How to Tackle Those Tasks and Projects That Never Seem to Get Done

OK…you are back from a holiday weekend and happy for the break. But are you also dreading the workload in front of you? Summer can be the perfect time to think about how to reset your priorities and tackle items that you have been putting off for weeks (or months). Think of it as a time to get your garage cleaned out or the back coat closet organized. You know you’ll feel better when it is done, but need a little help/nudge to start.

Your work tasks fall into the same category. There are daily “fire drills” that take up time and big projects and meetings that occupy more hours of your day.

How do you find time to tackle those other important tasks and projects that never seem to get done?

The good news is that the same logic that can help organize your garage or basement can apply to your business project list as well. Simply follow these five steps:

STEP ONE: Make a Short List of Tasks

One of the big steps to tackling a project is writing it down and acknowledging it. Seriously!! We suggest that you take no more than 20-30 minutes to think of all of those pesky business projects that you know you have to attack this year, and write all of them down. Next, take a few additional minutes to write them down in a priority order. Easy enough, right?

STEP TWO: Set a Simple Plan to Tackle Top Priorities

We suggest that you choose no more than 2-3 priorities from your original list as a starting point. For each of those priority items, take a moment to determine the sub tasks that are needed to accomplish the priority. In some cases, there may be 6 or 7 sub tasks…and that’s 100% OK. By identifying sub tasks, it makes it easier for you to break up the work to better see how to accomplish the priority — and not put it off any longer.

STEP THREE: Enlist Help

What is one of the biggest reasons that we don’t get something accomplished? We try to do it all alone, and don’t pull others in to help take action and keep us accountable. For all of the sub tasks on your list, determine those that can utilize help — even if help only means bouncing an idea off of someone for solution possibilities.

STEP FOUR: Set a Realistic Timeframe and a Time Limit

One of my biggest lessons learned from tackling personal/home projects is to set up both a timeframe and a time limit. For example, if tackling a sub task of a basement shelf, I allocate a specific timeframe (like Saturday morning) and a time limit (like 45 minutes). For the latter, set an alarm on your phone and stick to that timeframe, even if you aren’t quite completed. This helps you to understand the time allocated to a sub task and assess the personal reward of what you accomplished in a specific period of time.

STEP FIVE: Build in Rewards for Completion

Using the prior example above for STEP FOUR, when finishing the 45 minutes of sub task work, reward yourself (and your helpers) with a 30-minute break, a specialty coffee, a lunch break, etc. These small rewards are perfect for the completion of sub tasks. Once you have finished a larger priority (with all sub tasks completed), reward yourself and the team with something bigger, like a team lunch. Although this might seem trivial, you’ll be surprised how motivating these rewards are, and how they can gear you up to tackle the next task on your list.

Change your summer mode to getting things done, instead of letting your inbox and fire drills control the day. You know you’ll feel better once you start applying some or all of these five steps, so don’t procrastinate any longer! A happier and more relaxed you is just around the corner.

Need Help?

If you really want to knock things off your list, our 90-Day Individual Development program can help you re-evaluate your priorities, stay accountable, and complete those lingering tasks. We’ll provide customized guidance for a consistent monthly fee to help with any number of tasks you want to tackle.