Hi there 🙂
Maybe you’re relaxing today 🙂
I am – and while I was outside in the sun this morning (it was AWESOME!) I read a chapter of this book and it inspired me.
This chapter contained a lot that was relevant for us marketers.
Because if you’re anywhere near me, then you want to do it all at once: Everything, writing books, writing blog posts, creating that cover, setting up a new product, networking on LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+.
Oh, wait… The problem isn’t that we WANT to do all that at once.
The problem is that we feel we NEED to do all that at once.
But my book said something else. It said…
Why?
If doing one task is good, isn’t multitasking better, then?
The book gave several examples of non-successful people who were multitasking and successful people who focused at one task at a time.
Just like only one grain at a time can pass through the thin neck of an hour glass.
This can help you.
You CANNOT do several things at a time and do it well. You need to pick one out, the most important, or the most fun, or the easiest… Pick one, and do that.
Then move on to the next.
One Grain at a Time.
Time yourself. Use Toggl to see how many hours you’re working per week, and how much you get done.
Then time yourself after you focus on only one thing at a time.
Earlier, I checked mail every five minutes or so. Every time I was even remotely bored or had to think about a question.
Fetch mail – skim subjects – skim mails – postpone replies and deleting spam for later.
This might not surprise you, but I ended up with around 40,000 mails in my inbox.
Now? When I check mail, that’s the only thing I’m focused on. I delete spam. I read mails. I skim or skip the ones that don’t interest me. And I reply to mails. Well, at least the ones I can answer quickly.
Result? Empty inbox 🙂
And I spend much less time on mail now than earlier.
Speaking of time…
I won’t take up more of yours today.
Have a great day,
P.S. Try the grain method on one thing today. Just one. And see how it works for you.