Alli here. About three years ago, I became a mom. Shortly following, I became an inventor. But not quite. For me, parenthood brought with it all sorts of ideas for gadgets and services and contraptions that would make the early days of mothering my infant easier.
An app that tells you what to make for dinner based on the contents of your pantry and a burp cloth necklace were among my great ideas. #somuchlaundry
Seth Godin said, “There’s no shortage of remarkable ideas, what’s missing is the will to execute them.”
Ideas – even remarkable ones – are plentiful. Lack of an idea is generally not what’s keeping us from success. No, it’s the whole getting it done part. So how do we get to the finish line?
#1) Break it down.
Big projects are scary and overwhelming. It’s easy to avoid starting because it’s hard to know exactly where to start. When I face a huge task, I’ve found that breaking it up into little, bite-sized pieces helps me find the confidence to begin.
Even a big project like redesigning the company website starts with a goal and a user persona. That’s more manageable.
At Raven Creative, we put this into practice by creating project plans with sections, tasks, deadlines and – most importantly – assignments. And using our favorite project management tool, Asana.
#2) Find a Team.
Putting yourself in a group of people makes you part of a team that you’re accountable to. Growing the Raven Creative team has helped us all get more done, together – and not just because we’ve got more hands on deck. We’re motivated to get our tasks done because others are counting on us. And if we’re stuck, there’s someone else to bounce ideas off of and help us move forward.
If you’re a one-person show – or a corporate team stretched too thin – finding a creative partner can help keep you accountable to your tasks, bring great new perspectives to the table, AND help you get more work done while you’re at it!
#3) We Outsource.
In my #momlife, that means grocery delivery has become my new best friend. Grocery shopping with kids? Ain’t nobody got time for that. In my work life, outsourcing means identifying the tasks that are standing in my way and finding a specialist to help me make more efficient use of my time.
If someone or something can do something better, faster or cheaper than we can ourselves, it’s worth considering outsourcing. Outsourcing allows us to take away some of the noise and distraction in our brains, so we can focus on the bigger initiatives that will really drive our business forward.
Ideas – even remarkable ones – are plentiful. Click To TweetIdeas are Plentiful
There’s always something new that we’re supposed to be paying attention to, updating or enhancing – but without execution, that slick new tool or technique can’t actually help us achieve our goals.
So, what are you going to take action on today?
