Copyright 2005 Kathy Paauw

?The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.?
-Stephen Covey

Managing our time requires tough choices. That means that
sometimes we may have to say NO to important activities in
order to attend to even more important activities that will
enable us to accomplish higher priorities.

When we embark on a journey and we aren't sure how to get
there, we typically jot down travel directions. So why are
we so resistant to jotting down personal or professional
goals or choices that would provide a road map ? or at
least a compass -- for our lives?

I work with a lot of small business owners and
professionals including coaches, consultants, doctors,
lawyers, and CPAs. For those in the service industry, time
IS money. To be profitable in their work, they must learn
to limit their investment of time if there will be a
limited return on that investment.

Of course, money is just one way to measure the returns. A
?return on investment? of time may also yield an
emotionally healthy and well-adjusted child, a deeply
satisfying marriage, or a beautiful garden. The key is to
get clear about what's most important to you, and then
march forth!

Several years ago I was talking with someone at a business
luncheon, and at the end of our conversation he wished me a
happy March Forth. I considered this to be a bit odd at the
time, but I didn't give it much more thought. A couple days
later -- on March 4th -- I received a homemade card from
him. The cover of the card contained a picture of a
beautiful waterfall. The inside of the card read,
"Thunderous and powerful, yet oh so beautiful! May your
power within thunder out, as you march forth and realize
all your dreams. Happy March Fourth ." It wasn't until I
received his card that I caught the literary ploy.

Today, as I think about those words ? march forth! ? I also
think about something my colleague, Harold Taylor, says:
?Major projects will never be finished if they are never
started. The key to getting things done is to get things
started. Pick a date and time and stick to it.? In other
words, march forth!

We offer a tool to help you take inventory of all the
things on your procrastination list. Check out our RAM Dump
at http://www.orgcoach.net/pdf/ram_dump.pdf , which will
help you unload all of the sticky notes from your brain
onto paper, and then provides four choices -- Do, Defer,
Delegate, Dump -- for what to do with it all.

Once you are clear about what you want to DO, you may
benefit from creating some structure to your workday to
keep you focused on what's most important. Take a look at
my sample weekly template if you are looking at how to
create some structure:
http://www.orgcoach.net/weeklyschedule.html

Author and coach, Cheryl Richardson, shares a technique
that has made an enormous difference in both the success of
her company and the quality of her life. Here's the
technique:

In the morning when you start your workday, begin with the
following question: What action do I most want to avoid
doing today?

Once you have an answer to that question, do these two
things:

1. Identify the cause of your resistance. For example, does
the task feel too tedious or difficult to complete? Is it
related to a goal that no longer serves you? Or, are you
simply afraid?

2. If you are convinced that a task is, in fact, important,
take this action right away.

I've always subscribed to the idea of tackling the most
important tasks first. Cheryl Richardson's approach has a
slight twist to it. Instead of asking what is most
important, she suggests that we ask ourselves what we most
want to avoid. By looking at what you most want to avoid,
it will challenge you to consider whether or not the items
on your "to-do" list are truly designed to move you toward
an important goal. It will also keep you focused on the
actions you really need to take rather than all the "busy
work" you may otherwise get caught up in when trying to
avoid something that feels uncomfortable or risky. If you
determine that the task is indeed important, by doing it
first you accelerate your progress.

I'll share a real-life example of how this works. I know
the president of a major company who is looking for a
consultant. I have a friend who does the kind of consulting
work this company is looking for. I told the president
about her, and he expressed interest in talking with her. I
contacted my friend and told her that the president of the
company wanted to talk with her. She had never worked with
a company this size, so she was very nervous about placing
the call. Each time she thought about making the call, she
felt nervous and excited at the same time. She recognized
that this was a task she most wanted to avoid, and she also
knew it was the one task that could be most significant in
terms of moving her closer to her goal. (My friend recently
bought a new car and is very motivated to attract more
consulting work so she can make the car payments.)

Many of us procrastinate around the things that matter most
because of the anxiety they cause. Using this method
requires some vulnerability on your part. There will be, on
occasion, times where you are disappointed with the
outcome. But would you rather waste time doing things that
don't matter, or are you willing to take a risk! Cheryl
Richardson reminds us of this: ?Since there's a good chance
that you'll live through disappointment or rejection, why
not face your fears head on? You have far more to gain than
you ?think' you have to lose!?

Putting first things first, what's the next action you will
take to help you march forth?


About the Author:

Wouldn't you love to stumble upon a secret library of ideas
to help you de-clutter your life so you can focus on what's
most important? Kathy Paauw offers simple, yet powerful
ideas, on how to manage your time, space, and thoughts for
a more productive and fulfilling life. Visit
http://www.orgcoach.net .