Schedule a Consultation | Contact us at 425.591.4949

How to Get Hard Things Done and Be Productive

Visualize and verbalize to get hard stuff done

We all have some days it is hard to accomplish our work. We’ve all struggled at times with finding our motivation. When you find yourself “stuck” and unable to move forward, what things have you tried to help you move forward?

Every day, we coach our clients in productivity strategies to help them get more done in less time and get priority work done. Next time you’re struggling with getting the hard things done in your life or work, here are a few things you can try.

15 steps to get hard things done

Before you start:

  1. Identify and visually post your Why. Why do you want or need to do this thing? Who benefits? In doing it, what value do you generate or contribute. What impact will it have and on whom? Your “why” is your most positive motivator.
  2. Describe the outcome you want in detail. What does “done” look like?
  3. Begin with the end in mind. When you know what you want the end result to be, it is like following a road map: when you know where you are going, it is easier to plan the direction you need to take in order to get there.
  4. Ask – how could I make this easy or fun? One example of this was our May Minimalism Challenge clutter-clearing game. When you include others in your goal, the support, encouragement and accountability can make a world of difference.
  5. Break it down into steps or manageable pieces. When you break a bigger task down into smaller pieces, it becomes much more manageable and much less overwhelming. A long term project on its own might seem overwhelming, but a single task can seem more reasonable.
  6. Work backwards from a due date or deadline (setting one if none exists), creating a plan of action and timeline for the steps and milestones.

While you’re underway:

  1. Talk to someone who has done this before to learn their best practices.
  2. Research your topic or project to learn from others (but put a time limit on this research so you dont keep “getting ready to get ready”).
  3. Just start. Don’t worry about a perfect first step, just take a first step. Let it inform your next step. Progress leads to completion.
  4. Take it one step and challenge at a time. What is the smallest amount of progress that will get you closer to achieving your goal or finishing a project you need to complete?
  5. Ask for help. If you get stalled or stuck, reach out for some assistance. You may need a pep talk, some direction or possibly some help in doing the work. If you don’t ask, you might not get out of the rut.
  6. Set up accountability. This one step can make the biggest difference! Share with someone else what you intend to do and by when. Ask them to hold you accountable.

When you see a mile-marker or the finish line:

  1. Set up a reward you’ll look forward to upon completion. What small things can you do to celebrate your progress? Rewards make it easier for you to stick to your game plan when you know there is something to look forward to.
  2. Debrief. What went well or what would you do differently next time? What did you learn?
  3. Celebrate success. Feel confident. You did it!

What’s next?

Get help adding habits that can boost productivity. Ready to get things done? Schedule your free no-risk Discovery Call to learn how we can partner with you in your success! 

FREE: Rock Your Work From Anywhere Guide

Get tips and strategies to rock your work from anywhere productivity while maintaining boundaries when work and life happen under one roof.

Your information will never be shared.