How to Make a Single-Tasking Plan (You’ll Actually Stick To)
In order to single-task effectively, you need to know what it is exactly that you want to be working on.
During the day, you should never have to ask yourself the question “What should I work on next?”
This is where making a single-tasking plan is vital.
Here’s how to do it:
#1 Keep a To-Do List With Focused, Actionable Items
Have a set time, either first thing in the morning or after work to look at your current projects and find the next concrete task you need to do to keep moving.
Add that to your to-do list.
While reviewing takes up time, it helps you keep a single-minded focus on moving forward and gets rid of the uncertainty on what to finish next.
#2 Cut it Short
Give yourself unrealistically short deadlines to get things done.
Deadlines keep things moving, and when things are moving, we can’t help but focus on them.
You will be less likely to give in to distractions.
Think of something you’ve been putting off.
Make it due soon.
Even if you don’t finish it in time, you’ll still have made progress on it.
#3 Theme Your Days
If you have multiple projects it‘s difficult to stay focused when you’re constantly switching between them.
Keep this to a minimum by theming your days for one kind of project.
This allows you to narrow your focus.
Instead of asking “what do I need to do today?”, you know which project you’re working on and can start looking at tasks.
Look at all the different projects you are working on and assign them to different days of the week.