Here is a trick I play a lot when I need to get things done. I choose a number – I like 8 because to me it’s lucky.

Always start with a list

In my Moleskine diary, I make a list of a few tasks and use these goals to batch my activities. Then I power through them like a demon and only take a break when I have done that batch. It feels great and then I can brag to friends and Twitter folk about how I just completed 8 whatever-it-was.

Why cross out when you can highlight?

I then use a highlighter pen to highlight the tasks I have done. Using the higlighter just feels more positive than crossing it out. It’s a little celebration!

Now you can try it!

To help you lovely readers out I made a list of examples of some of the things I do – all using the number 8 (except for the big time consuming which use the number 3).

Email Management

1. Responding to 8 emails
2. Getting my inbox down by 36 emails

Content Planning

1. Writing 8 ideas for blog headlines
2. Finding 3 YouTube videos you can use to embed into 3 different blog posts, and write 2 – 3 lines of text to explain now they are relevant to my business
3. Planning the topics for the next 8 email newsletters
4. Writing a list of 8 questions for a series of interview blog posts – and send them to 3 people
5. Writing the subheadling outline for my next talk – which is called 8 ways to increase engagement via Twitter

Sales Funnel

1. Calling 8 people to follow up on enquiries
2. Writing 3 proposals
3. Sending 8 quotes by email
4. Inviting 36 people to my next event

Productive Work

1. Designing 3 homepage layouts
2. Saving out 8 images the same size

Building relationships

1. Connecting to 8 new people I have recently met at networking events via LinkedIn
2. Setting up 3 meetings with strategic partners
3. Tweeting to 8 clients
4. Emailing a feedback questionnaire to 8 clients
5. Retweeting 8 people
6. Looking at LinkedIn and writing 8 recommendations
7. Asking 8 people for recommendations on LinkedIn
8. Planning 8 tips to share on Facebook

Team building

1. Inviting 8 people to our next recruitment open day
2. Sending interview questions to 3 people I want to interview for my next interview post
3. Writing down 8 ideas for our next team building day and sending an email to the team to ask them which is their favourite

Content Creation / SEO

1. Pinning 8 new images onto our Pinterest boards, each linking through to one of our blog posts where there is a visual element

Superhero Marketing

1. Submitting a request to guest post on 8 other blogs
2. Commenting on 3 other blogs
3. Offering to speak at 3 industry events by emailing the organisers and outlining potential topics
4. Reading 3 educational blog articles or ebooks to improve business or marketing skills

All you need to do:

Any three of the above ideas, choose your own number, and come back and comment below and tell me how you did!