My top 3 : three things that are making me WAY more productive this year

My+top+three+of+2018.png

As we are just over a month into the new year, I wanted to share 3 things I discovered last year that made a huge impact on me. I’m continuing to carry these things into 2019 and finding myself to be WAY more productive!

1.) NOT checking email first thing in the morning

This has been huge for me. Previously, I’d check my email while still in bed. I’d jolt into to-do mode before I even gave myself 3 minutes to wake up. Now, my phone lives across the room at night so I can’t reach for it first thing. After lots of trial and error, I’ve learned I need to give myself 1 ½ hours in the morning BEFORE I check my email to have the most productive day. This allows me to wake up and plan my day focusing on MY most important tasks instead of starting my day reacting to other people’s emails. After months of NOT checking my email first thing, I’m less scattered, more focused and productive.

2.) “The 5 Second Rule to Change Your Life with Mel Robbins” on the School of Greatness Podcast with Lewis Howes

I often overthink, which severely inhibits my ability to get started and tackle things out of my comfort zone. Mel concocted a simple method to ward off hesitancy - count down from 5 in your head and then JUST DO THE THING. Sounds trivial, but it’s more than counting. Mel points out some important things:

  • We all have thinking patterns that are habits (hesitancy, over thinking, fears, procrastination).

  • We are able to CHANGE thinking patterns by interrupting and training our brains to shift self sabotaging, destructive behavior.

  • By changing thinking patterns, we build confidence in our ability to tackle difficult tasks.

This method has helped me recognize when I AM overthinking and remind me to JUST DO. If you’re skeptical about Mel’s method, know that I was too. I encourage you to watch - you may be surprised!

3.) “Done is better than perfect.” - Brene Brown

This is not a new quote, but one that I needed to hear repeatedly in 2018. I’m a perfectionist and often get stuck on the last 10% of something being perfect. Remembering this quote helped me take the final push and get things DONE!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you find these strategies helpful! What habits are you carrying into 2019 that are helping you get more done?

mindset, time management, email managementMKI Artists