Episode 17: Build Self-Trust for Better Productivity
Ben has multiple personalities – sort of. But you likely do too: Boss You and Worker You. Boss You is the one who plans out the tasks and objectives, puts them on a to-do list, and allocates a certain amount of time for those things to be completed. Boss You is optimistic, ambitious, not very realistic, not very thorough, and doesn’t know how to prioritize things.
Worker You is the one who receives the to-do list from Boss You, complete with the timing expectations and little else. Worker You is also optimistic, but skeptical of the plan that Boss You has drawn up, prone to distraction, and likely to complete the easiest things over the most important.
So how should Boss You be a better boss to Worker You?
1. Prioritize tasks – Choose 1-3 specific things that are the most important or time-sensitive for that day.
2. Prepare – Pull up the necessary background information necessary before Worker You can get to work.
3. Set realistic goals – Don’t expect Worker You to be able to build a whole website in an hour or edit a video in 15 minutes.
4. Be kind to yourself – Be understanding and reasonable with Worker You. Emphasize quality over quantity.
And how should Worker You be a better worker?
1. Trust your plan – Don’t question the priorities or timelines given.
2. Focus on execution – Reduce the potential for distractions so you can just work.
3. Make yourself proud – Work hard and build up your self-trust.
Your action item after this episode is to imagine that Boss You is creating this to-do list for someone else and think through the prioritization and research that should be done first.