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.

What is Holding You Back?

Want to know what’s really holding you back from achieving your goals? Clutter.

I’m not talking about piles of paper on your desk or stacks of business cards you never got around to organizing — although that can be a problem, too. In this case, though, we’re talking about the clutter in your head. You know, that endless list of things that scrolls through your mind continually, and that distracts you just when you’re trying to focus.

That’s the kind of clutter that’s really holding you back, and we all have it. But the good news is, it’s easier to clean up than those piles of paper are. And the way we’re going to do it is with a brain dump.

Here’s how it works:

1. Set aside 30 to 60 minutes of uninterrupted time. It’s important that you have a quiet place with no distractions—either internal or external—to derail the process, so plan a time when the kids are at school and you don’t have clients calling you. 
2. Grab your list-writing tool of choice. This can be digital or physical, so whether you prefer Evernote, a Moleskine notebook, or a stack of index cards, it’s entirely up to you. Make sure you have pencils and/or pens, too. 
3. Just write. Make a big list of everything that’s on your mind, from getting the dog groomed to building a new website. Whatever you’re keeping on that big to-do list in your head goes in your brain dump. No task is too big or too small, but don’t worry about the details yet. Rather than listing all the subjects you want to blog about, simply write “Create a blog editorial calendar.” 
4. Organize. Once you’ve got everything out of your head and down on paper, it’s time to bring some order to the chaos. Reorganize your list according to project, then order your projects by priority, and finally order the tasks within your projects in their logical order. Fill in the blanks where necessary. 
5. Transfer to a trusted system. Your brain dump will do you no good at all if you still feel the need to keep stuff in your head, so this step is critical to your success. Whether your to-do lists are on paper or electronic, you must transfer your newly organized brain dump into a system you trust and use. I use Evernote and Wunderlist. Use whatever system works best for you.

Finally, it’s time to get to work. And if you find yourself struggling again or not getting things done, that means it’s time to schedule another brain dump. Doing so regularly will help you continue to move forward toward your goals and get the work done.