Think about a day that you would have had in the past where you are feeling all tired right at the beginning of the day. You are exhausted just at the thought of so many things that need to be completed during the day. And while you are just caught up in those thoughts, a few hours just go by before you realize that you have not done anything concrete or important for the day. Then, seeing that a good amount of your day’s time has just gone out of hands, you panic further thinking about the lack of time to complete all the work that is on your list. And before you know, the day is almost at its end and if you have not already started feeling bad during the day about having lost so much time, you sure would start feeling frustrated about having lost one precious day. And then you probably stop and think how you would have lived the day if you could live it all over again. Or in the least, you wish you had at least completed one of the tasks that were on your list, as that would have at least added some value to the day and left you with a little less to think about for the next day. But then it is too late to repent, as nothing much can be done about the time that has already gone by. However, one good thing you could take back from this is the learning that at least taking one item and completing that is better than just getting bogged down by the thought of having so much to do and finally not landing up doing anything important.

It would seem like stating an obvious thing to say, that it is better to do at least one important thing in a day as compared to not doing anything important. However, how many of us wouldn’t have gone through the above-mentioned experience? Though it may sound obvious, there is an important truth in that we tend to do it every now and then whenever we are overburdened and stressed out.

I have tried to learn from such situations and have thought about a simple but effective method of handling not only those times when I’m stressed out, but on a day to day basis as well. It sounds so simple that you would actually be tempted not to try it out at all. So my advice would be to take it seriously and see for yourself how much positive difference it would make in your life. Here’s how the technique goes…

1. Begin the day by choosing one important task that can be completed quickly. I’d like to stress that again – the task has to be not just important, but one that can be completed in a short time, in thirty minutes or less. It the task is any bigger, there is a good chance that you will be distracted from being able to complete it, and that would mean failure to apply this technique. If there is no such small task for the day in your plan, you should consider splitting up your tasks for the day, because big tasks are seldom completed without attacking them in small pieces, one piece at a time.

2. Once you have decided on which task you will be starting the day with, the next thing is to start the task and complete it. This is extremely important. Entertain no distraction, however small it may seem. Just get the task done. This is the essence of this technique. You entertain the slightest distraction, and this is bound to fail. If anyone approaches you, even if it is your manager, just politely state that you are right in the middle of an important task and that you would get back to him/her as soon as it is done, which you know is going to be in less than thirty minutes because of the very nature of the task that has been chosen. One of the main reasons why this task should be one that can be completed soon is so that you can confidently push aside all distractions, knowing that it is going to be only a short while before you can take care of the other task that came up as a distraction.

3. Now that you have completed the task, cherish the sense of having already accomplished an important item for the day. You have now gained the momentum that would be required to drive you through the rest of the day, with all the other important work items that are on your list. Once you experience the air of accomplishment, you would be surprised at the boost it gives you to complete more and more during the day. Note however, that the air of accomplishment should not be taken so far that it actually makes you complacent to the extent that you land up not doing much during the rest of the day. The accomplishment should be cherished to the extent that you overcome the stress if any and feel geared up to get more and more done during the day.

Sounds too simple, doesn’t it? Well, it sure is as simple as starting the day with one small but important task, and getting it done before even thinking about all the other tasks that are in line. However, the important part is to remember to do this each and every day. Doing this just once in a while makes the value/importance of this method stand out. Practicing it on a daily basis makes you live your life with a sense of accomplishment.

Making this a way of life has the potential to turn you into a positive and dynamic person. Try it at work tomorrow (or today itself if you have happened to read this before starting your day at work), and let me know how you did throughout the day. I look forward to hearing from you, and wish you a life filled with an air of accomplishments.