Filling Smaller Glasses – The Reality of Getting More Done.
I spent the week in San Francisco with my mastermind group. The days were long and a bit grueling, but it was worth it. I learned so much that was my head was literally spinning by the end of every 10-hour day. Long days doing strategy with my colleagues meant that I wasn’t able to get as much done in the office. And to top it off, I’ve committed to doing the Insanity exercise program – which is a 45-minute exercise routine that you do every day for 60 days. So I was left with how to fit my daily tasks into an even smaller container.
I started to realize that spending time is just like pouring water into a glass. When you pour water into a glass it always fills the container to the edges. If you get a bigger container the water still fills the shape. It’s like that with tasks. If you give yourself an hour to write a newsletter, you’ll spend an hour. If you give yourself 30 minutes, it will take 30 minutes. Your time limit is the container, and you decide how to fill it.
So I decided to give myself smaller glasses. I gave myself 30 minutes to write my newsletter. I spent an hour writing the copy for a new class and I was very strict with keeping to my time limits. Low and behold four things started to emerge from my experiment:
1. I worked with focus and determination and I stopped second-guessing and doubting myself in the process. I just got-er-done.
2. I finished tasks days before my deadlines so that it gave me time to review things 3 and 4 times before I had to finish them.
3. I checked more things off my to-do list.
4. I had more time to do things outside of my business – like cook, workout and spend time with friends.
How can you create smaller glasses in your own life? What tasks are you allowing yourself to work on for hours that could be pared back and put under a time limit? Here is an example of how to implement with e-mails:
1. Pick a task, such as getting through a day of e-mail.
2. Set a kitchen timer for 30 minutes (or your iphone).
3. Focus on doing 3 things: delegate your e-mails to others for tasks, delete your e-mail, or respond to an e-mail if it takes under five minutes. If it takes longer than five minutes move it to a respond to folder (which you’ll respond to in a separate 30 minute glass).
4. Focus and clear that inbox with the aim to get it done in 30 minutes.
5. At the end of the 30 minutes, evaluate how long it took and if you need more or less than 30 minutes in the future.
6. Celebrate getting something done without distraction!
7. Give yourself a 10-15 minute break to do something else and then focus on your next task for 30 or 45 minutes.
You see, it’s not so hard. But it does take some training to stay focused for the short spurts of time. At first, it may be easier to stop and go and check e-mail and social media in between because that is your habit. But if you just keep at it, you’ll find that you get more done in less time with so much less effort. I know that it has already begun to transform my business. Let me know how it’s going for you – leave me a comment below.
