Less Than Busy

To-do lists are wonderful. Especially when they are connected to a calendar in real time. They help me organize my months, weeks, days, and hours. I need to organize a new product launch with a deadline for March 15th? Break the project down into many individual tasks:

• build the prototypes

• build out the new website

  • home page

  • delivery

  • products

• figure out how to package the product

• do photoshoot

• create assembly manual

The above list represents a project that potentially can take up a month or more. Assigning some tasks to each week and then down to the day allows me to check whether I am on track or not, and helps me double down on the tasks that are falling behind.

As wonderful as these to-do lists with calendar integrations are, they do not create work out of thin air when work is slow. In our business, we experience seasonal sales, with winter months being the slowest. While it is nice to have a little pause after the crazy fall rush, I feel a little frustrated when my daily to-do list isn't a little too long. Perhaps I am addicted to action, but the feeling of being less than productive does set in when I find myself wondering what I should be tackling next.

Here are several strategies to do work that adds value in the long term when I feel like my to-do list is too short:

• Work on getting systems and processes in place ahead of when those will be needed. This may be one of the best ways to effectively make good use of those slower weeks or months. This only works if the need for the systems and processes can we predicted accurately.

• Work on new products or product variations. This helps keep employees busy and helps minimize other more cash intensive production of inventory (if you are in a manufacturing business where inventory is required to operate).

• Go outside of my daily norm of tasks and work on new opportunities. This may include brainstorming possible new business relations and making some cold calls to see if there are holes in our coverage of the market that we may be able to fill.

• Work shorter days, where I work as efficiently as possible to get the necessary tasks done and then go home to relax or work on projects that have been waiting.

Personally, I still prefer being a little "too busy". There is nothing like being the middle of intense action, where we work towards tackling BHAGS (big hairy audacious goals). You agree?