As busy managers, we’re often so overwhelmed by a mountain of daily tasks that we never get around to starting the projects that will propel our careers and benefit the organization in the long-term.
David Allen, the author of “Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity,” believes that many people are paralyzed by inertia as a result of current negative circumstances like the bad economy or a chaotic workplace. He advocates recognizing that being self-starter is a set of behaviors that you can adopt.
These behaviors include getting your ideas out of your head and onto paper. By freeing your mind of everything that needs to be done for your project, you can concentrate on performing the tasks necessary to launch it.
Allen’s project model involves five key stages: defining the purpose of the project, determining what success will look like, brainstorming, organizing, and allocating resources/taking action.
Be systematic about your project by delegating required tasks so that each member of your team is personally accountable for something, and by having frequent status meetings to flag problems and incorporate new developments. A variety of project management tools are available to make managing workflow easier.
If you’re working on your own, you can place a checklist and timeline in your personal calendar. Just be wary of implementing too many fancy organizational systems in exchange for doing real work on your project.
You may want to launch a new initiative but are having trouble thinking of an initial task to get you moving in the right direction. Allen says to start with the basics, which could be as simple as making an insights folder in which you put interesting articles you cut out of magazines or read online. It’s not a bad thing to hold off on the biggest decisions until your thinking has matured.
This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.
Thank you for this timely post. This is a particularly busy time at work and I have been short on time to get started on my own career development venture. I need to blog, network more, and develop a business plan for coaching midlife adults on moving from a job to a career. I always appreciate your insights and will definitely check out David Allen's book!
Posted by: Jen Costello | January 11, 2011 at 03:52 PM
Nice article--well written. I'm a fan of David Allen and now I feel like I should get to work instead of sitting here reading blogs ;-). I do, however, enjoy yours. Cheers!
Posted by: Sherry | January 13, 2011 at 10:29 PM
I have read David Allen's book and use the 5 key stages for my own business. I have a large team that I work with and the systematical approach that I have learned from this book helps me tremendously!
Posted by: Work at Home | January 16, 2011 at 02:26 PM
I'm able to get a copy of David Allen's book that you've mention above as a gift from my best friend but unfortunately I haven't got the time to read it. But I'm glad I came across your post and it gives me the idea in getting things done! I've been so busy with my work and i feel so stress out!
Posted by: Dipinto | January 24, 2011 at 10:09 AM
@Dipinto: Glad to have helped - hope you enjoy the book!
@Work at Home: Good for you! I wish I employed the method more systematically myself.
@Sherry: I agree on the blogs sometimes. I definitely use them to procrastinate. :)
@Jen: Good luck! I think setting aside even an hour each week for your own venture can make a world of difference.
Posted by: Alexandra Levit | February 21, 2011 at 04:22 PM
Project management software can be a great tool for organizing projects of any size and stop you procrastinating. Project management software, such as Clarizen www.clarizen.com/ProjectManagementSoftware allows you to see what your tasks are for the day and what needs to be done urgently. Project management software will also help you to track your budget, resources and time.
Posted by: Rebecca | January 11, 2012 at 12:18 PM