PRIORITIZE THE FEW TASKS THAT DELIVER THE MOST VALUE
Using a Start/Stop/Continue Approach
Imagine your brain is a bustling air traffic control tower, with tasks constantly vying for attention like planes circling the runway. Just like an air traffic controller, your job is to prioritize the most important landings, ensuring a smooth and efficient operation—and no crashes!
Is your to-do list feeling like a chaotic airport runway, both personally and professionally? It's time to become the air traffic controller of your life, guiding the most important tasks to a smooth landing and ensuring a productive flight plan using the Start/Stop/Continue approach.
Every 90 days, take a moment to review what you’ve accomplished. Celebrate your successes and acknowledge areas for improvement.
Start: What new habits, routines, or activities will help you reach new heights? What can you add to your flight plan to make your journey even smoother? Perhaps it's dedicating more time to a passion project, learning a new skill, or prioritizing self-care.
Stop: What's holding you back or causing unnecessary turbulence? What tasks or habits can you eliminate to streamline your flight path? Maybe it's saying yes to every request, multitasking excessively, or neglecting your well-being.
Continue: What's working well and propelling you forward? What strategies or practices should you keep in your flight plan to ensure continued success? Identify those activities that bring you joy, fulfillment, and progress toward your goals.
Chart Your New Flight Path
Identify Your Red Alerts: Based on your reflections, identify new high-impact tasks or habits you want to start doing in the next 90 days. These are your top priorities that will move the needle toward your goals.
Reschedule or Ground Flights: Identify tasks to stop—those that are either less important or not contributing to your overall well-being. Reschedule them for later or eliminate them altogether to create space for your priorities.
Schedule Your First Class Flights: These are the important tasks you're already doing that you want to continue. Make sure they have dedicated time and resources in your schedule.
Manage Air Traffic
Reschedule Economy Class: These are the urgent but less important tasks that can be handled later without significant consequences. Keep them on your radar but don't let them distract you from your top priorities.
Ground Unnecessary Flights: Identify tasks that are neither urgent nor important and remove them from your schedule. Delegate them to others or eliminate them altogether to free up valuable airspace.
Check In With Your Crew
Check in with Your Crew: Share your Start/Stop/Continue plan with those you trust. Discuss your priorities, challenges, and how you can support each other in achieving your goals.
Loop Back Around: Regularly revisit your priorities and make adjustments as needed. Life is dynamic, and your flight plan should be flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances. Reflecting on what went well/what needs attention in the last 90 days can help you determine what you need to do differently in the next 90 days.
By embracing the Start/Stop/Continue approach, you'll gain clarity, focus, and a sense of control over your life. You'll create space for the things that truly matter, reduce stress and overwhelm, and achieve a more fulfilling and balanced journey—ensuring smooth landings!
