Next Action Rules
David Allen made the concept of "next action" famous, for many people it is a totally new concept and amazingly effective tool to combat procrastination among other things.
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Many times I find myself contemplating a task, making a decision or taking the next step forward on a project. And I stay there. Contemplating.
Until it occurs to me to do what David says and think of the very next action that needs to be done to get the ball rolling. The smaller and easier the better.
Do you need to go to the dentist? Everyone wants to put that one off. What do you need to do to make it painless (besides Novocain).
This is going to sound very juvenile, but it works.
Before you can go, you need to make an appointment. Some days that can seem like climbing Mount Everest.
Until it occurs to me to do what David says and think of the very next action that needs to be done to get the ball rolling. The smaller and easier the better.
Do you need to go to the dentist? Everyone wants to put that one off. What do you need to do to make it painless (besides Novocain).
This is going to sound very juvenile, but it works.
Before you can go, you need to make an appointment. Some days that can seem like climbing Mount Everest.
What are the "next actions" that you need to do to make the appointment, and ultimately go to the dentist?
Scenarios that may hinder your progress...
It isn't hard to get offtrack and back to procrastinating by seemingly minor things.
- you need to pick up the phone. (or find it if you live in our house).
- you need look up the number.
- So the next action may be to walk to the book shelf (or pile under the phone) and get the phone book.
Scenarios that may hinder your progress...
It isn't hard to get offtrack and back to procrastinating by seemingly minor things.
What if you can't find the phone book? Put it on your list of next actions allowing a little more time. Don't sweat it.
What if the phone book is on a messy shelf or in a messy pile and you want to clean it instead of making the call.
It depends. What is on your next action list. If you've got the phone book but have penciled in the call for tomorrow, and
are finished your next action tasks for the time being - go ahead and clean it.
If you have another scheduled task, leave it, do the task and pencil in cleaning the pile for another time.
What if the phone book is on a messy shelf or in a messy pile and you want to clean it instead of making the call.
It depends. What is on your next action list. If you've got the phone book but have penciled in the call for tomorrow, and
are finished your next action tasks for the time being - go ahead and clean it.
If you have another scheduled task, leave it, do the task and pencil in cleaning the pile for another time.
Getting sidetracked on a regular basis will only make you loose faith in your next action plan and you will once again find yourself thinking about it rather than doing it.
Self discipline will help you master the rule of making next action steps simple, therefore doable. That kicks procrastination to the curb.
Self discipline will help you master the rule of making next action steps simple, therefore doable. That kicks procrastination to the curb.
Additional Information
Part of the reason that David Allen's "Next Action" works is that you are using laser focus and breaking the task down.
If you'd like to create these skills in an easy step by step way, sign up for our TAKE 5 - Bootcamp for Dustbunnies or WAHM in FOCUS for friendly tips and reminders of specific tasks that can help make it better, 5 - 15 minutes at a time.
I have been a self proclaimed book worm since I can remember, I used to read soup can labels when I first learned just for the fun of it :0) Over the years I graduated to more interesting reading :0)
David Allen's book "Getting Things Done" stands out as one of my best reads out of hundreds of books.
If you are time challenged, you can use this book to improve.
It's full of really good, practical suggestions - his next action rules as explained in the book is priceless and something I try to use every day, every chance I get.
It literally pulls me out of "time funk" in no time and gets me moving in the direction I want to go.
And that is a very, very small piece of it.
This book is a classic and is a must for your time management reading list.
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