Here are the only 2 productivity tips I've kept over the years and use on a daily basis. Two sure-fire ways of keeping the focus on what's essential, without piling on the "little things".
(I'll cut to the chase when it comes to clarifying what calls you to an activity that makes sense to you. This will be the subject of another publication).
You've clearly identified what you need to do. Now it's a matter of making sure you stay focused and keep moving in that direction every day.
Here are 2 tips to make sure you do:
1) The 3 things method
At the end of each day, identify and write down the 3 most important things to do on your next working day. When the time comes, do them. Well done. 👏
The rest is a bonus. 🎉
If you then try new things and spread yourself too thin, that's OK. If you have urgent things to do, that's OK. If you're interrupted, it's OK. You've already done what you needed to do to make your working day a success. Do it again for the next day.
2) The 2-minute rule
If an action takes less than 2 minutes to complete, do it immediately. Don't write it down: writing it down and coming back to it later will take you longer than doing it right away.
(This is a tip from the GTD method - Getting Things Done).
Ready to try out these 2 tips combined for a few weeks and see the changes? What are your own tips for staying the course and moving forward each day without spreading yourself too thin?