First, tackle the hardest/ugliest task of the day when you are at your best…being the first of the day when you are refreshed, or whenever you have the most energy. Get it off your plate and it will give impetus to the rest of the day and get one monster off your back!
Consider making lists…best if written down! Use a weekly calendar with lines of action and appointments, whether it be paper or on your computer/phone. Fill in your goals for each day and check them off. Keep it somewhere visible where you can jot things down and complete them reasonably. Save your long term goals to another spot, but add interim goals to meet that target on your daily list if applicable.
Next when considering your mail and email, answer quick items as fast as you can to get them out of the way. In other words, don’t save them up. The more you can deal with things a single time it will safe time! Go through mail immediately and recycle the junk, file what is needed, and then add any to-do’s to your list. Prioritize the rest of your emails to act on (with the red flag or an action folder) and consider setting a timer when working on the computer so you can move on to other duties.
Let’s say you have a particular goal or big objective. Share it with a partner or friend! By making your goal public it will hold you more accountable. However, don’t announce it to the world on Facebook, but tell a trusted friend who can support you through the process. You might ask them to call you from time to time to check on your progress, or by whatever timeline or means you feel comfortable with to keep you on task.
Celebrate your accomplishments! Set goals for the day and then allow yourself pride or a reward for getting it done! Be reasonable and set it ahead of time. Try to stay away from fattening rewards all the time, like ice cream. Example, if I clean out this closet today, I can sit and watch a movie tonight. It is worth the effort to make some goals, to check them off, and then to pat yourself on the back. You will feel great!
P.S. If you need further help, my business Organize to Energize can help you break down those elephants into sizable pieces. Contact me.