You probably don’t realize that sometimes you hinder your own productivity. It’s OK to admit – we all do it. And usually without even realizing what we’re doing.
Sometimes when there is an important, ugly, or scary project looming, we get stuck. And because we don’t know where to begin on that scary project, we’ll create an excuse – which we then fully believe! I mean, we accept that excuse: hook, line & sinker! As a professional who values the “trusted advisor” role I serve with my clients, it is usually fairly easy for me to identify when this happens and to diplomatically help a client see it for himself.
Here’s a recent example:
While working with a client yesterday, it became clear to me that there was a barrier to her progress on one of her top goals. In her mind, this barrier was sizable. And she was thoroughly convinced that it was responsible for significantly impeding progress in a certain area of her business for over three weeks.
The barrier? Her desk.
She was in the process of setting up a new home office and she wasn’t confident about what kind of desk she needed. As a result, she was using the dining room table for working, filing, and piling. Due to their unappealing appearance, her file cabinets were inaccessibly hidden in an upstairs closet. She felt very unsettled and was stressed about the impact this setup was having on her business and her family.
Because I deal with such a variety of clients, it was easy for me to quickly identify that this was a self-created barrier, and an easily removable one. With just three questions about her work preferences and how often she accesses certain materials, we were able to quickly create a list of requirements to help her narrow her purchase options. What was overwhelming her a few minutes prior was now very do-able. Success!
You don’t need an expert to guide you through being stuck – sometimes a friend can be an objective observer and get you into action. If you have neither handy, there’s a fantastic tool called The Strategy Circle, created by Dan Sullivan of The Strategic Coach. If you live a digital existence, you’d like this tool in its software form, but it’s just as powerful when done on paper. Here’s a photo:
Strategy Circle
The philosophy behind the Strategy Circle is that “all those things that oppose our goals are actually the raw material for achieving them.” Instead of brainstorming solutions to a problem, you instead list the obstacles. And it’s usually pretty easy to come up with a list of what’s in your way, isn’t it? For each obstacle, you then develop a strategy, and the resulting strategies lead to creating your result. This is a very simple too. (Remember, “simple” does not always equal “easy”!)
Before you comment that you don’t have the time to use such a tool, consider that just 3 super-focused minutes on a problem that you truly want to solve can generate some great solutions. Or at least get you un-stuck and into action!
Do you have any suggestions for getting un-stuck when you’re impeding your own productivity? I’d love to hear them!
