Don't let trivial shit hijack your potential for a brilliant life. It's one thing to get clear on your most important priorities and zero in on your goals and dreams. But what about all that other pesky stuff that gets in your way? You know, the washing, the emails, and the thing you have to sign off and upload.Never fear, alliteration is here.
In last week's Fink Tank, Cam mentioned my Four D's framework. Here's the 411.
The Four Ds Framework
This handy model tackles all the random bits and bobs that prevent you from progressing with your most important work. Here's how you can use it. To start, draw up a three-column table.
1. Purge
In the first column, list all the things clogging up your to-do list, which you know in your heart is not a good use of your time.
(Put a big circle around that main thing. You know the thing. You just spent two hours on it, which you regretted WHILE IT WAS HAPPENING.)
2. Treat
Title the second column, 'treatment.’ Here are the four options for the treatment column, all starting with D
Do minimum
Choose to do a crappy job. Not everything needs to be done well.
Delegate
Give it to someone else to do. This is a great option, but it rarely delivers results overnight. If you want to delegate accountability (which you do), you will probably have to do this in stages. Otherwise, you’ll only delegate the task - which isn't taking a job off your plate; it's adding three new ones (management, quality control and coaching.)
Delete
Get rid of the thing. Seriously. Does it really need to be done? Are you sure? What would happen if you didn't?
Delay
This is my least favourite option and comes with a huge caveat. If you delay something, you need to pick the date you will pick it up. Otherwise, you’ll still be walking around with it on your shoulders, and the whole point of this exercise is to reduce the mental and emotional load, not just the physical. If you know you're still not going to want to do it in three months, be honest with yourself and pick another treatment.
3. Shrink
Title the third column 'next step'. In this column, write down the minimum viable next step for each of your treatments.
Act on half of these, and your life will change. Bing bang boom, task list reduced.
Til next week,
A
Alicia McKay