To complete your goals, milestones, projects or tasks faster; focus on 1 thing at a time. Do not try and multi-task. Our brains can’t handle that many things in parallel, they can only think of one thought at a time. If you’re waterskiing, you’re probably not thinking about what you’re going to eat for dinner. You need to focus on staying upright and on those skis.
The more effort you dedicate to the task at hand the more likely you will complete it successfully and in a timely manner. Thinking about several things or switching between them wastes valuable cycles. It takes time for you to gather the relevant information for any project into your brain. If you were a computer technician and you were working on upgrading a program you would be reading through lines of code to determine your next move. If you were interrupted by someone else to work on another program it would take you time to assess this code and then you would most likely have to start all over again with your initial program.
It’s important not to waste brain cycles on switching back and forth between projects if you can avoid it. Focus on one project at a time if possible. My recommendation is to stick to a schedule. Dedicate an N number of resources and try to stick with it. Discourage others from interrupting (in the politically correct manner) or work in a quiet area if possible.
The one exception to this rule is when searching for work and most job ads require you to multi-task – don’t practice it. It’s more important to let potential employers know that you focus and see tasks through to completion. If you try to take it all on (i.e., email every few minutes, talking to colleagues aimlessly, work on a project, etc.) you will surely fail. Don’t look at email every few minutes – view it 3 times a day maximum and perhaps in the early evening unless your company culture requires you to look at it frequently.
Complete Version 1.0
Sometimes you lack the knowledge, skills or consciousness to achieve your vision, goals or projects. Giving up because you can’t do something perfectly winds up being a bad choice.
Take your project as far as you can go. You can always go back later and take it to the next level. Eighty percent done is better than another missed or failed project. It’s better to complete version 1.0 on time and feel a sense of accomplishment. Put a stake in it and bring projects to fruition. Once version 1.0 of your project is complete you can always re-visit it to make improvements and complete version 2.0.
Individuals also have a tendency of getting too detail-oriented on any given project – taking much longer than originally anticipated. It’s important to complete projects and tasks on schedule or preferably ahead of schedule.
Accomplishments are addicting. Remember the last time you were proud of yourself for achieving something. What was your mood? Get those feelings back – repeatedly!
