Why You Aren’t Getting Anything Done
No matter who you are, you probably feel behind on something. Before we get into practical ways to catch up, let’s determine if you need to.
We often feel behind because we’ve made up false rules or expectations. Or, we’ve created a list and aren’t taking the time to reflect and realize that if something has been on the list for several weeks and we haven’t done it, cross it off and call it done.
Before you read any further, take a few minutes to reflect. Are you behind? If so, according to whom? And does that matter?
If you answer no to all of the above, congratulations; not only are you not behind, but you can also stop reading now and learn something else. If, instead, you’re still pretty sure that you’re behind, keep reading.
What if you’re behind on assignments (school or work)?
You need to catch up on assignments or projects, and you don’t have control over the scope of the work or the due date. This is a familiar feeling if you’re a student of any age or if you do any project-based work.
The bad news is that if you need to catch up, I can share no magic formula to help you catch up. The good news is that there are many practical and actionable things that you can do to make progress to getting back on track.
Set a timer
You probably prefer to avoid getting started because the project or assignment feels too hard or because you’ve determined that it will take ten hours to finish, and you know you don’t have ten hours. Getting started is often the biggest hurdle to getting things done. Set a timer for 15 minutes and focus on that project for 15 minutes to see how far you can get. When the timer goes off, challenge yourself to go a bit longer, or pat yourself on the back and set a timer for 20 minutes tomorrow. Continue to see if you can extend the time.
Example: I wanted to write this post for you, and I kept putting it off because I have a lot of things to do, and this is a self-imposed project and deadline. Finally, I decided to set a timer for 15 minutes and see how much I could write. It turns out, pretty much. I just needed to get started and get past the blank page.
Do what matters most.
Of all of the things that you think you need to do today, tomorrow, or this week, you need to be honest about what matters most and do that first. Notice, I’m not asking you what seems the most fun or what you want to do; I’m asking you to determine what matters.
Key Indicators:
- It’s due this week
- It’s going to take more than 15 minutes to complete
- There are negative consequences if you don’t complete it on time
- It’s an external deadline
Ask for help
Likely, you don’t need to do the project or assignment yourself; reflect on what kind of help you can ask for and who you might ask, then do it.
- Can you ask your teacher for more instructions or support materials?
- Let go of perfection
- Can you work on the project with some classmates?
- Can you ask a family member to hold you accountable and keep you focused until you complete the work?
Work project:
- Ask your manager or project leader for additional support.
- Ask a co-worker if they can help you for 15-30 minutes.
- Ask a friend if they’ll talk the project through with you and then help hold you accountable for completing it.
Personal:
- Ask a family member or friend if they know anyone that they can connect you with to help you understand the next steps.
- Spend 15 minutes doing a google search to see if you can find answers or resources related to your project.
- Send a note to someone on social media who could give you quick and easy support.
Determine what matters:
You might have things on your list that distract you or make you feel behind that don’t matter or don’t need to be done now. Reflect on what those are, and cross them off of your list.
Examples:
- making the bed
- watching the newest episode of your favorite show
- an assignment that you don’t need to submit
- making dinner
- checking or posting on social media
What if you’re behind on personal goals or projects?
This could include finishing a home improvement project, publishing your first book, or getting in shape. Individual projects often don’t come with external deadlines, making them easier to delay and ignore.
Make a public commitment:
Most of the time, social media is distracting, but it can be a great tool to help you commit to your personal goals. Make a post on social media declaring what you will do and when you will do it.
Make a plan:
Declaring that you’re going to write your first book, renovate your house, or start a new coaching business isn’t going to go very far if you’re not honest about all the steps that go into the projects.
We often don’t finish large projects because they’re overwhelmed when we look at them as a whole. Break your goal into small manageable tasks. I define a task as small and painless if it’s something you can put on your to-do list for Monday and finish on Monday. When you’re getting started, you need momentum and catch yourself easily if you’re going off track or falling too far behind your goal.
For example, selling 300 books isn’t a small and manageable task; I don’t know how to do that in one day. Instead, I might write one blog post promoting The Weaving Book, publish it, post it on Pinterest, send it in an email, and track how many sales that generates.
I’ve given you some practical planning advice, and the truth is, you may have already tried many of those things and still need to progress toward your goals. That means that it’s not a planning problem.
Why are you still not making progress toward your goals or deadlines?
Before you answer, let me tell you something, it’s not a lack of time. Well, maybe a little, but that can’t be your answer. If you want to argue that it’s a lack of time, it’s more likely about how you choose to use your time, and you’re going to have to get honest with yourself about what you want to let go of to get what you want, and I mean what you REALLY want.
Are you afraid of failing?
Do you care less about your goal or project than you thought?
Do you need to make your goal or project smaller?
There are a lot of techniques to help you get things done, and they are fine if you can get out of your way.
What’s one thing you will do today that will take you one step closer to your goal or deadline?