A few thoughts from Matt Judge, VP Sales at Imaginestics and public speaker:

10/10, Part One:  ‘Tis early January, the time of year when influencers elbow their way to the front to sell you their magic formula. Just buy this, and do this every day, and health and wealth will come rolling at you like the opening scene of “Indiana Jones.”

As both VP of a technology company and a public speaker, I am always grateful for the chance to help others improve their journey. But anyone who tells you they hold THE secret to changing your life is, well, wrong. Each of us is different and there are as many variations of life as there are people.

How does that 4:45 AM power fitness and kale smoothie regimen work for someone with chronic neck pain and who is trapped in the care of an elderly family member?

Since you inhabit your unique circumstances and hope the coming year turns out better than the last one, allow me to submit two techniques for your consideration. Together, I call them 10/10 and will post this info in two parts.

The first ten is the time of day.

10/10 PART ONE: ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT BY 10:00 O’CLOCK.

Note all of the significant items you need to cross off your checklist soon, especially the ones that you have been ignoring a long time:

• Finish that important proposal
• Update the web page you know is not right
• Lay out the email marketing plan for the next six months
• Finalize a decision on a major purchase and make the purchase
• Make the phone call you have been dreading

If the task is too much to accomplish by 10:00 AM in one day, break it into significant pieces and use those as your early daily successes:

• Sections to complete for the big proposal:         
  • Analysis and Background
  • Financial
  • Technology Requirements
  • Implementation

You get the idea. Whatever it is, it needs to rise to the level of satisfaction and accomplishment, not just your usual daily activities.

These work on the home front as well:

• Put up those new curtains you bought two months ago
• Install that computer program and watch the tutorial
• Thoroughly clean the car upholstery
• Organize your personal papers so someone else can find info in an emergency
• Master that song on piano

And as with work, some things cannot be done in one shot, so big projects can be broken up:

• Tasks needed to paint the bathroom:
  • Make a decision on color, buy primer, paint, trim paint, spackling, etc.
  • Paint the ceiling and spackle any damage to walls
  • Coat of primer on entire bathroom
  • Paint trim
  • Paint walls

Each of these will be a smaller success story that accomplishes a larger goal. Be aware that some tasks may take you past 10:00 AM, but if nothing in your schedule prevents it, keep going until this part is done. You are on top of this project.

So, why have this done by 10:00 AM? There are several reasons.

First, it gives you a deadline. It’s artificial, of course, but so are many deadlines. Time pressure prioritizes your activity and focuses your energy. If you say, “I’ll try to get this done tomorrow,” you could wake up the next day and open yourself to distractions and habits and shiny objects and less important tasks, all of which shove your accomplishment into the early afternoon, then the late afternoon, then the next day, lather, rinse, repeat.

Second, a 10:00 AM deadline starts your day with clarity. Many of us have options as to how we dedicate our work and personal time. And as more and more people work from home, there is a tendency to start the day aimlessly. When you start your day knowing you have just a couple of hours to get going and get your big task done, the fog of options doesn’t bother you anymore because you don’t notice it. You don’t have time for Instagram or game apps or checking the news three times because there is a spotlight on the day’s significant accomplishment.

Third, crossing a finish line by mid-morning creates momentum. Instead of being overwhelmed by a long checklist of unfinished tasks, you feel like you are in charge of your job and your life. Rather than being battered by circumstances, you are managing them.

Now, with the day still fresh and a significant checklist item already behind you, you will accomplish more of what you need and want to. You no longer have this big project hanging over you.

It’s only 10:00 AM, and you’re on a roll.

— End of 10/10 Part One – Part Two is posted separately and can be found here —

---

© 2021 Matt Judge matt.judge@vizseek.com (317) 966-4599  Contact me to discuss VizSeek Visual Search or our other technology solutions.

This contact also works if you are looking for a speaker for your conference or professional organization.

As a speaker, I’m always looking for new ideas, so if you have a tip to share that will bring others a little closer to success, you know how to reach me.