A Simple Method for Managing Your To-Do List and Creative Energy with Lisa Jacobs

In this episode, we’re welcoming back our Integrator, Lisa Jacobs as she shares a method from her Fast Track Toolkit. We all wear many hats and it’s easy to get stuck in the daily scramble. As an entrepreneur, you have to create, innovate, connect, promote, learn, take on multiple roles, and ensure your business profits. Most people do ONE job—you do it all. 

The method Lisa shares in this episode is the solution your business needs to organize the vast amount of projects, issues, and responsibilities pulling your attention in every direction! The OCN Method stands for Open, Closed, and New Business and Lisa will go over it in detail so you can manage your to-do list and creative energy to free up luxurious downtime.

We don't realize how many tasks we have

that are pulling our energy.

It's happening all the time. 

—Lisa Jacobs

Want to get hands-on and implement the OCN method?

Click to learn more about the fast track toolkit from Lisa Jacobs!

Discussed in this episode

The challenge: As creative entrepreneurs, we’re often overwhelmed. We have so many challenges and tasks that are pulling our energy all the time so we don’t know what to do next.

The OCN method: A way to sort and filter your priorities so you always know when to work on next, divided into columns for you to organize all of your projects and tasks.

• Open (requires the highest focus & commitment for your business): All pending, active, and unfinished tasks or projects, as well as anything consuming a lot of your energy (concerns, indecisions, and worries). This is a priority column—question everything on it. To start, your list of “unfinished business” will be a lot! 
• Closed (extremely high value column for your business): Projects or tasks that have reached 100% completion and will not need touched or tinkered with again anytime soon. What can you say at the end of the week you were able to produce?
• New (typically mixed in with “Open” and prioritized business): A PARTY! All the things you want to do and learn and be. But it should not get as much focus and commitment. It’s for later or not in sequential order. This is an incubator that eliminates false starts.
• No (another very high value column for your business): A new column and an honorary spot on your board—it shows that you value your time, attention, and resources. A high value column to determine no for now or no forever.

Getting started: Create a running list of everything on your plate. The longer it is the better—you’re getting it out of your brain and putting it into a system. Then you can sort it into open, closed, new, or no.

Meet Lisa Jacobs | Website | Etsy | Your Best Year

As Integrator for Team Bonnie, Lisa Jacobs oversees business operations and helps lead the team. Renowned for providing crystal-clear solutions to clients while growing profitability, promoting business sustainability and enterprise-level growth, Lisa prides herself on delivering exceptional quality and innovation that drive our company initiatives forward!

FOLLOW, RATE, OR REVIEW! 

Review of the week:

The best artist and educator all in one package

I learned about Bonnie back in 2018 and she is truly a gem in the creative community. Because of Bonnie I learned how to create surface pattern design and how to use the most intimidating program ever called Adobe Illustrator. Highly recommend anyone to learn from Bonnie! She has changed many lives. Her podcast is now my daily routine. I listening to her podcast during my workout, driving, and on my walk. Please keep on posting more episodes!!! Thank you Bonnie!

@my_sweetcanvas

Read the transcript