ISSUE #9

Welcome to the + 2 newsletter from The PPM Academy

Each month, I’ll send you two quick and simple approaches to improve your Productivity and Project Management that you can try, test, and adapt into work and everyday life.

Do you want to simplify your daily routine and boost your productivity? In this Project Management tip, I will outline two methods for using a checklist to achieve these goals. Following these tips can streamline your tasks and enhance your performance. 2 minutes, 11 seconds reading time.

Multi-tasking seems efficient, but if you want to get more done, you have to stop. In this edition's Productivity tip, I'll tell why Multi-tasking is a myth and how to get into a flow state to get more done. 2 minutes reading time.

Project Management Tip: The Power of the Checklist!

Checklists are not the most exciting topic, but wow, they have value if you use them to their full potential.

If you want to perform at a higher level and make your working days easier, read on!

There are two types of checklists.

The Process Checklist which removes the thinking, so you can do repetitive tasks faster, maintain quality standards and be consistent in everything you do.

The Outlier Checklist which covers actions you might need to do, think of, and check but not consistently.

I’ll start with the Outlier Checklist, as this isn’t one that’s commonly used. Whether you’re a Project Manager, Account Manager, or any role for any industry, it’s often hard to stand out next to someone in a similar position, whether that’s in your company or the interview process.

To do this, you must think differently to get noticed, as performing well at what you do isn’t always enough.

An Outlier Checklist will change depending on what you do and your level. To create one, consider everything that will make you stand out from your colleagues and impress a client or manager. Or what will help your team improve, improve your performance, or learn from previous mistakes.

Here’s what my current weekly version in Outlook looks like, and it’s locked in for 9 am every Monday, and I have another version at the start of the month too.

Outlier Checklists should change and evolve, keep what works, remove what doesn’t, and improve it.

The Process Checklist is simple; if you have something you regularly repeat that has multiple steps, create a Process Checklist.

For example, if you regularly write SOWs, right down the logical order of what you need to do to create one, then add in watch-outs for the most common issues.

You may be thinking, I know how to write an SOW, but why not follow a set up of steps that you know, if followed, will be efficient and will minimise mistakes?

Plus, you don’t have to think about what you must do, so you can use your willpower and brain power to focus on the content.

Then each time you use it, add to it and adapt it to improve the quality of your outputs and the speed you create the document.

That’s it, so will you start using checklists to improve your performance and make your life easier?

Productivity Tip: The Myth of Multi Tasking

It's probably not surprising, but multi-tasking isn't effective when it comes to tasks that require concentration and mental effort.

Did you know 28% of your working week is lost to task switching, procrastination and distractions around the office and home?

This shocking stat is from the book, The One Thing by Gary Keller, which I highly recommend.

We have to do task switching as Project Managers all the time, but we often do it without realising it.

Can you imagine getting back 28% of your week to work on what you want?

Research shows that focusing on one task at a time is much more effective than trying to multi-task.

In my personal experience, I have tried both approaches. When I concentrate on one task at a time, my productivity increases, the quality of my work improves, and I feel more confident about myself. Moreover, people around me can also notice the positive difference in my output.

Often we only sometimes recognise when we're multi-tasking, so what exactly does a regular day of multi-tasking look like?

On Teams call, whilst simultaneously replying to emails or other Teams messages, or trying to finish a report or presentation.

Or working on a document, but each time a new email or Teams message pops up, you read it and either respond or get back to working on your document.

You get the idea.

Another reason for focusing on one thing is you can get into a flow state, which professional athletes often describe, but it's just for the elite.

Have you ever been so engrossed in a task that you lost track of time? That's called being in a flow state. It happens when you're fully focused on a challenging but manageable task, and there are no distractions to interrupt your concentration.

Achieving a flow state is the optimal goal for tackling difficult and valuable work tasks.

To achieve a flow state, it's best to reduce distractions before beginning the task.

• Turn off notifications (mobile, desktop, smartwatch).
• A quiet environment to work in.
• Go full-screen with the application you're working on.
• Keep your mobile out of reach or view.

To stay engaged and motivated, find a challenging but not overwhelmingly difficult task that falls within your stretch zone.

If a task is too easy, you may become distracted and lose interest quickly. On the other hand, if it's too complicated, your willpower may soon fade, and you may find yourself procrastinating.

Then think about how you can get into this zone by asking yourself;

What's the highest leverage I can do right now that will help me bring the most value, move me closer to my goals, impact those around me, etc…

With this task, start and see how long you can stay in that stretched zone. Once you're finished, or if you only lasted 10 minutes, review what happened so you can give yourself a better chance next time to stay focused for longer.

PS: If you like these tips, did you know I have a programme where I develop PMs on their Project Management skills, Productivity and Mindset to become high-performing Project Managers and Leaders? If you would like to learn more about working with me, you can book a free discovery call here.​

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