Wikipedia says that effectiveness is the capability of producing a desired result or the ability to produce a desired output.
“True productivity is more than simply checking tasks off a to-do list—it’s about doing more of what matters”
So how do we do more of what matters?
1. Have clear goals, otherwise you can spend a lot of time working on things that have a marginal impact on your development. Always be mindful of how the mind likes to take the easy route and how we often end up only doing the things we enjoy – be disciplined!
2. Plan your week ahead:
Preferably on a Sunday
Have two job lists – one for your sport & one for your personal life
For your sport you need to be your own CEO – you have a product to continually develop, you have to know your market and get to that market, you have to be aware of what the competition are doing, you need to have a competitive advantage, you have to market yourself and you need to manage your finances.
Your plan must also ensure that you consistently grow without sacrificing quality
3. Don’t indulge bad habits:
Avoid prioritising jobs you enjoy
Be mindful of multi-tasking – focus on one job at a time
If you are distracted by your phone switch it off for a set period of the day
4. Prioritise your job list:
Learn to say no to people, don’t get drawn into things that take you nowhere
Figure out what really matters - which tasks actually move you towards your primary goal
Most importantly - which tasks make you genuinely quicker and more competitive
5. Tackle your most important task when you have most energy:
Your motivation and creativity are at a high point in the morning, so instead of starting your day by checking emails get on with your biggest hits.
6. Communicate and delegate:
We all have to collaborate with others at some level in order to do our jobs, so learning how to work effectively with others is an essential part of improving your own effectiveness. One of the best ways to avoid unnecessary reworking of jobs is to eliminate misunderstandings and miscommunications. Get it right the first time. Phone calls are much more effective than emails or messaging.
Delegate work where possible so that you can focus on the key issues – You are the CEO, your job is to monitor and work on the big ticket items.
7. Plan tomorrow tonight:
Don’t stay up agonising over all the work waiting for you tomorrow.
Re-work your job list and revise your priorities so that you hit the ground running in the morning.
This will establish a productive momentum that will carry you through the rest of the day.