How I stay on track, focus on what's important, and get things done
The end of the year gives me cause to contemplate — as I do every year — that which I hope the coming year holds. I’ve gotten a lot done in 2019: Launched the Business Applications Group at Applied Information Sciences (AIS), wrote the Power Platform Adoption Framework, recognized as a Microsoft MVP for Business Applications, wrote a novel — Field Blends — that will be released in April 2020, visited thirteen countries including four to which I had never been, and spent meaningful time with countless wonderful family and friends. I learned a long time ago, though, that a great many good things require purposefulness in order to really get done. Good work doesn’t happen accidentally. Trips don’t plan themselves. Family and friends from other places don’t always just stumble into your daily life.
We each must be purposeful about making happen the things that we most value. It may seem cumbersome, but I find that a bit of deliberate thought up front helps keep me focused and centered throughout the year, quarter, month, week, and day.
There are plenty of guides and techniques out there for doing this. I’ve developed my own over the last several years (based at times on inspiration from others). As I think about what 2020 holds, I thought I’d share what I’ve created in hopes that you might be able to use some or all of it for yourself.
You’ll need:
A note taking application (I prefer Microsoft OneNote)
A todo list application (I prefer Todoist)
The basic gist here is that we’re going to think broadly about the entire year. This starts with some self-reflection about who you are and what you value. As we go through the year we’re going to break down our priorities into quarters, months, weeks, and days… but we’re not going to actually do that until the time is upon us. Planning in January that which you hope to do in May is a fool’s errand for anyone who lives even a remotely complicated life. Take it as it comes, but have a general idea of where you want it to go.
Setup
In your note taking application, create a folder called “Template”, and then create a folder for the year ahead (“2020”, in this case). In your Template folder, create a note page for Yearly Contemplation, Quarterly, Monthly, and Weekly contemplation. Then you can just copy the appropriate page to the yearly folder at the start of the year, quarter, month, or week. I’ve already done the legwork for you here if you want to use my OneNote template.
In your todo list application, create a label or a category for Quarter, Monthly, Weekly, Weekend, and Habits. There’s a lot more you might want to do here such as creating projects and custom queries to slice and dice your tasks in a way that works for you, but since each of these apps vary somewhat from one another, I am going to stick to the basics here: Quarter, Monthly, Weekly, Weekend, Habits.
Thinking about the Year ahead
Write down these questions and answers in a note called “Yearly Contemplation”. The goal here is to first engage in some self reflection, and then create up to ten yearly priorities based on that self reflection.
What do you want others to believe about you?
Think about the impression you most want to leave with others. For example, do you want people to believe you to be kind? Patient? Productive? Successful? Smart? The answer here has to be right for you. I find that thinking this through helps me remain centered in my interactions with others. Don’t cheat and use the word “and” here. Focus on the most important thing.
What does “good enough” look like this year?
Many of us have moments — or longer periods of time — when we feel insufficient either in absolute terms or in comparison to those around us. My friend Emma D’Arcy has been helping others think their way through “Imposter Syndrome” recently, and the comparison is apt. However you think about it, though, the idea here is to put some thought into what you need to be or do in order to feel good enough to yourself. This should help inform what you will prioritize this year, and give you something to refer back to when you feel things aren’t going your way.
What do you want to produce this year?
This question is about moving on from the conceptual to the tangible. Think about what you want to build, create, or otherwise leave behind this year.
How will you improve yourself this year (learning, reading, reflecting exploring, etc)?
It’s easy to get stuck on tasks that seem directly productive, but this question is about how you will expand your horizons. What do you want to learn? Are there any books that you want to read? Is there anything on which you want to reflect and come to better terms with? Are their travels you want to take or exploration of something unseen you’d like to do?
What would you have / be / do if the year went perfectly?
Self explanatory. Be bold.
Priorities for the Year
Decide on up to ten actual things you will prioritize this year. These should represent both an actualization of the questions you’ve contemplated above, as well as a set of tangible high-level things that you can break into smaller activities each quarter, month, week, and day. Try to make your priorities reflective of the most important things at work and in your personal goals, hobbies, learning, and meaningful relationship. In the past I’ve gone with things like Build the Practice (at work), Write a Novel, Travel Prolifically, and Spend Meaningful time with XYZ People. This should be an actual list of ten things.
