It’s the beginning of the month and some awesome new opportunities have fallen into your lap! The tasks at hand seem absolutely doable, and you’re feeling motivated and optimistic and inspired!
Just as you’re winding up to dig in, an unexpected steaming pile of crises gets dumped onto your plate by your biggest client creating days of additional work. The feeling of inspiration from a moment ago is a hundred miles away–and a sense of hopelessness is consuming you. Your best time management skills are of no use at this moment, (or so it seems) as the plethora of tasks you’re facing could only be tackled in a science fiction movie in which cloning yourself is a viable option. Overwhelmed and defeated, you ponder your top-o’the month to-do list (that just doubled before your eyes) and you wonder, “Where do I BEGIN to sort this out?”
Here is an easy, step-by-step exercise that can help you quickly pinpoint your priorities and develop an action plan–and it only takes 20 minutes. (I’ve made a template you can use as a worksheet at the bottom of the article.)
Step 1
Get a sheet of paper and at the top, answer this question:
“If I was writing a short story about my life at work this month, what would I call it?”
Here are some examples. Have fun and write your own!
- Runaway garbage truck flies off cliff!
- Livin’ the dream! Can’t let it stop!
- Conflict, debate…and more conflict!
- Gotta make more money…NOW!
- Its new, its scary…and its awesome!
Step 2
Ask yourself: “What actions, within my control, or circumstances beyond my control, helped create this situation?” Write down as many factors as you can identify, and be sure to separate the two categories: (Place an asterisk * next to the factors that are within your control.)
Step 3
Flip the page over and write down every possible creative action you can take to improve this situation AND stay on track with the projects and opportunities you already have in motion.
Step 4
Choose at least 3 things from that list you can realistically implement this month, and write them down.
Step 5
For each of the 3 items, identify what might possibly slow you down or get in your way.
Step 6
List 5 solutions and resources that will address your challenges.
And that’s it! Now you know what you should be working on this month!
I have used this exercise countless times and it’s amazing how easy it is to implement. If you work with a team, it’s fun to give them the exercise to do privately, and then share their individual approaches in a group meeting; you get a wide variety of the BEST creative ideas!
Here’s a template for you to use as a worksheet:
1) Title of short story about your life at work this month
2) What actions within your control* or circumstances beyond your control, helped create this situation? *Put an asterisk next to the ones that were/are within your control.
(Flip the page)
3) What can I do to improve the situation AND stay on track with the things I already have in motion?
4) What are 3 things from the above list I can realistically implement this month?
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5) What might slow me down or get in the way for EACH of the above items?
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b)
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c)
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6) List five solutions or resources that address the challenges listed above
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Here’s my plan:
Give this exercise a whirl and see what you can knock out by the end of the month!
