Yesterday, in Improve Your Productivity Part 1, you wrote down specific action items for a goal/project.
Today, dedicate a set amount of time to work on a task, say 25 minutes.
(If you can’t do it today, commit to a time later this week.)
Define your goals for that 25 minutes, set a timer, and go!
After 25 minutes, take a break and evaluate your progress.
If you’re feeling motivated, check out pomodorotechnique.com for an entire organization dedicated to this technique!
(We’ll call it the pomodoro technique–a pomodoro, Italian for tomato, is a nickname for a kitchen timer.) Be sure to read the Pomodoro Cheat Sheet, and if you’re really motivated, this 37 page pdf on the pomodoro technique.
I accomplished something that I have wanted to do but wasn’t sure how to tackle it. I went thru the phonebook yellow pages under salvage and recycling and the very first # I called put me in touch with the right people who came over and did the entire job for nothing because I told them if they were able to do this for me that they could have all the money they were paid for the metals, iron, etc. They were happy to get the money and I was happy to get this job over with. They also put my mailbox up in another place for me that looked much nicer and I am very pleased. If at first you don’t succeed, then try, try again. My very first try got the job done and I am very proud of myself because all of my choices I have to make are made alone and that can be very intimidating.
Mary, this is wonderful! You must feel great about what you accomplished! And you make a very good point–you’re proud of yourself. Setting goals and following through creates a sense of accomplishment and well being. These feelings tend to snowball as you build confidence and become more productive. All this improves your mood and insulates you against depression. Keep it up, Mary!