Whole days can pass by very easily without accomplishing much if anything at all. The stress of your work load can lock you up. It is natural to slip into the ‘doing what is easiest or convenient’ mode. Here are some quick tools to help you… and yes, I have stolen or borrowed most of these suggestions.

Boil your job down to the 2 most important things that you are being paid to accomplish. I am quite confident that you have more assigned to you than just 2 things, BUT there are very few things that keep you employed and that only you are being counted on to do. So what are those? Keep them right in front of you ALL of the time! Be excellent at those things. Be the best. Knock these items out of the park and you will get paid and you will get raises and you will get better projects and responsibilities.

Each day know what the 2 most mission critical big tasks or projects you must work on are. Do NOT let anything else get in front of them. Rarely, if ever, is a meeting one of these 2 things unless your leading someone else is 1 of your 2 top responsibilities.

Give your Big 2′s your undivided attention for 2 hours everyday! Turn off everything. Tune out everyone. Sequester yourself in your office, you bedroom, your car, your hole, your _______, until you get them done. Don’t read email. Don’t twitter or facebook. Don’t talk to anyone not directly related to getting these done – not even your wife/husband, mom or your hot date for the night. Be an ass if you have, but get really focused! You will be amazed (and so will others) what you can accomplish with just 2 focused hours on your most important responsibilities.

Do your other assignments, meetings, conversations, and errands with your other 6-8 hours —