All Good Intentions
As disciplined as we believe we are in completing tasks, we all sometimes find ourselves going off piste!
You set your task list for the day, but somehow distractions creep in. Suddenly, your good intentions fly out the window.
Even as a virtual assistant, I recognise the need to stay focused on completing important tasks. I know I must prioritise the activities that move my business forward, rather than chipping away at small, less impactful things and leaving key tasks unfinished.
It's The Pesky Little Tasks
It’s the pesky little tasks that get in the way and eat up your entire day if you let them.
A quick task easily turns into hours of wasted time! Without discipline, just a couple of these minor tasks can zap hours of your day, leaving you with nothing accomplished.
The other day, I was looking for a form I’d filed away – something simple that I thought would help a friend. All I had to do was find it, email it to her, and the job would be done. But did that happen? Of course not! I got distracted.
I ended up looking through other documents I’d filed and started researching ways to improve them.
Before I knew it, a couple of hours had slipped by, and I was well behind on my task list for the day. I’m also guilty of thinking, “I’ll just read this email quickly before I start,” and suddenly, 50 messages later…
You get the gist, and I’m sure you know exactly what I mean. You have one website to check, and before you know it, you’re surfing the web. Another hour has vanished.
That one small task you meant to do ends up pulling you away from what you’re working on. Suddenly, your day is disappearing before your eyes!
“Little tasks aren’t always so little… and small distractions can disrupt your entire day.”
So, how can you stop these small distractions from taking up all your time?
5 Top Tips To Keep You On Track
Here are 5 Tips to Prevent The Small Tasks from Upsetting Your Daily Plans:
1. Make Sure You Do The Important Stuff First – prioritising your work is key to getting things done.
2. Only Do One Task At A Time – stick with your task until it’s finished otherwise you’ll end up with lots of things started but nothing actually gets done!
3. Stick to Your Task List – following your ‘to do’ list keeps you on track and ensures you carry out the tasks you intended to do without going off piste
4. Clear Your Work Area – working in a clean area helps keep your mind free from thinking about other things and distracting you. Think ‘out of sight out of mind’.
5. Remove Distractions – turn off all notifications on your phone and your laptop. Close your email down. Put your phone in a drawer so you aren’t tempted to check it!!
All the small tasks do need doing but they’ll still be on your list when you’ve tackled and finished that big task. Following the above tips will help you get the important stuff done!
Another helpful strategy is to focus on 3 key tasks each week that will move your business forward. Prioritise what will directly impact your bottom line. Stick to those big, important tasks – the little ones can wait until you’re finished.
So, how do you stay on track and avoid going off piste? How do you stop the small things from disrupting your day?
If you still struggle to complete the important tasks, get in touch. Let me take care of those everyday “got to do” tasks so you can focus on what matters most.
Email: jules@purplevioletva.com
Purple Violet – “giving you time to focus on the important stuff”
