In my previous blog post, I wrote about how much time and productivity is wasted due to task switching.
It discusses in detail why this happens and what the total effect is on your productivity. It also gives a few suggestions on how to avoid task switching throughout your day.
If you haven’t read it, go read that post first.
The bottom line is you lose a ton of time every time you switch from one task to another.
Today, I want to talk about the bigger picture.
If you are in a leadership position, you likely have a bunch of projects on your plate.
Big projects. Little projects. Late projects. Future projects. We all have projects to get done.
If you’re anything like me, you have a bunch of them. And all of those projects are at various stages of completion.
It’s so frustrating.
A few years ago, I came across a high performance expert named Todd Herman. He trains Olympic athletes to business executives, helping them to achieve their most ambitious goals.
He has a program called The 90 Day Year which is a system he designed for getting things done.
Although I don’t use the whole system, I’ve found parts of it useful in my everyday work life and you probably will, too. Below are my notes about Todd’s processes. Afterward, I’ll discuss some of my key takeaways.
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90 Day Year (Todd Herman)
The #1 productivity asset you have is SPEED. Completing projects as fast as possible allows those things to start working for you ASAP. It also allows you to move on to the next project.
You must avoid context (task) switching. Context switching is the wasted time it takes to move between one project/task and another. Our brains need time to acclimate to the new project. Best practice is to limit switches between tasks and work a project to completion.
Setting goals is an important starting point. But goal deadlines set too far out can be a bigger detriment than help. Setting goals with deadlines of a year or more out is the biggest cause of procrastination. Goals must be set for 90 days or less.
Herman has worked with countless people and refined his preferred process for how to plan and execute for productivity. He calls this process OPP:
OPP - How to Plan for Achievement
Outcome: What is the final result you desire? Determine the specific, tangible goal.
Performance-based projects: Turning strategies into day-to-day projects
Build in multiple short time projects (1 day to 2 weeks) to put laser focus on.
If you find there are too many projects then the Outcome goal may be too broad and not specific enough. Or it’s just too big.
This is the key to success. Make sure you are able to focus on specific goals.
Process + Tasks
Who’s doing what, when are they doing it, and where is it happening?
Small individual tasks necessary to advance and complete the project.
Schedule each task on your calendar. Block off time to complete it.
These are sprints.
Must have MENTAL TOUGHNESS. The ability to be flexible and adapt as the situation and world changes around you.
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90 Day Year Matrix - Herman Performance Model
DATA -----> INSIGHTS ------> VISION -------> 90 Day Plan
(ACTION) (REFLECTION) (REFLECTION) (ACTION)
DATA (phase 1) = Don’t be caught up too much in the past or the future. That leads to frustration, complacency, and procrastination. Need clear information that is useful, grounded, and connected to the business.
INSIGHTS (phase 1a) = Unpacking the data leads to insights. Where are we right now? What’s the map we are standing on? What’s the field of play? What’s the TRUTH? Where are we strong? Weak? Opportunities? Threats?
VISION (phase 2) = What’s your why? Starts as a personal why but then morphs into something bigger. Be clear.
90 DY PLAN (phase 3 - 8) = Execution time. Doing the right things at the right time. Focused on outcomes. Specific steps. Planning and executing our day, week, month. Strategy and execution.
BIG WINS
Speed - doing the right things at the right time. Doing less with more results.
Momentum - By getting more done quickly, you don’t get distracted and stay on track.
Leverage Luck - If you are taking action, it allows you to take advantage of opportunities.
Systems - Not just goals. Routines and habits. Replicate with team members. Scaling.
Mental Game - Grit, perseverance, toughness.
Move Quickly - Advance through 5 stages of business quickly. Not in start up forever.
Your Big Drivers (Core qualities of a high performer)
Independence
Ambition
Growth
Creativity
Impact
This program allows you to quickly power through the start up stage or find out that the business model isn’t going to work.
POWERFUL FOUNDATION - First step is to get very clear on the PILLARS OF YOUR BUSINESS and WHERE YOU STAND and WHERE YOU WANT IT TO GO.
Closing Feedback Loops
When you’re able to get feedback quickly on the work you’re doing, you learn faster, you grow faster and you begin to make better decisions which all leads to leaps in revenue, control of your business and a repeatable scalable approach to growing your business.
Allows you to react to changes in the business environment very quickly.
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My Key Takeaways
List your overall goals for your church or business. Be specific.
Take those goals and create projects which will get you to those finish lines. Projects should be 1 day to 2 weeks.
Break the projects down into individual tasks. Tasks name who, what, when, where, and how.
They can usually be completed in one session. They are scheduled on your calendar.
Block off time to complete tasks without other distractions.
Chart your projects on a big calendar. Goal is to complete projects as fast as possible.
Schedule the easiest and most time-sensitive projects first.
Focus, focus, focus. If possible, focus on only one project at a time until it is completed.
Create feedback loops. Determine a time in the near future to review progress and reassess goals. Incorporate findings and make adjustments, if necessary.
Here’s to getting more done!!!