A simple framework to get your most important work done:
Productivity is a direct result of choices.
So it’s no coincidence the days I get the most done are the ones in which I make the following five choices…
1. I choose what to do first.
You can only do one thing at a time.
So the first big decision to make with your day is to identify the single most important project to tackle and choose to do it at the start of the day.
This ensures even if the rest of the day goes off the rails, you’ll have at least made progress on what matters most.
Focusing on your most important work first also has another benefit: It forces you to prioritize your work and not just be reactive.
Your time is best spent on the work that generates the most value, not the work that happens to get thrown at you most recently or from the person whose voice is the loudest.
Try this:
Block out the first 30–60 minutes in your schedule every work day and don’t schedule any meetings, calls, or appointments in that time.
Don’t even check email in that time.
Reserve it so you can decide each morning what your most important work is for that day and devote time to it without distraction.
2. I choose to say no.
Your ability to get important work done is directly related to your ability to say no to work that’s less important.
Everything that comes your way – meeting invites, requests, questions, projects, opportunities, etc. – represents a choice.
You may feel like you “can’t say no,” but that’s not true.
Some things are more difficult to turn down than others, but everything can – and should – be declined or postponed for work of higher priority.
Your productivity often boils down to your choices about when to say no.
Try this:
Commit to say no to at least one thing every day.
It doesn’t have to be something huge – it can be as simple as turning down a meeting invitation and offering a more convenient time instead.
Forcing yourself to say no at least once a day helps you become more comfortable with doing so and you realize how powerful a no can be for you.
3. I choose to ask questions.
Questions unlock knowledge and knowledge increases productivity.
The more (and better) questions you ask, the more effective and efficient your work becomes.
Pick the brains of people who do similar work to get tips on how best to do it.
Ask customers who use a product what they’d like to see in it as opposed to guessing on how to improve it.
Request specific directions from a boss about a project instead of just winging it.
Whether you ask colleagues, customers, or even Google, the questions you ask can have a huge impact on the fate of your work day.
Try this:
Whenever you get curious about something jot it down and keep a running list of questions.
That way, when you wind up in a conversation with someone who has expertise on that subject you can refer to your list and ask away as opposed to having to remember or come up with new questions in the moment.
4. I choose how long to work.
The key to being productive is NOT to work more hours.
Work expands to fill the time you give it so there’s no such thing as “getting all your work done” in a given day.
Your productivity and the quality of your work will decline if you push yourself to work too many hours.
A better approach is to make a conscious decision about how much you plan to work in a given day and when that work will happen.
When you create rules for yourself, you’re able to prevent work from bleeding over into a never-ending cycle and decreasing your productivity.
For example:
You might choose to go out to lunch and get away from the office every day no matter what, opt to shut your phone off at 7 pm every night, or refuse to check email on weekends.
The specific rules don’t matter as much as making the conscious choice to have and follow them.
Doing so keeps you in control of your work as opposed to the other way around.
Try this:
If you struggle to stick to your own self-imposed rules, create hard commitments at the beginning, middle, or end of the work day that will be more likely to force you to obey your rules.
For example:
If you have a 6:30 pm dinner reservation with friends you’re unlikely blow it off to stay at the office.
Or, paying for a 7 am spin class in advance may prevent you from showing up at the office to start work at the crack of dawn.
5. I choose what to do last.
Just like it’s important to be intentional about your first work of the day, it’s powerful to approach your final work of the day the same way.
No matter how deliberate you’ve been and how great the decisions you’ve made during the day, there will be things that slipped through the cracks or went sideways.
Take the last 30–60 minutes of the day to address them.
Figure out the top priority to get done in that moment and spend this time doing it.
The work you do at the end of the day can turn a misguided day into a productive one.
Try this:
Somewhere on your to-do list is a thing you’ve avoided doing because it’s a hassle, scary, or just something you’d rather not face.
Use your time at the end of the day to do that thing.
When you tackle a thing you’ve avoided at the end of the day, you do your future self a huge favor.
And the next day you’ll discover that thing doesn’t seem so daunting any more.
It may even be the perfect thing to start your next productive day.