Tag: Organization

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What’s Your One Thing?

Everything isn’t a priority.

Repeat that phrase. Out loud.

“Everything isn’t a priority.”

When you allow your task list to continue to grow, eventually you begin to feel overwhelmed. Once you feel overwhelmed, you end up getting stuck.

“Where do I start?”

When you don’t have an answer to that question, you end up not starting at all. You get paralyzed. Stuck.

Are you nodding your head in frustrated agreement right now because I just summarized your current state?

The best way to overcome it, is to figure out The One Thing.

What’s the MOST important thing you need to be doing right now? No… for the record… they aren’t ALL important!

Pick the one thing.

Take the first step.

Task lists can be great tools when they’re used properly. That includes prioritizing them.

Everything isn’t a priority.#vopreneur
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What’s Your One Thing?

What NEEDS to be done and what you’d like to do aren’t always the same thing.

Do what NEEDS to be done.

What is it?

  • Finding some new leads?
  • Sending some follow up emails?
  • Making a few marketing touches on social media?
  • Chasing down a couple of invoices?
  • Finally booking a session with that performance coach?
  • Reaching out to those past clients?
  • Writing and mailing a couple postcards?
  • Posting that new demo on your website?
  • Getting that website built?

One of the reasons I’m able to stay so productive is because I know what’s important and what isn’t. I plan out my week for success by choosing just a few goals that will get accomplished and not worrying about the rest.

Prioritize and take action.

Even small action.

Any action is better than no action.

Yes… you’ve got a million things that need to get done. They don’t all need to get done today.

Figure out your one thing and get started. Deal with the rest tomorrow.

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Are You Over-Loading Your To Do List?

As much as possible, I try and be intentional with my time. Something I teach, particularly when it comes to marketing, is to schedule time in your day for it and guard that time with your life. Nothing short of a natural disaster or some other type of major emergency should keep you from that time each day.

Being organized is something else I teach, and often talk about how I use software like Nimble to help me stay organized. It keeps my database sorted out. It reminds me when it’s time to reach out to keep. It helps me keep track of what I’ve got going on with regards to auditions and projects.

Obviously, I also use tools like Apple Calendar and Reminders for helping me stay on top of my week.

Are You Over-Loading Your To Do List?

Once upon a time, I used to be a huge fan of throwing as many items into my Reminders app as possible for each day. I felt like it was a way of keeping me accountable to getting done what needed to be done. It also gave me the opportunity to celebrate small victories through the day as I would check off each item.

While there’s a certain level of logic that thought process, there was also an expected consequence.

It made me feel overwhelmed.

Waking up in the morning to 20, 30 and even more To-Do’s had me feeling nearly defeated before the day even got started. “How will I get all of this stuff done today,” I’d ask myself?

Then, when I didn’t get it all done, I’d be discouraged. That’s not good either!

Productivity won’t ride on the heels of discouragement, stress or defeat!

To solve this problem, I had to get much more selective and intentional about what tasks actually made the list each day/week.

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” Sunday night at my local coffee shop with my journal and my laptop, working on my goals for the upcoming week.

A New Way To Do “To Do”

My new strategy involves setting about 3-5 weekly goals for myself. Some of them are specific to my week. Some of them may be part of larger monthly or yearly goals for my voice over business, that require being broken down into bite sized chunks.

My task list is then made up based on those 3-5 goals.

This has been a huge win for me. I’m still getting things done. I can still cross items off daily, that give me those small wins for motivation. I’m nowhere near as bogged down with an overloaded list. All the while, I’m also working towards important goals that matter.

Success doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by planning and this might be just the approach you need to take for your voice over business.

Your Challenge For The Week

Think of three things you want to accomplish this week. Break those three goals down into action items for a daily task list. Work away at them one by one, while also keeping focussed on the overall achievement you’re aiming for.

You might surprise yourself with how this can improve not only you results, but your attitude and drive as well!

Thanks for sharing this post from Marc Scott's Voice Over Blog.