|
This is a day when you are at your most productive state. Set aside large amounts of time to kill off the projects on your to-do list and get ahead. If you plan it properly, you can make tomorrow up to 3 times as productive as ordinary days.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR OWN PROJECT-KILL DAY
I have done a couple of these Project-Kill days, so if you are looking to start your own here is how:
WAKE UP EARLY - If you are not normally an early riser, set your alarm clock early. Getting up at 5:00-6:00 does two things. First, it gives you quiet hours before you need to go to your job or your family wakes up. Second, it builds a feeling of accomplishment that can motivate you forward throughout the day.
MORNING EXERCISE - This is not strictly necessary, but I find starting my early day with a energetic walk with Toby or even some push-ups in my room is another great way to build momentum. Exercising for twenty or thirty minutes knocks the half-asleep feeling out of your body and gives you an early sense of accomplishment.
CREATE A FIXED TO-DO LIST - Before you start the day, write down all the things you need to accomplish. Once you complete that list, you are finished the day and can do whatever you want. Having a fixed goal for work can focus your energies better than the “work all day” approach, which leads to procrastination.
ISOLATE YOURSELF - Most of my work is solitary. This means that when I have a Project-Kill day, I have almost zero social contact. Its fine to become a hermit for one day if it means you can focus without distractions. Lock the door to your room or office and work until your list is finished.
CUT THE CABLES - Television, computer, phones and any other form of communication all go offline during your day. Stay well focused on your tasks, but go no further.
BIG ROCKS FIRST - Put the big rocks in first. That means take the most important tasks you need to accomplish and put them at the start of your day, not the end. This way the majority of your focus gets aimed at the most important tasks. There are exceptions to this organisation strategy, but as a general guideline, it is good to follow.
NO MID-TASK BREAKS - Breaks of any kind should be minimised during your day. Especially mid-task breaks. The only valid time to get up and take a breather should be if you have just taken down a chunk of your list. If you are halfway through a job, finish it before you decide to eat lunch.
BREAK MINIMALLY - Not having long coffee breaks for one day will not kill you. My guideline is that 5-minute breaks are okay between big tasks. Taking short 20-30 minute lunch, breakfast and possibly dinner breaks are also okay. The idea is that until your list is finished, sitting around for an hour defeats the purpose of your Project-Kill Day.
BATCH SMALL TASKS TOGETHER - Group up all of your small tasks (taking out the garbage, fixing a door hinge, organising binders, etc.) and do them all at once. This can help speed things along since there will be fewer interruptions in your regular workflow.
WALK QUICKLY - There needs to be a sense of focus and urgency in everything you do during your day. Walking at a brisk pace reminds me that if I need to get things between tasks, that I still have a vital mission to complete destroying my to-do list. If you need to commute or drive, put in audio tapes to infuse your passive time with the concept that you leave no time wasted.
BUILD UP SPEED - Take on tasks all at once and build up speed to them. It can be difficult to avoid the temptation to take occasional breaks, but once you get into a flow, do anything to preserve it.
DO SOMETHING IMPORTANT, NOT JUST URGENT - It has been said before but it needs to be said again. A Project-Kill Day is precisely the time you need to work on important, long-term tasks. That means investing time beyond just solving current problems. I recommend taking on one long-term project that might not have an immediate deadline to move forward in during your day.
TAKE THE FOLLOWING DAY OFF - After a successful day of killing your to-do list, take the next day off. This helps you recover your energies after a tiring day of work. Even if you do absolutely nothing the next day, the previous days work usually compensates. Spend some time with your family, read a book, or just sleep in until noon. After a day of tripled productivity, you have earned it!
|
