Adams & Garth Blog

Ever feel like no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to gain traction and make progress on your “to do” list? If this sounds familiar, there may be a variety of reasons why you aren’t getting things done. Here are some possible explanations and what you can do about them:

1. The activity is unpleasant.

We all have things on our lists that need to get done – but we don’t want to do them. The first step to making progress with such a task is admitting you don’t want to do it. Then decide whether you really have to do the job yourself, if you can delegate it to another person, or just not do it altogether. If you do need to do it, then stop thinking about it and take action.

2. Your constantly distracted or interrupted.

You sit down to work on your “to do” list and your phone rings, or you get an urgent email, or an employee wants to talk to you about an important issue. If this is one of the main reasons you’re not getting your list done, then you need to better manage these interruptions. For instance, commit to several times each day when you are going to check your email – say 9 am, noon, 3 pm, and 5 pm. Decide that from 1 pm to 2 pm, you’re going to let your phone calls go directly to voice mail. And, close your office door to let employees know not to interrupt you.

3. Your tasks aren’t clear enough.

Your “to do” list should consist of clear tasks with precise steps for completion. But if your list is full of vague tasks, then you may have some thinking to do before you’re able to complete the task. So take a few minutes to really think through the steps you need to take to make real progress. For instance, if your task is to “Hire a receptionist,” then write down the steps you need to take:

• Write a job posting.
• Place it in the classifieds and on online job boards.
• Review resumes as they come in.
• Schedule interviews for candidates.

4. Your day is over-scheduled.

If your day is crammed with back-to-back meetings and activities, with no room for a break, then you’re over-scheduled. If you need some time to get things done, then schedule an appointment with yourself – and whatever you do, don’t cancel it! So if you know you need to take two hours to write a project report, then you need to schedule that time into your day. Put it on your calendar and treat that activity as if you were having a meeting with an important client.

If one of the tasks on your “to do” list involves hiring new employees, Adams & Garth can help. As a premier recruitment firm in Central Virginia, we can help you recruit, screen, hire, and train employees for a variety of positions. Contact us today. We can help.