Just in the past 2.5 weeks, I've seen my productivity shoot through the roof, I have more energy and I feel great about myself (who wouldn't?)

 

No, this isn't a new fab drug or wonder-pill.  It was just a simple matter of changing the way I see a tiny thing in my life.

 

So let's reassess where I was 3 weeks ago:

• 3 speeches to write, and submit/ deliver within the fortnight
• 5 assignments and 3 mid-semester tests due within 3 weeks
• I had to finalise trip details to the USA in November
• Plan ahead to get things done before I go to Mexico in a fortnight
• Lots of stuff to send to prepare for my awards
• An abstract to write that was overdue
• Stressed about negotiations taking place

 

And things were so not going to get done.

 

I use the HitList, I write a daily plan, but I procrastinated so much it was debilitating.

 

What usually happens is I pile on all these things to do, don't manage to get them done then delegate them off to someone else at the eleventh hour.  Except I couldn't do that this time, because these were all personal things that had to be done by me.

 

One night, while I was examining honestly what I do with a friend, I realised that amongst everything else, I also spend a lot of my time time watching television and YouTube videos because I thought that it made me more creative.  I thought, "really creative people made these tv shows and these music videos.  If I watch them,  I can store up good creative ideas for the future".  But while I was saying this aloud, I realised that I study mechatronics engineering and computer science.  If I really wanted to improve my creativity and thinking skills, I could just study my lecture notes or do tutorial exercises.  Because while everyone has access to those tv shows and music videos, not everyone has the opportunity to expand their minds through studying engineering.  And with that, I knew that I would be able to follow my plan, not procrastinate, and get everything done.

 

Since then, I have:

• Found a casual engineering job for 5 - 10 hours a week
• Submitted everything I needed to, including all my assessments in on time!
• Finalised two negotiations
• Recruited a new Robogals Global team member, participated in two photo-shoots, met up with heaps of old friends and contacts, conducted a few media interviews, etc.

 

And all I can say is, it feels awesome to finally know myself as someone who can make a plan and make everything on it happen!

 

So what's in the way to you being productive?  What do you need to get honest with yourself about?