Thousands of books have been written on highly effective habits to make people more productive. To become more productive, you may have even tried excessive amounts of caffeine or purchased the latest organizing binder with mixed results.
With almost 20 years showing business leaders a systems approach, there is one habit that makes a real difference in accomplishing what matters most. It’s so simple, but is often completely missing in your processes, communication, requests, or when giving directions.
What is This Habit?
Grounding actions in a date.
It might sound overly simplistic but think about it.
Does your every day language sound like this?
• “Let’s have lunch!”
• “I look forward to hearing from you.”
• “Please get back with me asap.”
• “Sounds interesting. I’ll call you.”
• “I will host a …workshop or webinar soon.”
• “Get back with me when you’ve reviewed the proposal.”
Most people can’t and don’t work well with vagueness. Be exact to attract results by grounding requests, directives, or communication in a date.
• “Let’s have lunch, what’s your schedule look like for (DATE) next Fri at 12 pm”
• “I look forward to hearing from you. Let’s schedule a follow up conversation on Wed March 1 (DATE)”
• “Please get back with me by Fri June 4 (DATE)”
• “Sounds interesting. I’ll call you by close of business next Wed (DATE) to get that scheduled.”
• “I will host a workshop by March 31(DATE)”
• “Let’s schedule a (DATE) to finalize your decision about the proposal. How long will it take to review it?”
Notice that all of the requests were grounded by a date. The habit doesn’t stop there. Round out your dates with an action. Remember to log the date into your calendar and send a calendar invitation.
When you implement this highly effective habit, you’ll become known for being one of those productive and reliable people others can trust. You’ll also notice that you have improved focus, intentionality, and outcomes.
P.S. While we’re on the subjects of habits and dates, if you’re in the habit of waiting until the last minute, you might want to consider that the deadline to take advantage of the scholarship for the Wake Up Profitable Boot Camp ends on March 31, 2021. Tuition will go up on April 1. Time to break the habit by taking inspired action and registering today.
