Great success is achievable if you line up your priorities and put all of your energy into accomplishing the most important thing.  Highly successful people line up their priorities each day and decide where to start, creating a domino effect of extraordinary results.

Part 1 introduces the Lies that seem true, but derail our success:
1. Everything Matters Equally
When everything feels urgent and important everything seems equal. We stay constantly busy, but with items that do not move us toward success.Achievers work from a clear sense of priority, focused on the essential and let the less important things go. He encourages “Success Lists” over To-do lists – whittling the could-do's down to the most important should dos.Citing the Pareto (20/80) Principle, where a minority of items and efforts yield the majority of results and rewards, he suggests taking it to an extreme and identifying the ONE most important item on the list. Takeaways: Productivity over busyness, identify the one core activity for the TOP of your list, Say no to the less important and Don’t get so excited to “check items off” that you abandon the big things for the little things that don’t matter. Doing the most important thing (even if it’s the only thing you do), is the most important thing.

2. Multitasking
Multitasking is NOT effective, it reduces our focus and prevents us from doing either thing well.The act of refocusing after distractions, interruptions, or as our brain jumps between our “multi” tasks (task switching), costs us more time than we know. (up to 28% of an average work day is lost to multitasking ineffectiveness and chronic multitaskers overestimate the time it takes to complete tasks due to this poor use of time). Takeaways: Reduce distractions, but they will still happen, don’t let multitasking take its toll, or undermine what matters most – give that your undivided attention!

3. A Disciplined Life
“Success is actually a short race – a sprint fueled by discipline just long enough for habit to kick in and take over” – he seems to be drawing a distinction between “habits” as natural, easy to maintain routines and “discipline” as white knuckling through unpleasant tasks against the odds. Habits require less effort to maintain than to begin, and once a habit, the hard stuff is easy. If you aim your discipline at creating the right habit (which takes about 66 days), it no longer requires discipline and you can be less disciplined in other areas. You are what you repeatedly do!

4. Willpower is Always On Will-Call
We don’t always have willpower, even to get what we want. He cites “The Marshmallow Experiment” and the tactics the toddlers used to delay their gratification and get 2 marshmallows later by not eating the ONE marshmallow now. Years later, those with the willpower to hold out for the additional reward were much more successful in life. Because we don’t ALWAYS have it, we need to manage it – WHEN there’s a will there’s a way. It is a limited resource that decreases throughout the day and as our willpower and cognition are drained. Willpower is based in the prefrontal cortex with focus, short term memory, and executive function – this area requires a lot of fuel – so feed your mind with foods that regulate your blood sugar evenly over long periods. This would add into decision fatigue and causes us to resort to our defaults when our willpower is low. Do your ONE important thing early before your willpower is sapped by the day, keep your brain fed. Use your willpower first on what matters!
5. A Balanced Life
Balance is a noun that as a concept doesn’t really exist, rather we are constantly balancing, and counterbalancing. Be clear about your most important work and personal priorities, create boundaries, work when you are supposed to be working, play when you are supposed to play, be all there in each one.
6. Big Is Bad
Don’t limit yourself. Don’t fear failure – it is the road to success. Don’t limit yourself to the available options – invent a new path. Think big, Aim big, Live big.

Part 2
Here we get into the solutions.  Keller encourages us to ask the focusing question:
What’s the One thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?

It will aim you at the essential (the big picture), force you to make a decision – the best action to do now to drive you to what matters (the small focus for right now) – the first domino that starts the effect.

Use this in all areas of life – say the category, the question, add a time frame, finish the question. Eg.: For my key relationships, what’s the one thing I can do to show my appreciation to my parents this year that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?
In finding a great answer, there are 3 possibilities: Doable, Stretch, and Possibility.  Doable looks at conventional answer already in our experience, it doesn’t require much change.  Stretch may be at the farthest end of our range, take some research, extending ourselves to our limits, potentially achievable and probable if you give effort. With Possibility answers, you first research and study high achievers (this is basically your “Stretch answer”), then establish that as benchmark to see if you can spot what’s “trending” and coming NEXT to beat the current performers.

Part 3
This section deals with defining Purpose, which drives Priorities, which drives true Productivity (which in a business drives Profit).  Purpose is a big idea, the driving force to happiness. Lasting happiness happens when you make your life about something bigger, when you bring meaning and purpose to your everyday actions.  Why you are excited with your life, the thing you like to accomplish. Purpose tells you where you want to go.  Priority tells you what to do to get there.  Productivity is doing the next thing required to get there (not just staying busy).

