There are really only four ways to “do” something: completion, deletion, delegation, and deferment.

Completion– doing the task – is the option most people think about. If you keep a to-do list, you’re probably assuming that those tasks are all your responsibility to get done. That’s not quite true – completion is best for important tasks that only you can do particularly well. Everything else can be handled in another manner.

Deletion – eliminating the task – is effective for anything that’s unimportant or unnecessary. If something on your task list is unimportant, don’t feel bad about eliminating it. If it’s not worth doing, it’s not worth doing well or quickly – don’t hesitate to get rid of it.

Delegation – assigning the task to someone else – is effective for anything another person can do 80 percent as well as you can. In order to delegate, you must have someone to delegate to. Employees, contractors, or outsources can all help you get more things done by completing tasks on your behalf.

If you don’t have anyone to delegate routine tasks to, working with a virtual assistant company can be quite useful. For less than $100 a month, you can enlist the help of a team of professionals to help you get things done. If you have little experience with delegation, it’s an experiment worth trying.

Deferment – putting the task off until later – is effective for tasks that aren’t critical or time dependent. Don’t feel bad about putting some things off – the best way to bog yourself down is to try to handle too many things at the same time. Saving noncritical tasks for later is a good way to keep your attention and energy focused on what’s most important.

In Getting Things Done, David Allen recommends keeping a “someday/maybe” list of things you’d like to do someday but that aren’t that important right now. Scott Belsky recommends a similar approach in Making Ideas Happen, creating a “back burner” list of tasks you want to get to eventually but that aren’t a priority right now. Periodically reviewing this list when you’re looking for something new or exciting to do is always interesting.

Use all four options and you’ll get more done than you thought you could.

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Need help implementing these ideas? I had to brush up on my deletion and deferment skills recently to focus on the most critical tasks. I’d be happy to share some strategies with you. Call for an appointment 931-456-4910.