfortable, difficult or humbling, but once you get started, the angst of feeling stuck goes away, replaced by new sense of exploration and growth. The last thing you want is regret around your biggest passions.
Step 1 is making the decision to apply daily actions towards the goal or result you desire. Overthinking early is a sure way to get distracted, as is procrastination. So don’t worry about making it perfect. Get it shipped and start something new.
Chunking tasks and blocking out larger chunks of time will allow deep, strategic thinking to get done, while you can send a quick administrative email in a few minutes during a free window later on. Blocking tasks is a simple way to be more efficient, along with the Pomodoro technique. (Check out this video for details: Getting SH*T DONE!!)– Remember, busy isn’t success. Busy is a lack of priority.
It can be helpful if you have a few projects going at the same time. The trick here is that you have a second or third thing to switch to when you get stuck on one thing. Returning with fresh eyes and new energy opens up more creativity and continues to move the project forward.
Ultimately, mindful, healthy daily habits and an underlying sense of purpose eliminate distractions by necessity. When you’re fully engaged in a project, or your work, Netflix, social media and other time-sucks don’t seem so enticing. On the other hand, boredom will trigger the need for comfort and build habits that hinder productivity and the ability to be a finisher.
Enjoy!
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