Goal setting to the Now involves working backward from a distant goal, starting with the end in mind, defining where you need to be 5 years from now,  1 year from now, what needs to happen this month, week, and now today.
Time Blocking involves setting an appointment with yourself (4 hours suggested) where you will reduce distractions and focus on the most important thing.
 
Extraordinary results require 3 commitments:  Path of MASTERY, Purposefully finding the best ways of doing things, and Accountability.  4 Thieves of success are: The inability to say no, the fear of chaos when minor things don’t get done, poor health habits, and an environment that doesn’t support your goals.

Live your life with no regrets, with purpose, on the priority that matters most, and success and extraordinary life become possible!

break.  It is super simple, but reaps a lot of benefits in managing your time, securing your focus, and learning the actual amount of time certain tasks require.

Often we underestimate how long creative tasks take. Perhaps we get “in the zone” or begin to lean toward perfectionism.  The Parkinson Principle teaches that a task will expand to fill the amount of time available to it – and in these days of Stay at Home Orders, with very little on our calendars “in ink”, we can easily find ourselves busy “at” something without really accomplishing a lot.  The Pomodoro Technique can help keep your brain on task and help you visualize the passing of time in chunks.  To me at times, it is almost like a race or contest – how much can I accomplish in this 25 minute period? 

 On the other hand, many OVERestimate the time required to perform a task.  We are so used to multitasking and distractions, and the consequent loss of productivity as the brain constantly refocuses, that we don’t realize how much of that writing time actually involves checking email, scrolling facebook, and other non-relevant activities.

My favorite time of day for Creative time and Pomodoros is in the morning from 9-12.  It is a nice time block of energy and productivity.  Often in Time Management, we talk about the Eisenhower Matrix, where most of us live in the quadrant of completing tasks that are “Important and URGENT”.  But many priorities in our lives never make themselves “urgent” – think of the inspiring author who dreams of writing a book – there is no contract, she has no external “deadlines”  holding her to due dates, she must make this priority rise to the top on her own.  There are many occupational advancement projects that would fit this category.  But even on a personal level:  time with the kids, healthy cooking, exercise, home improvement projects and maintenance – these are items that allow us to neglect them and rarely rise to level of urgent emergencies, “fires” that need to be put out.  So setting aside that time block for YOUR priorities – making that standing appointment with YOURSELF and not allowing distractions, is an AMAZING way to live in the quadrant of Important but NOT urgent!!

Because I love to “race the clock”, I also enjoy Pomodoros with more mundane tasks – tidying up, putting away a basket of laundry, prepping dinner – I like to see how much I can accomplish in a short period, and it helps me stay on task as I compete to match the time I have estimated!

You really have to experience the technique to see its power in:

• enhancing your focus
• harnessing your awareness of the distractions around you
• improving your ability to cut down on the interruptions
• increasing your skill to estimate the timetable for all kinds of tasks – your planning over time!

 
And it’s kind of like Othello – a minute to learn.  A lifetime to master.  The technique is just a few simple steps, but mastering our energy to focus is an ongoing process!

1.  Choose your task – big, small, priority, mundane – but if it is worth your time, it is worth your undivided attention!

Write it down to define it better.  Estimate how many pomodoros (25 minute sessions) you expect it to take and write that down as well.  If it is more than about 5 pomodoros, you want to break down into smaller tasks.  If it is just a 2 minute email, you want to batch into a full pomodoro (work in my inbox to respond to multiple emails, in this example).   Here you are, actively choosing what you will accomplish in the next ½ hour, and making a list of what is most important to you today!!  In fact, you may want to schedule a PLANNING Pomodoro, where you use a session to plan your day, week, month, and do some serious goal setting!!

2. Set the timer for 25 minutes.
Make an oath with yourself to spend the next 25 minutes focused on this task, without allowing interruptions. (You can do anything for 25 minutes!)
 
There are lots of free apps out there for your phone or PC. It should show you a visible countdown, alarm after the time is up, AND should make a ticking sound.  This might sound super irritating or stress inducing – but here’s one of the reasons you have to give it a chance for a couple of days!!  It tends to create a calm energy, and like Pavlov’s dogs, provides a mental signal that it is time to FOCUS!
 
The suggested duration is 30 minutes long (25 minutes of working with a 5 minute break), but anywhere from 25-40 minutes for both the work interval and the break could work. Because it is also a tool to LEARN focus: focusing for an entire 25 minutes straight may be the GOAL for you, and that’s okay – Define THAT as the goal and embrace it!!  You may want to start with a smaller timeframe, and that’s okay too – IMPROVING FOCUS is the name of the game and a huge benefit! 

