Get a System

Domain: Execution - Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

How many times have you had a to-do item pop in your head and wondered whether you will actually remember to do it? Or when it's going to get done against all your other priorities? Maybe you're even wondering what else you're forgetting that hasn't chosen to just pop-in your head in that moment.

It's not news that we have more information and requests coming to us than ever. This leads to ever growing to do lists at work, at home, for ourselves and for our families.

The inevitable result is burnout.

The problem of too much information is one that is hard to control. What we can control is what we do with that information and how we choose to respond.

A good productivity system doesn't just keep you organized but also allows you to focus most of your energy on just your top priorities. This becomes even more critical as you expand your leadership and take-on more challenging responsibilities.

The most important rule of finding a great productivity system is finding one that works for your individual preferences and style. A lot of productivity experts will claim their system or method as the most effective.

And it probably is…for them.

The fact is, what works well for them may not work well for you. We all have different ways of thinking about the world, organizing our thoughts and turning those thoughts into actions.

The system that allows you to get the most important work done with the least amount of friction is the one that is right for you.

Instead of recommending that you adopt one specific system, I'm going to suggest some common components to look for in any system you are considering.

Capture

The main purpose of having a productivity system is so that you're not wasting so much of your brain's processing power on tracking all of the things that need to be done. The less energy you give to tracking, the more bandwidth you have for creativity, problem solving and strategic thinking.

So the first element you want in your system is a way to capture inputs. These can be ideas, tasks, projects, etc. You'll want to be mindful that these inputs can and will come from everywhere: your boss, emails, texts, your team, physical documents, meetings, your own ideas, market shifts, innovation, etc.

Your method for capturing should be as through as possible so that you're minimizing the amount of brain space you're using on remembering administrative things.

Organize

If you are thorough about this, you'll end-up with more inputs than you know what to do with. That seems counter-productive, but it also serves as a great reminder of all the processing power you were expending keeping those things in your head.

So the next component is a method for quickly and intuitively organizing all of these inputs. Depending on the system, you might be organizing by project, context, category of task or more. My advice here is to not over-engineer the organization. This is meant to make things easier, not create unnecessary administrative work.

Prioritize

Any productivity system you are considering should include a method for prioritizing the most important work. That's not to be confused with the most urgent work. Your most important tasks should remain constantly visible in your system so that you're constantly making progress on them.

Prioritizing will also allow you to de-prioritize things. If you find that you're never getting to a task because other things are always more important, it will eventually be worth asking whether you should just eliminate the task altogether.

Balance

You probably have a mix of short and long-term deliverables. A good productivity system allows you to balance large-scale one-time projects with daily routine tasks and last minute rush requests.

I've seen many leaders become so focused with short-term productivity that they lose sight of the important strategic projects. Any system you use should allow you to address immediate tasks while still keeping an eye on the horizon to ensure progress is made on the larger-scale initiatives.

Adjust

Some systems are more rigid than others and it can be easy to become lost in working the system as opposed to the system working for you. No two people are alike so any system that is designed with some flexibility is preferred.

I personally use a modified version of the Getting Things Done system. Would a Getting Things Done purist say that I'm using it perfectly? No. But that doesn't matter.

What matters more than anything, as I mentioned at the beginning of this newsletter, is that the modified system works for my work style.

Whatever system you choose should be able to adjust to your needs while still remaining effective.

Thank you for reading. My hope is always that you've found something helpful and easy to implement. If you have feedback, suggestions or questions, please reply to this email.

If you are interested in exploring one-on-one coaching to transform your leadership, email me at [email protected] and we’ll coordinate a free, one-hour discovery session.

This week’s action items:

When you're ready to start exploring personal productivity systems in order to be more effective, consider the following criteria…

1. A way to capture inputs from a variety of resources and formats.

2. A way to organize those inputs in a way that is simple and intuitive.

3. The ability to keep your highest priorities front and center at all times.

4. A mechanism for balancing short and long-term deliverables.

5. Enough flexibility to adapt to your style.