We all know the challenge: we have something important on the ‘to do’ list but we don’t get it done. It hangs over us.  We worry about it. We set time aside to crack it but those hours come and go and we seem to have filled them with other things.

Try this to break that pattern: 

– focus on the one thing that you really need to get done. Force yourself to prioritise and be ruthless about rescheduling everything else to fit around that.

– energise yourself by meeting with the right people. Involving others in the thinking is a great way to get your mind moving. The right people are those that can contribute the necessary perspectives and constructive ideas.

– find the right space to work in for the bits you need to do by yourself (hint: it might not be the office nor home – try a cafe, the botanic gardens, a walk).

– shut off (or switch off) the activities that distract and fill the time. Email is the worst. At its best, the mind gets into a flow, as when you are effortlessly doing something you enjoy like gardening, crosswords or playing music (and the hours fly by). You need to give it some time to get into this.

Got something important to do? Why not get it done this week?

Tags: behaviour, thinking, working life