3.  PROTECT the Pomodoro!!

To accomplish the Pomodoro and reward yourself with that check mark, you have to stay focused and complete the whole 25 minutes.  You can’t quit halfway through to take a phone call, or check email and still take credit.  So, you only want to allow interruption for very important items. And you want to realize that it is in your power to CHOOSE what is valid or not.
 
If you have mental, internal interruptions:  WRITE THEM DOWN, don’t require your mind to hold them.  You want your task to stay front and center of your brain, and allow your focus to stay on task. Writing it down also helps you visually TRACK the distractions – how frequently are you interrupting yourself – this is one of the ways you learn to improve!  You will review them after you are finished your time block of Pomodoros, and you may well discover very few of the distractions were urgent.

For external distractions and interruptions from others: note and refocus.  Start to realize how much is just an internal compulsion to respond immediately, take the call, reply to the text, and which “emergencies” can wait for 30 minutes, or 3 hours.  Ask yourself whether this could wait until your 5 minute break.  Many items are just not that pressing, and some may resolve themselves before you get around to dealing with them!  Pretend you are with a client – would you pick up the phone then? (you have made an appointment with yourself and should respect your priority to a similar level).  If you at least need to acknowledge the person, you Inform, negotiate and follow up.  Let them know that you are currently busy, not in a position to respond… or get those around you used the phrase “I’m in the middle of a Pomodoro”!  Ask if you can call back at a specific time in the future (set an alarm if needed) and follow up then.  Now, log the distraction and get back to work! 

If it is an emergency, or you opt to stop the Pomodoro, then you consciously CHOOSE to abandon the Pomodoro.  You don’t log that one.  And you start a new Pomodoro when you are able to focus again, and aim for the next one to go better!

4. When the Pomodoro rings, STOP!, Submit the Pomodoro!! (You did it!)  And TAKE A BREAK!!

I have mixed feelings on this:  when I am working on something creative, I often find myself in “flow” and I am just not going to interrupt that state to actually stop what I am doing.  At times I will take the break, but other times, I freely admit, I just keep on rolling.  Often, I just x out the 5 minute break timer and move straight into the next Pomodoro.  And I’m okay with that as well – When I’m on a roll and not burning out, I am EMBRACING that positive energy!! Maybe the Pomodoro answer is to set slightly longer work intervals, and that is something I am going to experiment with!

On the other hand, the rule is STOP – you are going to want to tell yourself “but I will be DONE in 4 minutes!!  I should just finish.”  Remember, we are bad at estimating time and you may be lying to yourself.  You may be ready to just keep going.  Part of the reason for the break is to value rest, and a truly focused brain needs some downtime, and needs to conserve energy for multiple pomodoros.  Open your Breathing App, use the restroom, grab a cup of coffee, go for a short walk or do some jumping jacks.  I think catching up on another small task that uses less brainpower is also allowed – fold some laundry, wipe the counters, empty the dishwasher, delete some emails.

So don’t reject breaks on principle - they are essential to building your focus endurance and improve quality productivity. So give them a chance and let them work for you!
 
5.  Now we start a new Pomodoro!
Don’t let break time suck you in… you want to be able to enjoy that short break, rest your brain, but then get right back to it, that is part of the pacing of the Pomodoro!

6. After 4 Pomodoros, take a longer break. (Default is usually 15-30 minutes)
This is a more restorative break.  Give your mind a chance to process your thoughts and rest so that you can give the next set full attention!  Take a walk (your dog will thank you), close your eyes for 20 minutes, clean the kitchen.

See if this method works to both immediately improve your focus on tasks at hand, AND to improve your Focusing Endurance in the long term!  If it is worth doing, it is worth your full attention!

Your attention is a powerful force.  It can be diverted to, or away from, things that are important.

Picture an auditorium filled with an audience, young and old.  They have arrived for the musical, ready to be swept up by the story, the show tunes, the color, the dancing. The lights go down, the show starts, and 20 minutes in, an older gentleman in the back gets a tickle in his throat.  Having felt it, his attention is now focused there, in the throat.  He is here to enjoy a play, and as a good audience member, does not want to interrupt others with a cough.  So he sits, maybe clears his throat a little, shifts in his seat, tries a cough drop from his wife's handbag.  But that tiny tickle is now all he can think of, and eventually, he takes an early intermission, leaves the auditorium, coughs, walks about, gets some fresh air, has a drink.  Once the attention was focused there, he could no sooner ignore that tickle than an elephant in the seat in front of him.