Quarter by Quarter
Take yourself through the following exercise at the start of each quarter. Write it down in your note taking app.
Step 1: Big Wins
What are the top things from the past quarter about which you are most pleased? Be sure to include time spent in leisure, learning, or nurturing important relationships in addition to productivity!
Step 2: After Action Review
Ask yourself some questions…
For which priorities did you complete all of your actions?
For which priorities did you complete some of your actions?
On which priorities did you not make much progress at all? Consider re-visiting or more highly prioritizing these in the coming quarter.
What worked?
What didn’t?
Is there anything you own that you haven't used in several quarters? Consider getting rid of it. "Stuff" can distract from what's important.
What will you (a) Stop, (b) Start, (c) Continue As-Is, or (d) Focus on Improving?
Step 3: Annual Priority Review
Refer back to your “Priorities for the Year” list. Break each of those priorities out into up to five actions you want to take this quarter to help further the cause. If there are specific annual priorities that you want to focus on this quarter, note those. Also consider how you might reward yourself for your success in each priority. Put these actions in the “Quarter” category in your todo app.
Step 4: Calendar Review
Schedule the coming quarter’s big things (major events, deadlines, projects, rejuvenation time, etc). Put them on your working calendar.
Step 5: Daily Habits Review
Think through the recurring things that are most important to do in a typical day, or on a regular basis (every other day, weekly, etc). Put these things in the “Habits” category in your todo app, and set them to recur daily, every other day, weekly, monthly, etc as appropriate).
Monthly basis
Take yourself through the following exercise at the start of each month. Write it down in your note taking app.
Step 1: Big Wins
What are the top things from the past month about which you are most pleased? Be sure to include time spent in leisure, learning, or nurturing important relationships in addition to productivity!
Step 2: Monthly Calendar
Consider what lies ahead in the coming month. This is important in staying honest about what’s achievable and what isn’t, given your time constraints.
Step 3: After Action Review
Review your Monthly Actions from last month. Carry forward (below) those that are deserving; discard or postpone those that are not.
Step 4: Monthly Actions
What will you commit to doing this month? Try to make this list heavy as you can on things from your “Quarterly Actions”, but be mindful of other needs and commitments as well. Anything you put in the “Quarter” category at the start of the quarter will already be in your todo app; now assign them the “Monthly” category as well. Add any others to the Monthly category now.
Step 5: Monthly “Big Thing”
Think about something big you want to focus on this month. Eating well, exercising, practicing a language, working on a long-term project, or spending more time with your partner all come to mind as possibilities. Think about why you want to do this, and what your plan is for doing it. Then update your “Habits” list to reflect this. Make it a daily priority.
One Week at a time
Take yourself through the following exercise at the start of each week (I like Monday to Sunday, personally, meaning that I try to do this on Sunday night or Monday morning). Write it down in your note taking app.
Step 1: Big Wins
What are the top things from the past month about which you are most pleased? Be sure to include time spent in leisure, learning, or nurturing important relationships in addition to productivity!
Step 2: Weekly Calendar
Actual draw out the seven days of the week and then a Morning, Afternoon, and Evening for each of them. I just draw in the OneNote page on my iPad, but others might prefer paper. Then add your big events to your working calendar (e.g. Outlook, Google Calendar, etc). Oh, also send a copy of your calendar to anyone in your life who you’d like to know, such as your partner.
Step 3: Review
Review and update the following standing priorities / actions:
Yearly Priorities
Quarterly Actions
Monthly Actions
Last Week’s Actions
Monthly “Big Thing”
Step 4: Weekly Goals
Do the following in your todo app:
Set up to ten tasks / activities as priorities for the "Week"
Mark three of them as the weekly big three
Schedule tasks / activities for Monday
Mark up to three of them as the daily big three for Monday
Step 5: Weekend Reflection and Rejuvenation
How will you reflect and rejuvenate throughout the week and into the weekend? Categorize these activities in your “Weekend” list on your todo app.
Daily actions
End each evening or begin each morning by re-assessing the state of your todo app, and choosing up to three things that are most important for that day. Try your best to stick to things that you’ve already made “Weekly” priorities.
Good luck, and enjoy! I’d love to know how you keep yourself focused and centered throughout the year, quarter, month, week, and day.
