You Can Have It All, Just Not at the Same Damn Time by Romi Neustadt

Author:Romi Neustadt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: self help, business
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2020-01-14T05:00:00+00:00

DO THE HARD STUFF FIRST

Humans will go to great lengths to avoid what’s hard, which is why our to-do lists are often filled with the same labor-intensive and scary stuff week after week, while the easy tasks get crossed off daily for the win column. When left to our own devices, we humans will choose the option that requires the least effort. We want to be able to show forward motion, that we’ve accomplished something. But are we claiming victory over what matters? It’s the hard stuff that’s almost always what we need to be doing to serve our Priorities and Goals. Even if we have our schedules laid out like a carefully crafted mosaic, if we haven’t committed to do the hard stuff first, it drastically reduces the likelihood we’ll do what we’ve committed to.

When I’m blocking off chunks of time on Sundays, I designate what I’ll be doing during that chunk, and the hard stuff always comes first. For some people, the hardest thing is getting themselves to exercise or doing house projects. For me, it’s writing—whether it’s books, blogs, trainings, or speeches. Don’t get me wrong: I love to write, and there’s nothing like getting in the flow. Yet I’ve learned that getting in the flow can be impossible after I’ve already devoted my fresh, energetic self to other tasks. Left to my own in-the-moment decision-making, I would choose just about everything else on my to-do list and even the things that aren’t there to avoid the hardest work of creating something that might suck. That’s why I’ve blocked off my mornings for me and my laptop and nothing else. It’s the way I know I can set myself up for success.

When I have time scheduled for work, I’ll do the tasks that are hardest for me first. Even ten years in, reaching out to people is still the hardest part for me, so that time has to be sacrosanct. And I don’t get to move on to anything else until I’ve met my reach-out goal.

I’ve found that building in rewards for sticking to my schedule reinforces my commitment, like a rat in a science experiment. Get through my writing time? I get to have lunch while I look at a discount designer site or read a magazine. Get through my reach outs for my business? I get to grab a coffee and read or call a friend. Because I’ve set up a do-the-work-get-the-reward system, when I don’t get the reward, I miss it. I also keep my goals visible—both on my goal/dream board and written in my journal—so I’m always thinking about how painful it will be if I don’t accomplish what I really want. And let’s be honest, the risk of having to repay my book advance doesn’t hurt either.

When I realized my propensity for procrastination wasn’t because I was weak but because I was human, I felt more empowered. Scheduling myself according to my humanity—and not in spite of it—has made an enormous difference in how much I’m able to accomplish.

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