Two approaches to getting work done:
The Big Push
The Big Push works well for defined tasks with clear deadlines. Block out some time, gather what you need, and thrash. Get the job done.
It works especially for urgent tasks – a sales or funding proposal – and there are plenty of other tasks that it’s worth giving a Big Push just to get them done:
- Creating a new service or resource
- Filming a video
- Launching a new website
- Prepping a presentation or event
- The Annual Report
Regular Time
There are other things, though, that are important (though probably not urgent) that benefit from regular attention. These are usually jobs that are open-ended by nature. You can’t finish them, but they’ll cause a crisis (or at least, damage your capacity) if you don’t identify them and set aside regular time to work on them:
- Financial structures
- Maintaining and improving policy documents
- Investing time with your team for both management and team-building
- Keeping a website up-to-date
- Making contact with potential partners and seeking out opportunities to share about your work
- Non-urgent supporter relations
Little and often.
Drip by drip.