The Paper Clip Strategy: simple and effective

Brandon recently shared a highly effective technique in a recent LinkedIn post called the Paper Clip Strategy, which provides a visual and motivating way to track your daily achievements.

Each added paper clip symbolizes a step forward, turning each day's effort into a small but significant victory. This method isn't just about seeing your progress; it's about feeling the satisfaction as your collection grows.

Popularized by figures like Jerry Seinfeld, who uses a similar approach to ensure he writes jokes every day, this strategy highlights the power of consistency. The mantra "never break the chain" underscores the importance of daily habits and their cumulative effect.

By sticking to your tasks day after day, you engage in a transformative practice that can lead to significant personal and professional growth. Stick with it, and watch as the visual cues of paper clips pile up, propelling you towards your goals.

Why you are damaging productivity with every switched task

Ever found yourself flipping between tasks during a Zoom meeting? You're not alone. But here's the thing: Task switching, or jumping from one task to another, actually hampers productivity rather than helping it.

This is because every time you switch, your brain incurs a "switch cost" which slows you down and leads to more mistakes.

There’s even a study that shows only 2.5% of people can multitask.

David Allen says multitasking isn't doing us any favors. Instead of doing many things well, we're just flipping quickly between tasks, which doesn't actually save time - it costs us focus.

He calls multitasking "rapid refocusing" and suggests that it can leave us mentally cluttered. The takeaway? It's better to finish one task before jumping to the next to keep our minds clear and our work effective.

The truth about task switching: it’s not working.

Here’s what to do instead:

1. Use the Pomodoro technique

Work on a task uninterrupted for 25 minutes, then take a short break. This helps maintain focus and reduces the need to switch tasks.

2. Time blocking

Schedule specific time slots for different tasks. This organized approach keeps you focused on one task at a time and decreases task switching.

3. Task prioritization

Rank tasks by importance. Working on the most critical tasks first can minimize distractions and the temptation to switch to less important tasks.

4. Single-tasking

Commit to completing one task before moving on to the next. This approach is more effective for the brain than juggling multiple tasks.

5. Practice mindfulness and meditation

These techniques improve focus and reduce the mental clutter that leads to task switching.

6. Use the right tools

Equip yourself with tools that enhance focus and efficiency, such as a good CRM system. These tools help streamline workflows and minimize the need to switch between tasks.

Read the full article by Tom Sullivan.

How to keep track of everything in sales

Armand Farrokh of 30MPC wrote a fantastic blog post on becoming a more efficient seller.

The main points:

Separate tasks into categories

• Prospecting Activities: Live out of tasks in your Sales Engagement Platform or CRM. This includes sending cold emails, LinkedIn messages, and making cold calls. Set tasks for follow-ups whenever a reply from a prospect is expected, such as after suggesting meeting times or handling objections.

• Open Deals: Manage these within your pipeline rather than mixing them with general tasks. Use pipeline codes like [MM/DD] for meetings set, [AR] for actions required, and [AR + MM/DD] for actions required before a scheduled meeting. This helps keep your pipeline clean and focused.

Daily pipeline management:

• Update your pipeline daily based on meetings taken or emails received.

• Prepare for upcoming meetings.

• Act on any required next steps for opportunities.

Use sticky notes for everything else:

• Utilize digital sticky notes to manage non-prospecting and non-deal tasks.

• Organize your sticky notes into sections for major tasks (over 30 minutes), minor tasks (under 30 minutes), and a backlog for later tasks.

Efficient email management:

• Treat your inbox as a triage area, not a task manager.

• Actions include: Do (immediately handle the email), Delete, Defer (turn into a task or add to another management area), or Delegate.

• Use email management tools like Superhuman for quick sorting and handling of emails with shortcuts..

Get many specific examples and screenshots in the full post.

PODCASTS

The Neuroscience of Optimal Performance: Dr. Andrew Huberman | Rich Roll Podcast