In this episode, we dive into Jan Yager’s book How to Finish Everything You Start, focusing on how to complete tasks or projects. We’ll share practical tips to help you boost your productivity and finish what you start.
22 Reasons for Not Getting Things Done:
Dr. Yager outlines 22 potential beliefs, behaviors, or bad habits that lead to unfinished tasks, such as fear of failure or success, perfectionism, procrastination, and low self-esteem. We’ll analyze some of the most common reasons and use real-life examples to explain them.
Beating Procrastination:
Procrastination is the second biggest reason people struggle to finish tasks. We’ll share effective strategies to overcome it, including:
• Viewing procrastination as a signal to uncover its root cause.
• Using a “one task at a time” approach to focus on finishing the current task.
• Applying the “creative procrastination” technique, where you set aside difficult parts of a task temporarily to work on more manageable sections.
Setting Goals and Prioritizing:
Clear goals and smart prioritization are key to boosting productivity. We’ll introduce the SMART goal-setting method and explain how the ACTION! strategy helps you evaluate, control, aim, innovate, organize, and act immediately.
Making Effective To-Do Lists:
A well-structured to-do list is a powerful tool for organizing your thoughts and boosting efficiency. We’ll share tips on creating effective to-do lists, such as:
• Breaking complex tasks into smaller, manageable parts with set deadlines.
• Flexibly adjusting your to-do list by adding or removing items as needed.
Learning to Say “No”:
For those who struggle with saying no to requests, mastering this skill is essential to boosting productivity. We’ll provide polite yet firm ways to decline, such as:
• Soft refusals like, “I’m currently busy and may not have the time.”
• Giving specific reasons, like, “I have other important projects to complete.”
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