Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
One way we can become more productive is by getting better at something. As we become better, we can do things faster and with higher quality.
So far, in our series about productivity, we’ve been talking about improving productivity by:
- Understanding what’s urgent and important (The Eisenhower Matrix)
- Doing the most difficult things first (Eating the Frog)
- Budgeting our day so we fit in routine maintenance tasks (The 3/3/3 Method)
- Setting time parameters so we stay focused (The Pomodoro Technique)
But what happens when we need to learn how to do something … productively? Years ago, comedian Jerry Seinfeld shared a strategy for getting better at something, which has since been named “The Seinfeld Strategy”. The strategy is simple and straightforward: do it every day. For example, if you want to be a better writer, then write every day. Whether you feel like it or not. It doesn’t have to be good. You don’t need to show anyone. Just write.
Seinfeld went on to say that he keeps a big calendar in his office and when he completes the task, he marks it off with a big “X” on his calendar. There’s something very satisfying about seeing all of those completed “X” marks.
We can do the same thing when we’re trying to become more effective and efficient at something – which will lead us to being more productive. Do it every day. You don’t have to spend hours on it. If you’re concerned about procrastination, maybe adopt the Mark Twain “Eat a Frog” approach and do it first thing. That way you aren’t tempted to push it off and possibly forget about it.
As far as marking off the task on your calendar, you can decide if a big calendar is right for you. My Hobonichi planner has a 365 checklist that I can mark off when completing tasks. You can also do a search in your favorite internet browser for “task tracker coloring page” if you want something more creative.
The Seinfeld Strategy reminds me of something that a former boss of mine used to say, “How do you eat an 800lb elephant? One bite at a time.” Of course, he wasn’t talking literally about elephants. The point was the best way to tackle big tasks is to break them down into small parts. To me, the Seinfeld Strategy is about working on a goal one day at a time.
We can use the same principle with other big tasks. I have a few projects that I’m working on right now that I’ve broken down into 12 smaller tasks. I do one a month. By the end of the year, I’ll be done. It’s not overwhelming and if I need to push it off a couple of days, I can. It’s very satisfying to look at the project and say, “Wow! I can’t believe how much I’ve been able to do. And in a few months, it will be done.” This could be one of those 3 routine maintenance tasks that we talked about in the 3/3/3 Method.
I think the Seinfeld Strategy can be very helpful when it comes to developing new habits and taking a little bit of time each day to work on goals. The hard part is going to be commitment. It can be very tempting when we’re having a bad day to just skip it … but we need to remain committed to forward progress. Because as we get better, we will improve our productivity.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby somewhere off the coast of Miami, FL
The post Productivity Series [Part 5]: Break Big Tasks into Spall Parts appeared first on hr bartender.
