How To Get Things Done And Stop Getting Distracted
You are trying to figure out how to get things done but you just don’t know how to get started, right?
Whether you are trying to get more done on your small farm or your feel like your personal productivity is lacking I am here to help you out.
These tips will help you achieve better focus and help you enjoy some de-cluttering during your time online so that you have a day that results in more productivity.
This post is all about how to get things done in a set amount of time without gettign distracted.
Focus Is Key
Focus on one task at a time no matter what you are doing.
When you are trying to do two different things at once you are going to slow yourself down and not do as good of a job on either of those things.
Having a list of one-off tasks for each of our current projects or parts of your life will help you SEE what needs done and keep you focused on those things.
You will be able to focus more on business tasks during the time you have set aside for that.
And the same goes for your “off-time” at home having fun and relaxing with family.
And to us small farmers the more we can just be in the barn enjoying our animals and gardening to our heart’s content without the guilt of other things going on that we need to get done
Have A Plan To Get Things Done
Having a plan for your day – even if it’s just a simple bullet list of to-do items – will help you be more productive.
Divide your business, farm, and personal tasks into their own master list.
Some people swear by the “brain dump” method, where you write down every single thing that’s on your mind and then organize it into categories, such as Must Do, Client Work, Future Projects, or Personal Errands. But it leaves you wondering where to start with all of the different task lists.
And doing so on a piece of paper does help clear your mind BUT I think it still needs to be organized a bit.
Use a paper planner or digital tool to organize the tasks that need to be done and set a due date for each thing.
If you are working on a business list of tasks then grab that list and set the rest aside. Know that you will come back to it later but for now, this is where your focus is.
Take that list and work on one thing at a time.
If your list is long and you know you can’t get everything done in one sitting. Allow yourself to do three one-off tasks then do the daily tasks that have to happen all the time because if you don’t you will always be stuck in this cycle of being stuck at the same level. Because you are not doing the tasks that will help move you forward.
Schedule How Much Time You Will Give To That Task At Hand
Try using the time block method, which is blocking off a certain number of hours to work in the garden, groom the dog, work with buyers, write your next book or course, or work on a multi-step project.
Scheduling out the tasks that you are going to work on is a key element to not overbooking or expecting more than is possible for yourself. Women are the worst at this. We will want to get 30 hrs’ worth of work done in a 24hr day. Then beat ourselves up for not getting everything done.
Simply follow the plan and you’ll see your productivity increase because you know exactly what has to happen next.
Try this method at home, especially with tasks you don’t enjoy, such as housework or yard work.
Block off a certain amount of time and work as quickly as possible to get the job done. Set a timer or an alarm on your phone if you have to. Once the time is up that’s it. Wrap up and move on to the next thing.
Reduce Your To-Do List
When you are looking for a workday that results in more focus and more productivity, it is best to create a realistic list.
This means you should cut some items off your list that can wait until another day. Try not to do everything in one day because you will naturally run out of time. This is why I LOVE time blocking because it allows you to SEE the time you have right in front of you. Because somehow we don’t fully realize that those three tasks we want to get done will not fit in those 4 hours you have to work on your farm business.
Prioritize and do the most important tasks that cannot be put off.
When you are not frazzled by thinking you have so many things to do (whether for your personal life or your farm business), you will produce better quality work.
Take Breaks Will Help You Get Things Done
When writing blog posts or creating content I would be sitting for 4-6hrs writing. Struggle to stay focused and fight my brain to stay on track. But when I started getting up for just 5 minutes I was so much more focused when I would come back.
Saving things like laundry, dishes, and folding clothes for my quick 5 minute breaks are great because I am still doing productive things but giving my mind a break from the work task.
You get distracted and strive to engage in less meaningful activities, which reduces your focus and your productivity.
Rather than sitting at your desk for hours on end, take some breaks throughout the day; your body and your brain will thank you. You’ll gain mental clarity about what you need to accomplish and be able to recognize when you are veering into less productive activities.
Little Tasks First, Or Hard Things First?
There are two ways you could go with this. Get lots of little tasks done so you see lots of things checked off your list. OR do the hard things first. You have to know how you work and what motivates you to keep going.
I am not a morning person. It takes about an hour or even two before my brain is fully operational. BUT once it is up and going look out baby.
I highly recommend that you get the harder things done as soon as you and your brain are ready to go because if you want too long you will get distracted. Before you know it you have not gotten the important things done and you only have a short time left in your day.
This is also helpful because you are building momentum for your day by getting the difficult things out of the way. Some people call it “eating the frog” and you’ll have an immediate sense of accomplishment when this one task is complete.
Which is great for stress-free productivity.
Do Two Things At The Same Time
Now, this might seem like multi-tasking but not in the way you think.
Let’s say you were organizing a tack box that has turned into a mess over the winter. While you are in there you should be looking for things that don’t belong or finding things you could give away to clear out space.
You are organizing the tack box all the while looking for things you can give away.
See how you are technically doing two things at the same time?
Your brain is still focused in one direction but you are accomplishing two tasks. You didn’t come over and organize your tack box one day and clean out what shouldn’t be there the next.
Here is another example.
Let’s say you are organizing the fridge. But at the same time, you are wiping down the shelves. It’s the same focus but two tasks are being accomplished.
Do The Things That Will Throw You Off LAST
Maybe if you see a nasty comment or you read a dumb email your day is completely thrown off.
Or maybe scrolling Instagram or TikTok will cause you to go down this rabbit hole and before you know it you haven’t done one task on your to-do list.
Do the things that will throw you off LAST. When you raise animals you often need to check messages. BUT if going into your email inbox could cause you to get off track save that for later in the day.
Use Tools That Work For YOU
There are so many tools, opinions, thoughts, and productivity methods.
You HAVE TO do what works for you and how your mind works. No amount of productivity hacks will help you get more stuff done if you simply can’t get in the flow of it.
I love to use paper but with the amount of things I do in the rabbitry, blog, and business all together having EVERYTHING digital doesn’t make sense.
So things like my ideas, high-level strategy, and reference material that I will use often are kept in binders and the schedules, template text, and even a multi-step project are kept in a digital tool.
When it comes to personal productivity you will have to experiment with different things. But also be answer that seasons in life will change. A piece of paper might do the trick for a while. But when you are ready to be more strategic a to-do app might help you out more.
Don’t Try To Completely Change Everything All At Once
When you are creating new productivity habits it can be tempting to want to change everything and make your whole daily routine different.
The problem with that is that will be REALLY hard to stick to.
Assess your current actions and find one thing that can change. Once you have mastered that then add in the next thing.
Here is a list of productivity methods or ideas you could try to implement and see if they work for you.
Tips
- Time Blocking
- Batching Your Weeks – Focusing on one project or type of task each week
- Prioritized to-do list. – You only work from a todo list and keep working down the list one thing at a time until that task is completed
- Pay attention to how your mind is feeling and what you are ready to do that day.
- Paper planner only
- Digital tools only
- A digital and paper blend.
If you are like me and love trying out new tools here are some of my favorites.
Digital Tools
- Clickup
- Assana
- Trello
- Notion
Paper Planners
- Day Designer (MY FAVORITE PLANNER)
- Living well spending less planner
- Erin Condren
Avoiding distractions is so important to you getting things done. Start off with these tips and you might surprise yourself with your increased productivity.