Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed by your to-do list, with so many tasks and obligations that you don't know where to start? It’s a common feeling, and one that can be and discouraging.
But what if you were to focus on just one thing? What if you were to choose one priority and dedicate all of your time and energy to just that? This article explores the idea of “one big thing” and how it can be an effective way to get things done.
The idea of “one big thing” has been around for some time and is often associated with the concept of “deep work” — focusing on a single task for an extended period of time. This can be more effective than trying to juggle multiple tasks at once, as it allows you to focus your concentration and energy on a single goal. Only once complete, should you move onto another task
Working OBT into your routines
At my company, we have recently gone through a big re-org and with that comes a lot of uncertainty and disorientation. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed with new information and be unclear on where best to start.
At the start of the week, I began a new ritual asking my team what their one big thing for that week was. What I like about starting the week this way is that it forces us to be very selective. It forces us to say "no" to a lot of other things. At least for now.
Not only does this make space for focus, it encourages it. By normalising focus and setting your sights on one big thing you can walk into that task with increased clarity and depth. You have made it OK to shut out all the other noise until you have reached your desired outcome for that one big thing.
What should be your one big thing?
There is no universal answer to this question — it's all subjective, but here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you decide:
If I don't do X this week, what are the consequences?
Will doing X contribute to my broader goals?
Does doing X align with my values and what matters most to me?
It's easy to fill space with the minutiae. The bits and pieces that fill up your days when you’re not paying attention. The problem is that the reward for those is as equally insignificant as their assumed importance. I say this from first hand experience. It's dopamine-inducing to have a long list of things ticket off. But that's just busy work.
My One Big Thing for this week was to dedicate time to preparing for my teams growth plans for the year. After completing the end of year reviews and looking ahead, I identified that:
If not done, my team could lose motivation and focus and we could miss opportunities to align on important topics.
By focusing on future-planning for my team and for myself, we can move forward deliberately and with a clearer purpose. This will contribute to my bigger goal of building a high-performing team.
Putting the needs of others ahead of my own is something important to me, and making sure my team feel that they have a clear direction and are supported in getting there is of great value to me.
What are you waiting for?
When was the last time you felt a sense of deep-focus? When did you make it OK for yourself to block everything else out at the expense of focusing on the one thing that really matters?
Take a pause and look ahead at your week. Do you spot any candidates that need more focus and dedication than others? This approach also works for your personal life too. What have you been putting off but that could increase your quality of life or make that an important difference to your relationship?
We could all do with more focus and less noise. If you have any further thoughts or comments on this topic, I'd love to hear them.