DIY

Sometimes it’s easier to just do something yourself than to worry if the thing got done at all or was done right.

These are two advantages to doing something yourself.

What about the advantages of delegating to those who report to you?

• Empowerment of the person you delegated to

• Input from another person on (doing this thing) that may offer a different perspective

• Respect and improved relationship of the person you delegated to

• Stronger and more diverse skilled team members

• Future peace of mind for when you really need to rely on someone else

• More time for you to do all your other things

When was the last time you delegated?

Managing time verses productivity

I like to talk about time manage- ment because it's a phrase that I grew up with in my corporate career. But let's be straight:

Just as 2+ 1 does not equal 4,

Managing Time does not equal Productivity.

I'm not saying you won't get a lot of things done by understanding all the things you want to do, all the things you're getting paid to do, then breaking down those projects into actionable tasks. you could be super busy doing all those tasks and more having lots of 'checks' in your planner.

By working and even finishing tasks that don't get you closer to reaching your goals - work or personal, you'll find yourself perhaps more stressed and feeling like you don't have enough time in the day because what you are working on isn't in harmony with what you ultimately want to do. Perhaps what you choose to do everyday (even following your to-do list) isn't getting you any closer to the end of your project.

Huh?

If you're not working on the right stuff (- on what's important to you -) deep down you know it. Deep down you know what you should be working on. This knowledge you carry deep down inside of you is screaming for attention and this is causing you stress.

Important tasks support both your values and your goals. These goals could be work related and assigned. These goals could be personal ventures. The same rules apply.

UNDERSTAND.
Understand the big picture of what you're trying to achieve. From this you can define the path to get there: what needs to happen, who you will work with, how to do it, and what you don't know.

Understand what it is you really want to achieve. We have a lot of ideas in business and it is all our job to ensure that what we do supports the corporate vision. Has your project deviated? Perhaps it's time to stop - or redine the corporate direction. Is the corporation you?

FOCUS.
Focus on showing up for yourself. If you've gone to the trouble of understanding how your direction supports the project that supports the vision of the company and you know how to get there, what are you doing continuing research for that old project this morning - or worse, checking your email and twitter accounts 25 times a day? (go ahead, track how many times per day you look - it may surprise you)

The constant review of your plan and important tasks you've assigned yourself each day will remind you how you can be best productive. You will work on your important stuff.

You can always procrastinate tomorrow.

KEEP MOVING.
Rarely do I start a project where I know everything about what I need to do and the technology required.

What do you do when you don't know?

Building momentum for yourself is equally important as building and maintaining momentum for a team. Momentum inspires, energizes, and creates believers. Sometimes it's necessary to make a decision when all the information isn't present. To quote an old manager, you "reserve the right to get smarter." There will always be things you don't know. Building time into your schedule and planning to learn may help remove your personal "this road ends" signs.

Show up for yourself. Cherish your day. Do More.

Extra: I like the way Dr. Manlowe talks about TIME in her recent article. She also echoes the assignment by the book, The Artist's Way by recommending writing every morning to both clear your head and align your vision with your day's agenda. I do this as both a writer and an engineer. It works.

Image credit, Jeff Morrison. Symbol # indicating 'does not equal' used as blogspot.com does not recognize input of actual symbol 9April2009

What will you do today?

"Wait a minute and I'll get back to you after I check my to-do list..

If only it were that easy or if only someone would create our daily action lists for us breaking down our deliverables into actionable tasks aligning them with not only the best time to tackle them but what's more important. We get paid big bucks to deliver what we’re assigned. We usually know what to do and how to go about. Sometimes we get distracted by all there is to do.

One might consider their to-do list to be all the things that they have to get done.

Every thing.

Personally, I think that’s a really big list. I’m all for listing everything you’d like to accomplish, but to be effective, I suggest doing a little more personal strategic thinking to understand which tasks are dependent upon others and what items are more important than others.

You might have twelve weeks to complete a project with many of your daily tasks tied to each other. You certainly wouldn’t list all of these in your Monday planner; you’d space them out allowing time for meetings, suppliers to get back with you, and for your own personal brainiac time.

You likely have two to five projects and they are all at different stages. You likely have other tasks due unrelated to these projects.

What do you work on?

I remember being given a very tricky choice by my first employer when I was eighteen. They asked if I wanted to be paid hourly or on a weekly salary. My first thought was to jump at the hourly rate thinking that would pay out better in the long run. The guy countered that I was probably so efficient that I wouldn’t need more than forty hours. Since then it has gotten me thinking that if I could be so efficient to be able to leave the office for the week when my work was done, wouldn’t that counter those other weeks when heavy workloads required longer work hours?

When you go on vacation and leave say.. on a Thursday, isn’t it true that you get done that short week what might have taken you five days if you hadn’t planned the time off?

With some companies shortening work weeks to save on salary payouts and energy costs, do you think the work volume has changed? If anything some of those same companies have experienced layoffs and those left behind in the office have a heavier workload.

You will get done what you have to do in the time you are allowed.

You will get done what you have to do in the time you are allowed. So, my question to you is:

What would you do with more time?

My message to you is this: Consider what is imperative to get done this week to move your projects forward and do those tasks early – like by Wednesday afternoon. Use the rest of the week to be creative, start another project, or simply have more personal time.