Task On, Task Off - What’s Not Getting Done?
No matter how focused you are on your task list, there always seems to be a few stragglers that you don’t get to. So you push them from one day to the next to the next.
Continually achieving our goals means that new tasks are always on the horizon. Ideally, we hope for a steady “task on, task off” flow of actions but the tasks you avoid create a back-up in that flow.
Instead of wasting valuable time beating yourself up for not getting them done, you have to get real and uncover why you’re averse to checking these tasks off of your list.
Of course, there are the typical distractions - your phone and other devices, email, calls and zooms, etc. And if you’re not doing the work for your business before your client work, it most likely never gets completed when it should, lingering on your list.
Here are a few not so obvious reasons why you avoid certain tasks:
Un-Alignment
This one is easy, but it may not be obvious. Goals can shift so the tasks to achieve them can, too. We all want to respect the list, so sometimes we hold on to these for longer than we should. If a task no longer aligns with the result you’re working towards, cross it off your list and don’t look back.
Too Big to Tackle
Sometimes we put a general task down on the list so we don’t forget it. But when we are ready to start, we don’t know how because we just wrote it down without creating a strategy to break it down in to specific, actionable steps. Separate your actions into small, doable, and realistic ones and you will be able to check them off.
Not Your Jam
We all come across tasks we don’t know how to execute. As much as we want to be invincible and learn how to do everything, life is short. Rather than spiral into overwhelm drowning in the abyss of Google information, get help. Find someone who can teach you and walk you through it or even better, hire someone else and delegate.
Important But Not Urgent
These tasks are like fruit flies - you can only ignore them for so long before you have to address their existence. These are low value tasks, the ones in the Eisenhower method that may be important, but they are not urgent. So they hang around, constantly getting bumped to the bottom of the priority list. Just schedule a block of time every now and then and knock that minutia off the list.
Ignoring the Uncomfortable
If you want to play big, you have to step out of your comfort zone. And we all know this can cause some mind drama that keeps us dragging our heels. First, make sure it’s broken down as much as possible. Warm up with a task you like to do that’s simple and makes you feel confident in your abilities. Then dive right into the more challenging task.
Nothing is more rewarding than a task list where every item has a big fat check next to each item. It’s just a matter of breaking your tasks down, planning time blocks to accomplish them, and continually moving towards those big, beautiful goals.
Are you looking for some accountability and strategy for your tasks and actions? Set up a strategy call with me so we can make a plan for you.
P.S. Ready to stop spinning in place and get to the other side of your goals? Here are several ways I can help:
Download my free weekly planning guide - it will help you become more intentional with your time, develop a clear action plan for your week, and ensure that you are focusing on activities that will move your business forward - Download Now
Join our next CEO Power Planning Session and spend two and a half hours ON your business. During this facilitated workshop, you’ll set and prioritize your next 12-week goals, break them down into an executable action plan and create a resource plan - Join the Wait List
Apply for the next Close the Gap Program and stay on track to achieve your most important goals. 1:1 support and guidance on prioritizing goals, creating a plan and putting structure and routines in place. Then 12 weeks of group support around execution - Apply today