How To Get Work Done... (even in a lockdown).

I'm not a natural "high-achiever."

I'm what you might describe as Type B. This means I can put in the work when required but can enjoy a lot of "lazy" Netflix days. So this COVID-19 quarantine actually appeals to the part of me that values "easy, live-in-the-moment" situations.

And yet, I felt the pressure to take advantage of the social distancing and make the most of my time in lockdown to finally create my group coaching program and other services for our corporates clients.

You see, I read those articles and blogs with phrases like: "make the most of the time," "get productive," "take the 30-day quarantine challenge," and I'll admit, I also wrote some of this stuff as well. However, whilst the intention of these types of posts and articles was to motivate us, to calm us down, and to distract us from the doom and gloom that is COVID-19, for some of us, it has had the opposite effect.

It makes sense that we'd naturally generate loads of ideas and make optimistic plans, such as to exercise with Joe Wicks, write that book, home-school like educators, cook like a "MasterChef" professional, learn a new language, start a side-hustle, launch an online course, and on and on it goes...

The ideas are endless.

The possibilities are endless.

The pressure also feels endless.

So it wasn't until I fell sick with "suspected" COVID-19 a few weeks ago that I realized I'd also put so much pressure on myself to "take advantage" of the quarantine time to be uber-productive. Thankfully, none of us in our household required hospitalization, and although it took almost a month, we've all recovered from it.

For the last three years, the core part of my business has been all about coaching mostly female entrepreneurs to increase their productivity output so that they achieved their business goals and increased revenue.

They usually fell into two distinct groups:

Group 1: The "Type A"-like personalities, super high-achievers who were at risk of high stress and burnout came to me to improve their work-life balance and mental well-being, enabling them to work smarter and not harder. 

Group 2: The "Type B"-like personalities worked hard but got easily distracted with lots of great ideas and unfinished projects. They usually had a higher risk of overwhelm and "shiny object syndrome," as they chased after one good idea after another brighter idea with not much getting done.

I usually had different solutions for each type, but during my COVID-19-infected brain fog, I realized something about my cohorts of entrepreneurs in quarantine/lockdown. For the first time in a long time, I had the exact same solution for both groups!

They were to focus on only one impactful project this quarantine or quarter. This way, the Type As took things a little slower, allowing space for their mental well-being and thereby reducing pressure and stress. The Type Bs had fewer distractions and could focus on specific things, reducing overwhelm and the risk of shiny object syndrome.

And here is the exact process I used to help them find their one special project so that you, too, can focus and achieve during the quarantine.

Step 1: Do a "motivation" self-review. (We called this "CEO Reviews" in our programs.)

Find a quiet time or space, even during your "well-being walks," to ask yourself these questions:

• Who do I want to be at the end of quarantine? A new business owner, an author, a well-read scholar, a homeowner, etc.
• What kind of person do I want to be? A kinder, patient, determined, or resilient person?

Step 2: Brain-dump all the project ideas that have been swirling in your head for a while.

Get a notepad and write them all down. Don't forget to include old ideas—they might be more relevant right now. Once you brain-dumped it, put the list away for a couple of days. When you return, look at them again and ask yourself these questions:

• Which ones do I feel particularly drawn to right now? And why?
• Which ones do I feel excited by? And why?
• Which of them seem realistic and doable in the timeframe of 6 to 12 weeks?

Step 3: Select "the one" (for now).

You only need to complete one meaningful project to feel accomplished. What project you choose to move forward with is totally up to you. You are in control here.

Step 4: Schedule a block of time each week to spend with "the one."

Don't forget to break the project down into smaller tasks and track your milestones. Allow yourself more time than you think you'll need. Don't forget to schedule Netflix and snacks breaks in-between tasks!

Step 5: Rinse and repeat!

Depending on how long quarantine lasts, when you've completed your one project, do a happy dance and celebrate! If you fancy another challenge, then simply go back to Step 2, review your brain-dump list, choose another one project, and then rinse and repeat!

It simply means doing the one or two things that matter to you right now and that you feel excited to actually do something about.

So, have you found your one project yet?

Share it here in the comments—I'd love to know what you're working on right now.

About the Author

Obehi Alofoje, is a psychologist and business productivity coach who helps millennial professionals, and entrepreneurs overcome stress, overwhelm, and procrastination, so they get more done using less time and energy. She is a blog contributor for the online publication Psychology Today.

If you're a female coach, consultant, and want more tips on productivity then join the FREE Facebook group The Productive CEO where I produce weekly LIVE sessions on practical productivity strategies to help you focus, prioritise and to take those special projects from 'zero to done'.