You’re your own boss. You have a job with a NOW deadline. Or maybe you have a boss and there is a job they need now. What are you going to do?

While your initial response might be panic, losing control now isn’t going to get you anywhere. You have to buckle down and get things done, or there’s going to be trouble. That trouble can be anything from loosing a sale, loosing the job or even loosing your self respect.

How do you get on task quickly when everything is at stake?

Here are 7 steps you can take to “get ‘er done” and keep moving forward!

Set the Stage

Listen to the music that will get you in the right mindset to work. Start with the playlist  that will ramp up your energy and help you get things done. I have a playlist called “Wake up” that helps me get in the mood both in the mornings or when I am struggling with my own mindset. The only caution is to make sure it isn’t so distracting that it derails you.

Adjust the Atmosphere

Don’t try to work in a room which is problematic. If you’re too hot or too cold, you’re going to be distracted. I live in the high desert so temperatures can vary as much as 50+ degrees in a 24 hour period so it’s important to adjust the temperature, lights, and anything else you need to improve your working conditions. Make a point to police the area to rid it of distractions if you need to. 

Ask for Assistance

Wether you’re in a position to offload some of the work or need a bit of clarification, do it now. Don’t wait until the absolute last minute to see if you’re going to need help or not. It’s better to drop what you can now into the hands of someone else or make sure you have all the tools and information you need to accomplish the task.

Find Your Enthusiasm

If you hate what you’re doing, you’re going to drag no matter what. Look at the project or task and find something to love, which in turn will bring up your energy and make it easier to dive right in.

Break it Down

Taking the project and breaking it into smaller tasks will help you to get through this faster. Once you have the pieces, start working them one at a time, putting all your focus on the small task in front of you. Don’t worry about the whole; just get this piece done. Control what you can-this moment!. When you finish, move on to the next. It’s important to stick to single-tasking here as trying to do more than one thing at a time will divide your focus and slow you down by as much as 30%. 

Get Into the Zone

Is there any way you can pull yourself into a flow state? If you have a technique that worked in the past, now is the time to pull it out and dust it off to use again. Do whatever it takes to get there. Now is not the time to hold back.

Jump Up and Down

In other words, do something, ANYTHING to get the blood flowing, especially if your energy is dipping. Exercise gets your heart pumping and sends oxygen to brain cells. You’re going to need that. Short breaks to do a few vigorous exercises can help to wake you up on every level.

Deadlines matter. But you have what it takes to dig deep and meet them. Stay focused, keep going, and no matter what, don’t stop until you’re done. You’ve got this!