Many of you have told me, “I want to start using these effectiveness tools but I haven’t gotten around to it just yet.” If you are in this situation, here are some tips to help you get started.
- Give yourself a break. Treat the act of using these tools as just another habit to build. The best way to build any new habit is not to force yourself. Instead make a strong commitment to the habit then observe yourself in the act of initially not doing the new habit. Soon the dissonance between your commitment and your observations will help you very naturally adopt the new habit.
- Choose how you will start building your set of lists: using the “core dump” method or “accretion” method. Either works well.
- In the core dump method, you start with everything. Fill pages and pages with each and every task, potential tasks, idea, and dream. Then you use Effectiveness Habit #3: MOD It to transform that written mass into your core set of lists.
- The accretion method is similar but you start quicker with just the now-most-important tasks, potential tasks, ideas, and dreams. You still use Habit #3 to build your core lists. Over time, you can add more and more tasks, ideas, etc. until everything is in your lists.
- Get assistance. Partner with a friend who will help you stay on track.
To your continues success!
Mike