Get Things Done: 3 Tips to Help You Take Action
Do you procrastinate starting a legal nurse consulting report? It can be tempting to put things off by waiting for something to happen, or letting someone else start the process, but this is really a lack of taking responsibility. The reality is that the longer you put off starting your report off, the less likely it will be done successfully. It becomes more difficult to start and more difficult to complete the report, and the legal nurse consulting report looms larger and larger as time goes on and the deadline approaches.
How many times have you finished something and said, “That wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be”?
3 Tips for how to get things done
Beginning a task can be the hardest part for a procrastinator. These suggestions can help you get started and continue working on your tasks until you complete them.
1. Set alarms – Use alarms to remind yourself of your next appointment, things that need to get done, places you need to be, reports you need to work on, etc. Using alarms is especially helpful if you spend any time on social media. When the alarm goes off, your time is up. Otherwise you can lose a whole day reading what your friends did last night.
An alarm going off signals to your brain it is time to stop what you are doing and either take a break or start something different.
2. Use a timer – A timer can be used similar to alarms. I use timers when I am on client calls. They get 50 minutes on the call and then the final 10 minutes are used for me to follow up with tasks I promised, make notes, etc. By letting them know I am using a timer, it also helps keep them on track and know that my time is limited. It also sets a good example for them to follow to manage their own time.
When I am working on a project or task I use the timer for 25 minutes and then take a 5 minute break to stretch my legs and clear my mind.
It is also helpful to tell yourself, I only have to work on this report for a set amount of time. I don’t have to complete it or work longer. I get to stop at a certain time regardless of how much is finished. This change in mindset helps with the overwhelmed feeling and makes it easier to get started.
3. Use a calendar and schedule “To Do” items. – I don’t just schedule my appointments and client calls. I schedule things I need “to do” – everything from sending a card to scheduling a vacation, to a trip to the dentist. I schedule work on specific reports, time to handle billing clients, pay my own business bills, delegate work, etc. Everything goes on my calendar.
The only way you can be sure you will have time to do what is important is to put it on the calendar. By putting it in writing on your schedule you are making time to complete it.
So take action! Use the above tips and see what happens. I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the progress you will make. You will also be amazed at how much less stressed you feel.
Dubbed ‘Queen of Accountability’ by her clients, Debbie O’Grady is a thought leader and mentor on leveraging accountability to achieve successful outcomes. She is the visionary founder of The Accountability Squad. Debbie has seen firsthand how people’s lives are changed when they accomplish their goals. She is a business coach with over 20 years’ experience as a project manager in Corporate America.
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