Maybe you have experienced a situation like this, or maybe something like dizziness, a muscle twitch, became a focus of your attention.  Just by thinking about pain in your head or stomach, you can create the actual feeling and experience (this is not an experiment I'd recommend).  Here's the more positive experiment, and the flip side:  Think about how strong your body is, how capable.  Get into Superman Pose - Stand up straight, hands on hips, head held high - and feel your ability to conquer the day.  Take a minute to recognize the positives and blessings in your life and focus on the good things going on.

We are bombarded daily with distractions that channel our attention away from the more important tasks at hand that deserve our focus.  Or towards mindsets and worries that drain us of energy.  But we have the power to channel our attentions to our amazing attitudes, productive passions, and creative capabilities and energize those traits, and ourselves, in the process!

We all have an innate desire to complete tasks, some personalities more than others!  Harness the drive of that internal task master and put it to work for you!  Here are some ideas:
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1.  The To-Do List:  In one sense, the power of checking items off a to-do list goes without saying, but the benefits are so many.  There is so much value in the exercise of considering your goals, breaking them into smaller chunks, and choosing your priorities for the day, week or month.  Keep a long term/reminder to-do list, and one for individual projects, but keep the daily list manageable, and always highlight the top 3 items - if you've gotten THOSE done, it was a successful day. 

Remember that sometimes, top items need to include caring for the physical or emotional health of yourself or someone close to you - health is a LOFTY priority and should never be dismissed as unimportant just because it is a little less tangible!

Consider your favorite way to mark items completed - a nice bold strikethrough, the classic checkmark, a smiley face, dragging and dropping a digital item to DONE?  And relish the action!  Have fun with your to-do list!!  I've started calling mine my HOT List - it makes me smile and feel more empowered!

2.  Don't Finish what you started:  Sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out!  I came across this idea in the book PRE-SUASION by Robert Cialdini (he is quizzing a colleague for tips on how she commits to writing so consistently) and it really got me thinking:

What else could you apply this to?  Almost any kind of data entry or long impossible list - get through the F's, March, the first page.  Just Finish the Thousand!

​5.  Just 10 minutes:  You can do anything for 10 minutes (or 5, or 30).  Let go of that mental requirement to get a PROJECT done, and just set a timer and be DONE then - 10 minutes of cleaning my kitchen sounds a lot more doable some days than getting my kitchen CLEAN.  But I make a lot of progress in 10 minutes, and some days I just keep going, because, hey, I'm almost there!  Either way, it is a LOT better 10 minutes later than if I hadn't tackled it at all!

6.  So much finishing:  Back to Hot Lists, some days and weeks having three main tasks works for me, at other times, I need MICRO lists - I break down tasks into TINY baby steps.  Cleaning my bedroom could easily be 6 items on my list - make bed, file papers on desk, clear nightstand, new box of tissues, straighten the dresser drawer that's been driving me crazy, wrap the present that has been sitting in the corner for a week. 

Sometimes my mindset is such that itemizing to that level and creating mini-wins that are easy to complete makes it easier to get started, keeps me focused, and encourages me with small successes - embrace the micro list if that is the kind of day you are having, or stick to the general categories and commit to your "three big rocks".


So, combat the part of your brain that throws up roadblocks to getting started, and embrace the side that likes to complete a job.  Find ways to overcome those mental hurdles and finish some items on YOUR hot list today!​​

I saw this description of a professional organizer, laughed, and thought, "this IS me!"  

I totally embrace that nerdy side of me that loves to implement the rules and systems that make REAL life work!!  Not the airbrushed, staged, romantic photos with no televisions, bookcases full of décor but no books, and multiple vases of fresh cut flowers.  (There's nothing wrong with any of these, of COURSE, but it is not the way most of us realistically live day to day).

I'm also a firm believer that when we simplify and streamline, we allow space in our lives to bring out those beautiful items we treasure (you know, without the beautiful vases sitting with DEAD flowers for the month following their glorious introduction!).  

I am big picture and thorough, enjoy stability, order, and routine, and love to improve systems. 

BUT, I totally understand that perfectionist side so many of us have that makes it hard to GET STARTED (for me it is the geeky side saying "do ALL the research", "make the 20 year plan before you take the first step", "if I can't complete the entire project today it is not worth starting")!  No!!  Overcoming that debilitating mindset is often still a daily choice for me - setting a clock for 15 minutes, breaking down a project into doable chunks, being okay with BABY STEPS!!  There is so much productivity in the "Just Do It" mantra, and sometimes even more in "Just 10 minutes"!!

Find those personality traits and identify their strengths and weaknesses - and work through hurdles that slow you down or leave you frozen!  You've got this!

Love, The Nerdy (Big) Sister