Founder, HabitStrong | Ex-IPS | Wharton | IITK | McKinsey | Private Equity
Today, I had dozens of pending tasks. So here is what I did. I just picked one task that really mattered (a program on anxiety I am soon launching). I dropped everything else, started my timer, and did 10 focus sprints of 25 minutes. By around 5:30 pm, the task was done -- the program is almost ready to launch. No sweat, no struggle. But had I picked up 3-4 other tasks along with it, I would have ended my day with a bunch of semi-complete tasks. An 80% complete task is like a car that is 80% manufactured -- you can't drive it. Then what's the point? Productivity = focus + prioritization. And my recipe is simple: 1. Prioritization: Pick NOT the most important task, but the most important task that you can ALSO complete. 2. For focus, drop everything else and engage with one thing at a time. Cut out everything else -- be cold-blooded ruthless. (The screenshot is of the timer I use for my focus sprints.) Whenever overwhelmed, pick a task that matters and finish it. Only finishing counts. Everything else is an '80% of a car.' *** To break digital addictions, build focus, and build life-changing habits, check out our programs: www.habitstrong.com To build a focused and good life — I share ideas and 'how-to guides' here: https://lnkd.in/gVfBTQsH
Thats a great nugget Rajan Singh. To avoid distraction of messages, emails(while doing the work), I just keep my phone on focus mode so that I don't get poked by the notifications and I can focus on task that really matters.
Pomodoro technique
On the one hand, advances in AI are causing robots to become more human-like. On the other hand, people are becoming robots because there are so many things to accomplish. Irony!
10/10. I use the Eisenhower Matrix to list tasks for the day. Every important thing has to get done before 1 PM when meetings start!
Great approach, Rajan! Prioritization and focus are indeed the key ingredients for productivity. Staying focused and ruthlessly cutting out distractions is nonnegotiable.
Sir eagerly waiting to enroll on your program on anxiety.
Such great advice!!
Thankyou very much Rajan sir
Exactly my day yesterday! What helped is a self-imposed “no meeting Wednesday” to get it all done.
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1yAny task you pick up should feel doable, if it is t then it will simply create overwhelm which ins the no.1 reason for procrastination