Commit to Less This Week - Crush More!

You likely have 14 items on your to-do list you keep putting off¹.

Even worse, roughly 40% of your the items on your to-do list ARE NEVER GOING TO GET DONE².

FranklinCovey has made it common knowledge that if we have too many goals, none of them are getting done. So why don’t you apply this to how you plan out your weeks?

Your Issue :: Actual Capacity & Realistic Expectations

You don’t know your actual capacity in a day, so your expectations are unrealistic.

You feel “busy” all day, but always “behind”.

Feeling behind leads you to do all kinds of wacky things that kill your results.

• Constant task switching to keep things moving
• Checking out with email or YouTube or ice cream just to get a break
• Emotionally carrying unfinished tasks with you EVERYWHERE, including home at night and on the weekends.

Here’s how this plays out:

This what you think is possible in a day:

With context, you load up a to-do list and just get going.

Here’s the rub: you’re capacity is actually much less:

All tasks that exceed your actual capacity lead you to feel “behind”.

Without a framework, you simply shove the unfinished tasks into the next day, and repeat the cycle:

This creates a repeating sense of being “behind”, day after day after day.

Do this long enough, and it’s not just your results you’re impacting, but your mental health. You are at great risk of burnout:

What’s the solution? You need a framework to help you understand your actual capacity, set realistic expectations, commit to less this week, and crush more.

How to Commit to Less this Week AND Crush More

#1 - Understand Your Actual Capacity

The first step is to understand your actual capacity. After your recurring meetings you’re already in, and any personal commitments, how much time do you actually have to make your tasks happen?

#2 - Plan for Reality

With your actual capacity, plan on 40% of that time going to Whirlwind: Slack/Teams, email, phone calls, bathroom breaks, unplanned urgent items, etc. We’ll cover this more in a future article, but just trust me for now, you’ll need it.

#3 - Be Judicious to What Your Commit To

Based on your actual capacity minus Whirlwind, choose tasks that will have the highest chance of impacting your goals. If you really want to be a Time Boss, estimate the time to complete those tasks and actually add them to your calendar as events (aka Calendar Blocking). Stop adding items when you run out of capacity. “But what about all the other items?!” I hear you screaming. Patience, friend.

#4 - Decide What To Do With What Doesn’t Fit

Planning to not do specific tasks is like choosing which child you’re not going to feed. It’s emotionally taxing, which is why most people don’t do it, and simply drag these tasks around with them like emotional anchors. You simply need to find a home for them. What are your options? The 5 D’s:

• Delegate - Can anyone else on your team complete this task? If so, block time to delegate it, and check on the results.
• Defer - Can it simply wait till next week?
• Downsize - Can you complete a task you already prioritized in less time, making time for more tasks?
• Digitize - Can you automate a task? Can ChatGPT do it for you?
• Delete - Is it critical?  What breaks if you just delete the task?

What does this give you?

Instead of this:

You get this:

Less items on your list, greater impact from the items that remain on your list, and decrease anxiety for having a plan for the items that don’t fit.

But Does This Actually Work? 4 out of 5 Time Bosses Say “Yes!”

The process described above is a very simplified view of the Time Boss habits.

4 out of 5 Time Boss participants report getting better results WHILE decreasing their overwhelm. They are literally committing to less, crushing more, and experiencing peace in the process. As an aside, 94% report experiencing more peace, less anxiety as well. It just works.

Ready to Have a Realistic Plan?

On February 13th I’m leading a free masterclass on the Time Boss Operating System, a proven system to make massive progress and feel less stressed.

What you’ll get from this 90 minute FREE Masterclass:

• Eliminate Overwhelm: Learn how to run an effective Weekly Planning Meeting, giving you control over your week instead of letting it control you.
• Increase Focus: Discover the power of the Daily List to focus your efforts and significantly boost your day-to-day productivity.
• Reduce Stress: Find out how a Daily Review Meeting can help reduce overwhelm and bring clarity to your daily tasks.
• Crush Priorities: Gain valuable insights and practical tips on prioritizing and managing your time more effectively.
• Lock in Habits for Life: Equip yourself with strategies and habits for long-term success in balancing workloads and maintaining peace of mind.

Due to the interactive nature of the session, space is limited, and there will be NO recording available after. RSVP now!

(1) The average person has 33 things on their to-do list each day - https://www.realitywellness.co.za/post/the-average-person-has-33-things-on-their-to-do-list-each-day

(2) How to master the art of to-do lists https://blog.idonethis.com/how-to-master-the-art-of-to-do-lists/