I was recently asked for suggestions on managing my workload as a lobbyist.
Here are some things I try and practice.
They took time and pain to learn.
- You can’t do two different things well at once. If you try, you’ll spend 3 x more time correcting it.
- You can only have a small circle of competence. For anything outside that, delegate to someone else or turn it down.
- Energy levels are vital. Work with your energy levels. Arrange your week and day around it.
- You only have a certain amount of energy every day. If you try and push through it with caffeine, etc., it does not work and it will harm you.
- Do one thing once before moving on to the next task. It frees up your day and week.
- To understand what needs to be done, chunk down the steps by Sticky Notes. You’ll then identify the dependencies in what’s being asked of you.
- Double the time estimate you give yourself for doing anything. Humans are really bad at making accurate estimations of how much time is needed to do something.
- Distractions – notifications, calls, white noise conversations in the background – stop focused work. Library rules were invented for a reason.
- Deep work requires silence.
- Chunk your work into similar areas.
- Good ideas and solutions come from outside – going for a walk, chatting with 3 different people, reading a book/article on the point.
- Pick up the phone and ask someone who has first hand knowledge the question. Don’t speculate. And don’t do group speculation. It leads quickly into weird fantasy genres.
- A great way to tap the ideas and solutions from the greats. I’ve learned more about communicating information from spending a few days reading Edward Tufte than anywhere else.
- There is often a person who has the answer you are looking for. You’ll get a better answer by asking them, than spending hours trying to find it.
- Knocking your head repeatedly hard on a wall is unlikely to lead to a useful discovery.
- Fresh air and walking near trees/ relaxation are one of the greatest ways to discover solutions. A notebook/voice recording on your phone is useful. Showeing with Post-It notes may be a thing.
- An accountability buddy is a great way to nudge you to deliver on your own daily commitments.
- Most of what we do as knowledge workers is nearly identical every day. There is no need to re-invent every day.
- You can’t perform miracles all the time.
- Build in generous buffers and free time in your schedule. It will free up head space.
- Don’t be a slave to your email/notifications.
- Say No more often. Political miracles in a minute don’t exist. 200 hours of work can’t be done in 30 minutes.
- If people want political miracles from you, tell them you are not a wizard.
- Thinking on paper is likely the best way to see if you understand an issue.
- Shut down early at the end of the day. I’ve not found good solutions at 11 pm.
- Alcohol does not make you more creative,
- Sleep is the most useful thing you’ll do every day. Don’t skip it.
- Your work is just a job. It is not a spiritual vocation. Your family, health and health are what is important.
- Try and work for the best people in your field. You’ll learn a lot.
- If a meeting does not have an agenda and a pre-read, avoid it.
- Schedule meetings for your low-energy hours – often PM.