We all work in environments filled with constraints. We have limited time, money, people, and resources. When we choose to do something, it means saying no to something else. Therefore it is imperative that we understand where to direct our energy and focus.
Sometimes the project we’re asked to complete is big and complex. But if you stripped away everything superfluous, what would you be left with?
Start there.
The stuff you have to do is where you should begin. Start at the epicenter.
Rework
Focus is our most valuable asset. Allowing focus to spread across too many “priorities” can spell disaster for your project. Tasks are left incomplete or done unsatisfactorily when we hurry to move onto the next.
I have daily morning production meetings with my small project team to set priorities for the day. The idea is that our team’s focus does not waver from those goals pending some major change of events.
Without dictating clear priorities each day, the distractions of daily firefighting in a loud and busy manufacturing plant will distract our team’s focus. Without managing our focus, we spend time doing the wrong things. We lose sight of what’s important. We move away from the epicenter.
Start with the basics. Set the foundation. And then focus on completing one task at a time.
These are simple project management disciplines that are notoriously difficult to follow. But if done with persistence day after day, big and challenging projects can be broken down into manageable and rewarding tasks.
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