One of the common complaints I hear from women leaders regarding their productivity is that they avoid focusing on the most important tasks in their workplace. They habitually occupy themselves with busy work, distractions, unplanned interruptions, dealing with difficult customers, colleague interactions or putting out fires that don’t result in moving their No. 1 priority forward.
To get out of this cycle, try this tip: Think in terms of micromovements.
Years ago on my radio show, I was interviewing SARK, an international best-selling author who has written books on being an artist and connecting with creativity. She confessed during our interview that she was the world’s greatest procrastinator, and I was shocked.
When I asked her to explain how she worked around her tendency to procrastinate, she shared that she would focus on taking what she called “micromovements” each day. This might be something as simple as identifying a task or goal that would take just one to two minutes to accomplish.
For instance, one of her micromovements might be to get out her colored pens and drawing paper and place them on her drawing table.
The next day, one of her micromovements might be to sit down and write for five minutes. Another day it might be to make a five-minute call to her publishing company.
Since my interview with SARK, I have used her micromovement strategy countless times when I felt unmotivated.
Sometimes I give myself five minutes to create a rough draft for a sales page or follow up with a prospect. When I feel particularly unmotivated, I set a 10-minute timer and tell myself all I have to do is spend that time writing. My original commitment to spend 10 minutes often turns into 30 minutes as I tap into my innate energy and momentum.
After teaching one of my leaders about this strategy, she went on to create $5,000 from a one-minute micromovement she had been inspired to take. Not only that, but I and other leaders have achieved five-figure paydays from using this approach.
Simply identify the most important result or outcome you are accountable for achieving in your role, then break it down into micromovements.”
It works even if your tasks aren’t directly tied to producing income. Simply identify the most important result or outcome you are accountable for achieving in your role, then break it down into micromovements.
Because micromovements take just one to three minutes to complete, you’ll be surprised at how simply you can move some of your most important tasks forward in a seemingly effortless way.