Now that all the partying is behind us and folks are eager to make good on their promises to themselves, I intended to start my new year with a serious article about how to improve productivity, but after seeing this video, I thought it might be interesting to mix things up a bit and have some fun with this often frustrating reality we face.

So before I give you some super tips (in a different kind of way), check out what Rachel Jackson has to say about our track record in keeping New Year’s resolutions.

If you want to learn how to improve productivity, start with your New Year’s resolutions!

I really like Rachel’s message because it rings true for so many people.  And, as you might have guessed, there are parallel’s between keeping resolutions and learning how to improve productivity.

So Rachel says to get yourself an accountability partner and make your goal public.  Very true indeed and I can tell you that I do this all the time to keep running even on the days I don’t feel like it.

Rather than give you some more things you should do, let’s flip it around and explain a few things you shouldn’t.

How to improve productivity – not!

Rachel reminds us to make our goals attainable and to make goal setting a regular part of our lives.  True again.  These recommendations will definitely help you reach your goals and as a result, learn how to improve productivity, but if you make these 2 mistakes, you will just be very busy and not getting anywhere fast!

1. Make big lofty goals.  In project management, we call these “boil the ocean” projects.  How many times have you heard these types of goals? While they may still be attainable, if they are not sub-divided into more “digestible” morsels, you expose yourself to discouragement because the end seems so far out of reach.  If you break it down into milestones, then you can enjoy your progress, set your mind to succeed, and ride the momentum along the way.
2. Have so many goals that you want to work on simultaneously you do a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  In the meantime, you aren’t making any real progress on any of them.  Eli Goldratt, author of the Critical Chain, illustrates this multitasking mistake and points out that because of the inherent inefficiencies from hopping from one priority to another, it is much more productive to focus our efforts to progress on one project at a time.

So now you know how to stay on track with your New Year’s resolutions!  Go ahead and let me know how it works out for you by posting a comment below.

And as a special gift for you, click on this link to learn more about how to improve productivity with a FREE ACCESS PASS to my Get More Done mini-class!

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