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Here’s a productivity lesson I’ve derived from sales training.
Ever heard the old sales training advice ‘ABC’? Always Be Closing. If you’re not in sales you might have heard it in movies like Glengarry Glen Ross or Boiler Room (two excellent movies by the way that everyone should watch if they want a taste of the life of a salesman! Great ‘learning’ movies too.)
So why am I talking about ‘Always Be Closing’ as a productivity tool?
I’m referring to closing what I call ‘open loops’. Open loops are things you’ve started and haven’t finished. They’re everywhere, all around you. Stealing a part of your attention and focus. Niggling away at your mind as you try to get on with something else. Looking up at you as you walk past. They are what puts you in that frustrated, slightly overwhelmed mood.
There’s no benefit from these ‘unclosed loops‘. They took time, money or energy to start, and there’s been no (or little) pay off so far. So a waste of time then. Until you close them.
By close them, I’m NOT suggesting you continue each one to completion. Dumping, deleting or ditching them is also closing them, and it’s the fastest way to do so.
So here’s my sales advice translated to productivity: spend the next 48 hours CLOSING whatever you can by deletion first, and completion next. Obviously defer what needs to be deferred and get it out of your focus for now. Or delegate, and get someone else to CLOSE for you. (But that’s still an open loop until you know the job’s done). But at all costs, go on a 48 hour ABC frenzy. Keep repeating to yourself, ‘Always Be Closing’.
Then stand back, stand proud, and admire your progress.
P.S. If you really want to make consistent progress, don’t stop at 48 hours. Do another 24 hours. Then repeat.
