It’s easy to get distracted and end up doing busywork instead of focusing on what we get paid for, or what will move our freelance business forward.
After reading “Getting things done” and working with a business coach, I’ve come up with a simple review that I can do weekly or monthly. Using this I can see what’s working and what isn’t, and choose a focus for the next period. Whether that’s finishing my book, working on the rebrand for the web design business or wrapping up a large client project, being clear about my focus helps me prioritise my time and say no to things that don’t move me closer to my goal.
As Marla Cummins says:
Productivity is doing what is essential (important) to you — engaging in activities that bring meaning to your life.
Realising this was a revelation for me – productivity isn’t just getting more things done, but spending my days doing meaningful tasks. It sometimes takes some soul searching to work out what that looks like – and I find these review questions very helpful.
As I spend so much time on screen I sometimes print these out and fill them in by hand to prevent my handwriting skills disappearing completely, but the questions work just as well in a journalling app or private blog like wordpress.com
The focus question is deliberately short – in my experience if I focus on too many things, then I end up without a focus.