Yesterday
we did a photoshoot for my new Iquitmyjob Wesbite (happy dance!)
For
2 hrs I felt like a real model. I was freezing, hungry and slightly tipsy!
In
true Anthea style I was running round at the last minute getting ready when I
realised I’d forgotten to buy a handbag for the shoot. I needed a bright yellow
one. The time was 3pm. I hadn’t done my hair and the shoot was at 4.
I
grabbed my GHD, curled like a ninja and hot fotted it into the city. It took me exactly 18 minutes to find a park,
visit 3 specific stores, choose a bag, purchase said bag, pay for parking and
get the hell outta there and over to the location... only 2 minutes late!!
Personally
I was pretty impressed with this effort.
Normally it could take me hours to do the exact same task. But this time
I had a deadline. I had to take the best of what was in front of me and make a
choice. No faffin’ around. No procrastinating. No over analysing. And
definitely NO perfectionism. I wanted a yellow bag. I left with a black one.
And guess what? At the end of the day it didn’t matter one iota. Job done.
Shoot a success.
So “how
on earth does this apply to me I hear you ask?”
Have
you ever heard of Parkinson’s Law? Nope? Fair enough, that’s because it’s a boring
name. From this day forth let's call it
the Handbag Rule (I guarantee you won't forgot it now).
Anyway the Handbag Rule (sorry Mr Parkinson) says: however long you give yourself to do something is exactly how
long it will take. If you only have 18 minutes it will take 18 minutes. You
will find a way. Give yourself a week
and you guessed it, that job you can actually do in minutes, will expand to
fill the time you’ve allowed. The longer you allocate to a task, the longer it will take.
If
you want to fast track getting your idea up and running, you need to set
deadlines and don't be wussy about them.
Some
people say set realistic timeframes. I agree and disagree with this. You don’t want to drive yourself crazy and
burnout under your own self imposed deadlines BUT you’ll be surprised what you
are actually capable of achieving when you put your mind to it.
My
philosophy? Figure out your ‘realistic’ timeframe – then stretch yourself. Set
a mini goal to do it before the due date. I bet you can!!! And you’ll be glad
you did.
The
other cool thing about the HandBag Rule is that it helps keep your energy
high. Personally I’ve found the longer
my goal stretches out in front of me the harder it is to stay pumped. If your project is a massive one, break it
down into ‘doeable’ chunks so you get the very real satisfaction of progress.
2014
is sneaking up fast. Here's 3 simple steps to get you started on your journey before another year whizzes by.
- Write down your goal. The old school way. Remember pen and paper?? Use em. And stick it up on your fridge.
- If your goal is a big one break it down into smaller parts.
- Put those timeframes down in BIG BOLD colour. Then make a pact with yourself to beat em.
For example, my goal by the end of 2014 is to write my first book. That's a pretty big goal. So here's what it looks like broken down into steps with an actual deadline!
MY BOOK
- Define chapters - (I'd spent months toying with this idea. Last Friday I gave myself 20 minutes to bloody well sort them out. Surprise, surprise, I now have my chapter list)
- Write 1000 words per day for 3 weeks. I only work weekdays so my official deadline is November 15. That's my *yawn* realistic timeframe. Secretly (or not so secretly now) I'm aiming for the 10th.
- Work out how I am publishing???? Jane Copeland - I'll be hitting you up for this answer.
- Publish. Once I know the publishing process I can put timeframes on it. Will let you know next week.
Why not set
yourself a goal now to get your idea started in one way or another by new year. Break down your tasks. Leave a comment below to tell me what your
plan is. I will personally check in with you to see how went.
Whatever you do, don't let your dream drag on forever in front of you. Commit to making it happen! Not *sometime* in the future. Grab your calendar and make it real!!!!!!
Anthea (aka the just do it girl) xxoo
PS have you already got my fear busting checklist??? If not it's the perfect condiment (yes I know the word is complement but condiment is funnier) to help get you into action.
Download it here: Fear Busting Checklist or just at the top of this page (on the right).
Love it, Ant!!!
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