Obstacles Flashcards
Being overwhelmed- when you have so much to do you feel like you’ll never get it all done so you don’t even start.
Focus on one to three of the more important things you can do right now.
Feeling indecisive- you have so many things to do and you don’t know where to start, so you don’t make a decision and you start stagnating in fear.
Pick one action based on whatever information you have available to you and get to work. It’s better to work on something than to stop because of fear or uncertainty.
Email is piled up
Close email and get to work on a more important task- only check it once a day.
No energy- when you have a lack of sleep or low energy you just don’t feel like working on anything.
Give yourself a quick break, but remember to sleep earlier, or just push through it.
Lack of discipline- usually the result of low energy or working in fast mode and not wanting to get slowed down by focusing on something. You don’t do something you said you would.
I try to find a more specific problem rather than just diagnosing myself with a lack of discipline- am I tired, in fast mode, no longer inspired by the project?
Task switching- being in fast mode means constantly changing between different types of tasks.
Take a break. Clear everything, and focus on only having one window.
Getting little things done- we feel productive when we’re getting a lot of little things done (emails, calls, errands, etc). We avoid the important things but let ourselves feel productive.
I pick the top one to three important tasks. Ask yourself, “Am I working on it?” If not, you are not being productive.
Tasks seem too big-
The answer, of course, is to break it into smaller bites. Although, we rarely do this.
We’re afraid we’ll fail- there is so much to do we feel worried that we won’t be able to do it all.
If you have a lot to do, don’t waste time on worrying. Clear everything, make a list of one to three items and start working. Make another list.
Online distractions- going to your favorite site can end of losing you an hour or two.
Solution- use airplane or do not disturb mode while you work, silence or turn off your phone, only have one thing on your screen, and stick with one project until you finish it.
