As a manager, one of the key essentials is the ability to get things done and focus on continuous improvement.   Being able to do this will not only make you a more effective manager but getting things done will improve motivation and help you succeed in life.  Getting things done is a fantastic trait to have!

As we start a new year, I want to share with you how I get things done.  I have 2 great things that assist me, one is a fantastic motivated wife who always pushes me in the right direction.  The second is how I action plan and write lists.   I always carry around with me a notebook and in my notebook, I have the key actions I want to achieve, I always have 2 personal and 2 business actions each year and these are key things I wish to achieve.

Then I have a daily page set aside in my notebook full of actions for each and every day under the following headings:

Date – The date the plan refers to

My overall goal – A key goal I wish to achieve over a certain period.

What I am so happy & grateful for – I write down what I feel I am happy & grateful for.  Being in this state is so important for motivation and for attracting positive things.

Actions for today - These are the things I want to achieve today, it could be work or personal related.  I ensure that when I complete these I tick these areas off.  Additionally, I always write the actions that I want to achieve the night before.

Work target for today/week – For me, this is what I want to achieve this week at work.  It could be a goal or work on a specific project.

What I had to eat and drink – This is important for me personally as I have a personal goal to lose weight and be healthy.   Also, for me personally I don’t want to drink too much alcohol so I note this also.

What exercise I did – Again currently important to me as I want to get fitter and be more healthy. Therefore, I write down the exercise I have undertaken during the day.

End of Week Reflection.  At the end of the week, I have a page specifically for me to reflect and note how I have done.  I split these up into Work and Health and then I have a space for the little changes I could make.

This is how I get things done.  Remember we do this each and every day.  It’s a great habit to have and before long you don’t even realise you’re doing it.  You don't need to buy an expensive book, just a simple notebook with these headings.

Ralph Moody is the founder of Target Training and specialises in trainer and management development.  You can read more about him here.  To see courses where Ralph delivers see our website here.