Sharpen Your Productivity Pencil!

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Yesterday, I had a large project sitting on my desk.

I was having trouble getting it started.

It was a project that I had been putting off.

Heck, it was looking pretty daunting.

I wasn’t sure I even wanted to jump into it.

Do you ever have trouble getting started on tough tasks?

How do you get from stuck to started?

Just a Little Action

Sometimes even the smallest of actions can get the ball rolling.

Just doing the tiniest of motions can build momentum.

When you find yourself stuck, try doing something small.

Maybe something on the edge of your project. Maybe a small part of the task to prepare yourself to work on the rest.

“So, if you are trying to write something. Get that pencil out and sharpen it!”

Get the pens and highlighters out on your desk. Or go ahead and simply open your word processing application.

You will find that subsequent actions just start to flow.

And before you know it… you are in the groove!

To jump start your project or productivity, start with a little step.

Figuratively, sharpen your pencil to get your productivity sparked and your work initiated.

Here are a few ways to “Sharpen Your Pencil to Get Things Started…”

Get Your Materials Out – This is sharpening the pencil. Get the papers out. Lay out the materials needed for work. This is sometimes the best way to get yourself started on something you are avoiding.
Review Where You Are – If you find that you don’t want to jump in, begin by reviewing the status of the task. Review any last work done or re-read status updates. Once refreshed with where you are, you will be more comfortable commencing work.
Break Off a Small Piece – If the project seems just too big, try starting with just a smaller sub-task. Getting work done in one area can drive the whole project forward.
Freewriting/Mindmapping – When your creativity is stuck, the best way to get it going is just to spill out whatever comes to mind. I use free-writing and mind-mapping for this purpose. I will write anything that comes to mind, and before I know it, new ideas are flowing.
Clean Your Workspace – A clean workspace can definitely improve your ability to work. Sometimes clearing the desk gives you the room and blank slate you need to ignite your imagination.
Set a Time Limit – Before starting, set a time limit. Beginning an arduous task doesn’t sound so bad if you are only going to work on it for 20 minutes. Once you get going, you will often find that you “get in the zone” and blow past your self-imposed limit.