Each weekend, I look forward to some quiet time to work on writing Book Number Two (no, that’s not the actual title!). I’m making a little bit of progress every day during the week, aiming for some productivity during this quarantine time. But it’s the weekends where the movement really happens.
I find that having a “big goal” during this shelter-in-place time has been immensely helpful. I intentionally chose a project that would normally take a year or more and am trying to take advantage of the quarantine time at home to speed up the process. What if I could cut the time in half?
Even though consistent productivity has been difficult during this time, I keep imagining how good it will feel to have a completed manuscript when this pandemic is finally behind us. There are few times in my life when I felt such a powerful sense of accomplishment than after publishing my first book. No, it wasn’t a best-seller; in fact it was targeted to a niche audience (Book Number Two will have a much broader reach with its focus on how customer experience is the best sales and marketing strategy in virtually any organization). But it was something I had always wanted to do, so I felt proud of it no matter the sales figures.
It all started with a boss of mine challenging the team to set a big personal goal to accomplish in 12 months. Then we had to outline how we were going to accomplish it. Forty-five minutes later, I looked at the outline and had an epiphany: I can do this! It ended up taking 13 months, but I did it.
What big productivity goal will you set for yourself while you’re stuck at home during quarantine time?
And can you start this weekend?
Dan Gingiss is a customer experience keynote speaker who helps unlock your team’s potential by fostering a culture of remarkable experiences.