Creating a Commitment Inventory for Improved Productivity
Productivity isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ thing. More often than not, you need to try a few methods before finding the one that works for you. The following method is for those productivity seekers that start with a hiss and roar, and then a few months into it, their drive fizzles out.
If you find yourself struggling to get things done, procrastinating over daily tasks or getting overwhelmed with your busyness, this technique by Mark Foster that focuses on a ‘Commitment Inventory’ might be the answer to your woes.
Make a list of all your commitments
That means everything – all reporting, invoicing, administration, marketing etc., that you’re committed to complete for work gets written down. And then you do the same for all your personal commitments - like exercise, volunteering, housework, cooking, shopping, picking up children etc. Everything needs to be written down on a list for this to be effective.
Consolidate your list until you hit 100% of your time
Now comes the tricky part – breaking down and consolidating your tasks into key categories. You might combine tasks – like invoicing, admin and marketing - and then you’ll need to allocate the time you’re able to commit to working on this category every day.
As you’re only one person, your calculations need to add up to 100%, so this is when you need to make the hard choices about what will stay on your list (post-graduate study - 20%) versus what goes (volunteering - 5%, writing a novel - 15%).
Be realistic
It’s tricky to make these hard calls, but you have to be realistic. It would be great to write a novel (10%) while trying to complete a thesis for your post-graduate qualification (10%) – but if you focus on both, it’s likely neither will be fabulous. Instead, decide on what you want to do right now (post-graduate qualification - 20%), and know that you can move onto the other project once this one is completed.
Organise your to-do list around your key categories
Once you have a list of items, these will become your priorities. If you add anything else to your list, they need to sit under your priorities such as;
Post-graduate qualification – Thesis:
Research
Plan
Write
If you want to add something else to your list and it doesn’t fit under an existing category – you need to carefully consider if it’s worth adding to your commitments at all.
Create checklists, not to-do lists
Checklists aren’t a set of random tasks that are listed together and need to be completed in a set time frame - which often creates resistance - but more a sequential set of steps that are related to one outcome. To-do lists tell you what to do, while checklists tell you how to do it.
Set a time limit and stick to it
Sometimes when you have unlimited time available, you’ll find yourself dawdling and becoming easily distracted. A good way to get around this is by using ‘time bursts that force you to concentrate and crank through your task.
The recommended burst is 40 minutes, but trial what works for you as it might be a bit longer or shorter. The key is sticking to your timer and moving onto the next task as soon as it pings.
As always, be flexible, keep checking in to see if your tasks and goals are still relevant, and only refill your category slots as you complete them – and you’ll be on your way to better productivity in no time.