The Art of Going from None to Done

The Art of Going from None to Done Stop Waiting For Things To Happen / Go Out And Make Them Happen found via Pinterest, originally on imgfave. Ooh, Shenee Howard wrote me a guest post to help us with time management stuff. If she can really get ya from Idea to Launch in just a week (she can and she will!) then I know she can help us all get From None to Done. Preach it, girl! Do you ever feel like you just CANT get the things done that you know NEED to happen? Ive always struggled with the volume of work that is required to work for yourself. Entrepreneurship is all about figuring out a lot of stuff on your own and taking action, even if you dont know what to do. I often compare it to sitting on top of a mountain of “needs to be done” but having no idea how it will happen. I felt that way for a long time and it was slowing me down, stalling my growth and draining my energy. I have managed to figure out a way to make sure I get stuff done and now, I help my clients get the work done too. Im a creative co-director who works exclusively with entrepreneurs. Its my job to make sure an exciting idea turns into product in 1 week. Its a process that usually takes people weeks (even months) on their own but together, we make it happen. Am I subjecting them to some weird torture? Am I sitting in their office watching them do the work with a ruler in hand, ready to strike? Nope. In fact, in my own life, I’m not really that organized. Ok, Ill admit, Im not organized at all but I have mastered the art of getting things done in my business. I can confidently say that while I cant find my shoes in my closet, I can create products in hours, design pages in days and brand at lightning speed. This is a mini-miracle, I assure you. A little while ago, I would not be able to do any of that. None to done is all about focus and as we all know, that is way easier said than done. Life gets in the way. Your cat might sit on your keyboard. Jersey Shore is on. Theres a fun conversation on twitter. You could clean your house instead. Maybe bake some cookies. You have to do a little mind trickery to make sure your work gets done. Here are some of my tips to help you go from none to done: 1. Make a date with yourself and make sure its a big deal If you know you need to write a blog post or pen a letter, put it in your schedule. Get a cup of tea and put on your favorite song, settle in and get started. In SHAZAM we call this the “Hot Date.” Its 45 minutes of focused content creation in your fancy jewelry  and there is even a happy ending. Oh snap! 2. Create a space that allows you to thrive. I learned this from my friend Michelle. When it comes time to do something big, do you have a pen? That notebook paper? Do you have the resources you need so you can hit the ground running? Getting up to go grab something is the biggest momentum killer around. Before you tackle any aspect of your list, Id take a moment and make sure that things get done. 3. Break up something big into bite-sized actionables and email them to yourself.  When I am working with my clients, I send very brief ( like 1 sentence ) emails with 1 action that will propel them forward. These are super effective because instead of thinking “I have to build this big thing now” you just have to do this one smaller thing, right now.  You can use Future me or any task management tool, I like producteev. My suggestion: write down a list of everything you KNOW you have to get done and start scheduling those emails. 4. Take lots of breaks I use my breaks to watch College Humor videos. I watch my favorite Jake and Amir, feel happy and refreshed and then dive right back in. Each of the videos clock in at about 3 minutes, so its the perfect break. I let myself watch 2. 5. Give yourself a tight deadline and tell someone else about it Its a lot easier to go from none to done when you dont have the whole day to play with but only 25 minutes. In college, I always did my best work when I had a deadline. This is just as true for your work. 6. Get help â€" Dont struggle through something you arent fully equipped to do in the first place. That just makes it harder to finish. Are you creating a sales page but dont know how to even start writing one? Its gonna be hard to do if you dont actually KNOW how to do it. Get someone else to read what you are writing, get feedback or hire a writer to help you out. 7. Do what you love This is a big one. Even when I am doing a soul-sucking task that makes me want to cry, I try to remember why Im doing it. This method doesnt work when you arent living (or working towards) your passion. I am sure Michelle can help you with that. I hope these tips help you go from none to done in your own life. If you have any questions or want to share your own none to done tips, you can email me at sheneehoward@gmail.com or say hello on twitter at @heyshenee! Seeing this before 3p Eastern on 11/23? Then come on over and enter to win a free personalized Press Release for your product/service/biz!