What's On Your A List

How often do you get to the end of the day and realize that you haven't gotten what you really needed to get done? We don't know about you, but we used to suffer from the malady referred to as the "shiny object syndrome" - getting distracted by ideas and tasks that take us away from the bigger picture of what we are so passionately creating. And quite frankly, it was really putting a strangle hold on the growth of our business.

It's really easy to skip over the really important stuff when we are constantly dealing with whatever the latest and greatest distraction is.

And chances are pretty good that if you're in business for yourself, and you don't have a plan in place to keep you focused, you're going to experience some level of the "shiny object syndrome".

So, you may ask, "How do I deal with the dreaded "shiny object syndrome"?"

Well, here's how we got a handle on it and we call it "The A List".

1) To begin creating you're A list, pull out a sheet of paper and in no particular order, write out all the things you "need" to do for your business. This is your master list, so let this be a brain drain of things that you want to do for your business, even if they are longer term ideas. That way, you have captured the thought on paper and can now make room for other creative ideas to flow through you.

2) Now, in order to make some sense of this wonderful master list you have created, look over your list and pick out the 6 things that you absolutely need to get done tomorrow and put an "A" next to them (remember, you only have 6 A's to work with).

3) Now, write your 6 A's on a 3 x 5 index card or small notepad and number them 1-6 ("1" being the most important to get done, "2" being the next, and so forth).

4) The next morning, as you begin your work day, pick up your A list and begin working on "A-1" and work on it - and only it - until it is done or as far as you can take it (i.e., you are waiting for someone to send you back the info you need, and you have left them a message and emailed them).

5) Once "A-1" is finished, you can move on to "A-2" and take it to completion. Do this all the way through your "A" list. If you were not able to complete all 6 of you're A's, move the uncompleted A's to the top of the next day's A list. Then, go back to your Master list and choose more items to round out your 6 A's for the next day.

Each night before you go to sleep, create you're new A List.

Call to Action

Make today the day you begin breaking free from the "shiny object syndrome" and begin implementing your "A List". You may just surprise yourself at how much of what you need to get done - actually gets done.