❓ The question I start every day with

It is likely that you have a lot of tasks you feel you need to complete. It is likely that all of those tasks seem important, yet you probably recognise that not all tasks are equally important. 

Is it more important to feed your children or update your logo?

To reply to that cold email or file your taxes on time?

To improve delivery efficiency or to get new clients? 

While I have discussed some strategies that help clarify priorities before, such as “Even Over Statements”, I have found a simple question to be one of my favourite methods to quickly clarify priorities and ensure I do work that moves the needle. The question is:

What one thing can I do today that will move me forward the most? 

I start every day with this question, and it has been among the biggest value adds for my business. It is something I adapted from the M.I.T (most important task) productivity tactic and The One Thing.

The 1 thing must always be a task that I can fully complete in less than 1 hour (sometimes this means breaking down to one small part of a bigger task).

There are hundreds of things I can be doing, but I know my time and energy are limited. I need to strip that list back to just 1 thing I will do right now that I think will make the most difference. One thing keeps it focused and leaves enough “slack” in my schedule to still put out fires. 

Personally, I am strict in ensuring I answer this question within 60 seconds of starting work. I want to avoid analysis paralysis - spending time trying to find a perfect answer rather than taking action - so I usually go with my gut feeling. I can review if that was right later using an After Action Review (more on this in a future edition of Work Smart Wednesday).  

Am I wrong sometimes in what that 1 thing I should work on is? Yup. And that is absolutely fine. I don't need to be right about it all of the time, the benefit from being right even a small percentage of the time so significantly outweighs being wrong that it is still worth it. Consistent focused action trumps inconsistent disorganised action.

Try it this week. Before you do ANY more work, write out the question and answer it. Answer it within 60 seconds. Do that 1 thing first, do not do anything else until that 1 thing is done. You will get more done, AND more important things completed.

What one thing can I do today that will move me forward the most?

What One Thing Question Mark

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I shared this in my Work Smart Wednesday newsletter. Want the full set of related insights? You can read them here: https://worksmartwednesday.substack.com/p/work-smart-wednesday-may-22-2024

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