Yes, You Can Eat That Elephant -- One Bite At a Time

Have you ever looked at your to-do list and thought, “I don’t even know where to begin”?

We all have. But here’s something you may not know: We get overwhelmed not because there are too many things on that list, but because what’s on your list is not actionable.

For example, if your to-do list says something like, “New website,” you’re setting yourself up for failure. A new website is not something you can just do. A new website is a project, not a “to-do.” It requires several steps to complete, and likely several days or weeks of time. When it appears on your to-do list, it’s destined to be the thing that gets pushed back to tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day. Because it’s just not doable.

The key to getting more done? Recognize those overwhelming projects and turn them into doable tasks instead.

Here’s how to quickly tell the difference:

A task begins with a verb. “Buy a domain” is a task. “Install WordPress” is a task. “Order a logo” is even a task. And when you put them all together (with some others) they equal “New website.”

A project or a goal is a set of related tasks that cannot be completed all at one time. You probably can’t sit down and build a new website in an afternoon. You can’t write a book in a day or two.

So when your goal is big, such as developing a new website or writing a book or creating a new ecourse, it helps to break those projects down into small, actionable tasks before adding them to your to-do list.

Think about the actual steps that need to happen to reach your goal. Do you need to order a book cover or outline the content or contact someone for an interview? Those are all things that fit on your to-do list. Put them together in the correct order, and you’ve got a project. Complete them one at a time, on time, and you’ve completed your goal by your deadline.

To map out your plan for achieving your goal, follow these steps:

1. List out all the tasks that must be completed before you can say you’ve reached your goal or finished your project.

2. Consider how long it might take to complete each task. Some will take minutes, others might take several hours or even a whole day, but you should be able to “ballpark it” to figure out just how long your goal will take to reach.

3. Grab your calendar and start making notes about what task will be completed by which dates. This will help you set a realistic goal for the entire project.

4. Add only the actionable steps to your current to-do list. Tasks that you can’t do yet don’t belong on your list, just as the goal itself doesn’t. These things aren’t actionable (yet) so don’t clutter up your space and head with them.

Breaking a big goal down into bite-sized chunks is a great way to get focused and get more done. When you’re only worried about the next small step, it’s much easier to continue on the path than when you’re constantly looking at the horizon and not seeing much progress.

Meeting Deadlines For Non-Resume Projects

As resume writers, we're used to meeting deadlines for client resume projects. But how do we do when it comes to our own projects — especially our marketing projects?

In your resume writing business, your clients are depending on you to get things done in a timely manner, and if you don’t perform, you won’t be in business long.

But when it comes to non client-related tasks, deadlines are a bit more flexible. 

Sure, you can put on your calendar that you’ll have that new ebook written by Friday, but with no real consequence to face if you don’t finish, what’s to keep you motivated? Try these tricks to help turn those arbitrary dates into non-negotiable time limits.

1. Share with others. Tell your blog readers and social media followers about your upcoming ebook. Let them know when it will be available for sale. Now if you don’t get it done, you’ll have to answer to your fans.

2. Get an accountability partner. Much like a client, an accountability partner helps you set deadlines and demands results. Find another resume writer to partner up with.

3. Reward yourself for a job well done. Did you get that ebook written and released on time? Treat yourself to a well-deserved dinner out, that sweater you’ve had your eye on, or just a day off. But here’s the thing: if you don’t get the work done—no reward. You have to have self-discipline to pull this one off.

4. Make smaller deadlines. Rather than committing to writing an entire ebook by Friday, commit to a chapter by tomorrow. Then another the day after that. By breaking down your big goal into much smaller chunks, you’ll not only be more likely to complete the big task, but it will be much easier to meet the individual deadlines.

5. Get help. If you consistently have trouble meeting your own deadlines, then it might be time to bring in outside help. A ghostwriter or virtual assistant can help you create that ebook in no time.

6. Try negative reinforcement. Make missing your deadlines painful, and you’ll find it much easier to stay motivated. You might try vowing to donate $100 to a charity for every day you’re late, or offer to pay 10 friends $20 each if your project isn’t done on time.

The ability to get things done on time is a valuable skill, and one that all successful resume writers have cultivated. But it’s not something that comes naturally to most of us. By using some—or all—of these tips, you’ll find that deadlines are much easier to meet. Not only that, but the added productivity will help grow your resume writing business as well.

There's Got To Be a Better Way

If there’s one most common mistake that holds many resume writers back, it’s this: they try to do too much.

I don’t mean that they try to grow too fast or expand too far. I mean that they try to do too much on their own.

They write the resumes. They update their website. They post their own social media updates. They handle the customer service problems.

The list goes on (and on and on) and while at first glance it might seem like the DIY approach makes good fiscal sense, the truth is, it’s killing your productivity.

Here’s why: You’re spending more time “figuring out” how to do all those things, and not enough time where you really shine.

If writing resumes is where your talents lie, then video editing is a waste of your time. If you’re a top-notch LinkedIn profile writer, then updating your own website is taking you away from that important money-making task.

Others can do those things more efficiently (and for less money) than you can.

Here’s another problem with trying to do everything yourself—you will hate it. And that which we hate, we avoid. Suddenly, things are slipping through the cracks. You don't write your ebook because you don't know how to design a cover or format it. You don't start an email list because you don't have a landing page.

There’s got to be a better way.

The key to really getting things done in your resume writing business is to know where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and to only do those things that you are good at and enjoy. Everything else can be handled by someone else.

Start by making a list of all the tasks that you find yourself procrastinating on. Those are the top candidates for outsourcing. Prioritize your list according to just how much you dislike the task, as well as how easy it would be to turn over to someone else.

For example, you might really hate to update Quickbooks, so that might be something to outsource.

You don’t have to outsource everything in your resume writing business, but you’ll find that when you concentrate on what you do well and let go of the things you struggle with, you’ll love your business a lot more, and be naturally more productive, too.

Calculating the Value of Your Time

If one of your resolutions for 2008 is to get more organized, this handy little tool is sure to help your motivation. It's a calculator to help you determine the impact of wasted time -- in terms of the financial impact it causes!

Get Organized!

If you're like most resume writers, you've got a ton of paperwork to organize!

You'll find plenty of articles, tips, and advice on how to get better organized at:
http://www.getorganizednow.com

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