Write your vision make it plain. As a project manager, there are some skills that are non-negotiable; a certain level of organization and precision, attention to details etcetera. The list goes on really.
However, a couple of years back going through events of the week, I would find myself wondering what exactly I had accomplished all week even with all of those “skills” I thought I possessed…
With a puzzling frown and creasing brows, I was always pondering over the weekends and yet I always came up blank… Because the answers I was getting from within wasn’t pleasant to my soul.
Other times when I found myself even accomplishing “something”, it’d turn out that even the “something” I was super ecstatic about was barely nothing at all in the hierarchy of priority.
Weeks then turned into months of unproductive records. The phrase “Are you productive or just being busy?” would be quite apt for this scenario coupled with a Nollywood ‘danger’; soundtrack just for emphasis.
Until one day, I got smarter.
I ACTUALLY STARTED WRITING STUFF DOWN
Nope, not mental notes…(The traffic and hustle of life will fling those notes away from your memory). I actually started writing down what I wanted to accomplish on sticky notes OR e-notes.
I ASSIGNED TIME ESTIMATES
Whether it’s 20 minutes or two hours… I put a time-cap on my tasks. This way I could make realistic decisions about how much I could really fit into my day.
I KEPT IT SIMPLE
There’s nothing more depressing than a to-do list that you know you realistically can’t ever get done with. Save the rest for the weekly projects list or the master list!
I MADE IT SPECIFIC
I tried to list specific steps I could take towards my goal. Eg instead of “get a new retainer client,” try writing “Put a call through to Kelly&Sons to try getting a meeting”.
I STARTED TAKING STOCK
Not actual stock like store owners do, more like a mental stock of what I had accomplished and what still needs to be.
Now, I make a new list everyday so the same old items don’t clog up my list. This way I’m sure I get more stuff done in 24 hours and I’m more productive for the better.
These are just some of the tips that have worked for me, you can find out what does work for you too and be on the long and narrow path to greater productivity as well!
About Kelechi
I’m a senior Client Services Executive at Wild Fusion. When I’m not doing all the serious digital marketing stuff, I love travelling, photography, and writing of course.