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To-Do

It's not enough to make a to-do list. There's a temptation to do many of the tasks that are simple or fast just for the same of crossing them off.

Think about your "mission statement," your reason for writing, then look at your list and decide what's the most important thing you can do to move toward that goal. Make that your #1 task, do it first, and work on it relentlessly until it is done. No emails. No phone calls.

This is effective because so often, tasks that are very urgent prioritize themselves over tasks that are not urgent, but are highly effective. You want to do the effective stuff, not just the stuff that makes the most noise (that might very well go away if you ignore it!)

Stop talking on the phone at the grocery store, while you're at it. Honestly.

Your Assignment

Think of six key actions that would help you achieve your goals, write them down, and prioritize them. I'd love it if you posted your #1 in the comments! My #1 is 500 words of fiction. (So why am I posting this podcast first thing in the morning? Hm. This system is more difficult than it looks!)