Tips to Get Things Accomplished
By Sharon Housley

All of us start the day with every intention of completing a variety of tasks,
but unfortunately many of us become distracted as the day moves on. Or even
worse, we are tasked with crisis management, and at the end of the day we find
that we have made little progress in whittling down the day’s planned tasks. As
well intentioned as you may be, it seems to become a routine, and one that far
too many of us fall into.

It is often difficult to shift from being reactive to being proactive. But there
is hope, and you need not resign yourself to an ongoing cycle of diminished
productivity. By taking a few easy steps, you may find that you are able to be
much more productive than before. Try some of these suggestions to help get more
done…

Control
Managing time is all about self-discipline. Focus on the things that you can
control, and do not be overly-concerned with those you can not. Inevitably,
there will be occasions when something unexpected occurs that will interrupt
your plans and disrupt your scheduled routine. The idea is to keep the
interruptions to a minimum, and become proactive rather than reactive.

Reduce Distractions
Minimize the distractions in your workspace. Create a work environment where you
can easily and quickly locate items that you need. Remove any clutter and
distractions that might hamper your productivity.

Small Projects
Break large projects into smaller, more manageable parts. When faced with a
large task, it is very easy to become overwhelmed and not know where to start.
By breaking larger jobs down into multiple smaller tasks, they become easier to
complete, and you can define a starting point and an ending point. And by doing
just one smaller part at a time, it will make tackling the whole project and
moving through any issues much easier.

Keep It Manageable
Keep your expectations realistic. Feeling good about what you have accomplished
will often motivate you to work harder and do more. But if you create
unrealistic goals to begin with, you are bound to be disappointed by your
progress, and you will find yourself demotivated. Well managed expectations will
increase your productivity.

Do Not Procrastinate
Do not put off tasks that are meant to be completed right away. Procrastination
seems to be an unwanted yet instinctive trait in many people. People often put
more energy into avoiding a task than the energy it would take to just complete
the task itself.

Done Is Good Enough
Believe it or not, being a perfectionist can significantly hamper productivity.
Sometimes you need to take a step back and realize that there are times when
perfection isn’t necessary, and simply being “done” is good enough.

With a few minor changes in your routines, you may find ways to improve your
daily schedule and increase your productivity.

About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll
software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition
Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll
audio recording and editing software.