21 Tactics for Building Momentum in Your Favor

Momentum. You've heard of it. Especially in sports, when the tide turns in favor of one team. Momentum is the force that allows something to continue, or to grow stronger or faster over time. Having momentum can be a major advantage, whether you're competing in a sport, trying to finish your work projects on time, or having fun with your family. The laws of physics can indeed help you attain your goals quicker.

Remember Sir Isaac Newton, one of the greatest mathematicians and physicists of all time? His 'Law of Inertia' basically says, an object in motion remains in motion, while an object at rest remains at rest. That law is certainly applicable to people too. Let's get momentum moving in your favor.

Utilize These 21 Techniques to Keep Moving Forward

1. Take the first step. Whether it is big or small. Starting a project always seems to be the hardest task. Not doing it keeps you at rest. Even with small steps, it will get you rolling in the right direction and most times, you will continue to work longer at that task or project.
2. Start early. For most of us, energy dwindles as the day moves on. Use your morning hours wisely. Get organized and have at least one accomplishment completed before breakfast. You then carry a lot of confidence into the day, propelling yourself to get even more done. Save your menial tasks, like email, social media, web browsing, etc., to your least energetic times later in the day.
3. Start strong. Begin with your MITs, or Most Important Tasks. Have a plan for the most energetic part of your day, with all MITs easy to find and ready to be worked on.
4. Get easy wins. Some days it is difficult to start strong or get working on your MITs. These days, aim for some easy wins. Getting some tasks or small projects done beats remaining at rest. Once you are feeling good, it is much more likely you will attack your priorities.
5. Have a WBS. This is a Work Breakdown Structure, which is basically an organized breakdown on how your projects should be accomplished. Simplify it as much as possible. Make it easy to understand what tasks need to be done and in what order, especially for complicated jobs. This can save you so much time and headaches, which are major items that can stop momentum.
6. Avoid obstacles and delays. Often this is due to the fact that you didn't plan or review your project or MITs ahead of time. Make sure you have the necessary information, access to people or experts, materials or any other resources required to keep the project moving.
7. Set your goals. Use the SMART technique (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant & Timebound) or whatever works for you. You have to know where you're going, and the steps necessary to get there. Otherwise your day will often be used up wandering aimlessly, which is a certain momentum killer.
8. Focus your time. Use a calendar. Use project management software. Whatever it takes, but be precise about managing your time. We often significantly overestimate what we can get done in a day, which can lead to missing deadlines. As an experiment, take inventory of your time for a few days, quickly jotting it down on paper. You can then see the effect of how you are actually spending your time (which can be very revealing) on your momentum and results.
9. Be accountable. When you are motivated, you are often more successful keeping momentum going. However, motivation is not always there. You know you have to manage your own time and responsibilities, so get it done, no matter how you are feeling. You will end up feeling better by getting it done, rather than it being added to tomorrow's pile.
10. Keep moving forward. When you get a win, resist the temptation to lay back and do things you would rather do than your MITs. Get back on track and rest later, when your work is done and you made the best use of your energy.
11. Help others. It always feels good internally when you can help others when they need it. Often, your momentum is contagious and can be passed on to your colleagues, and passed back again to you! The other benefit is that people will always be willing to help you when you need it.
12. Get help from others. Sometimes you just don't have the energy or brainpower. Ask others for help. They will often point you in the right direction and get you going again, giving you a spur of momentum.
13. Chose meaningful activities. Not necessarily what you would rather be doing (like beaching it in Turks & Caicos), but what is moving you towards your goals, adding value, keeping your favorite clients happy, etc. Mindless web browsing isn't helping anyone and it will significantly slow your momentum.
14. Eat the frog. Often, it is advantageous to get the worst job done first instead of a MIT. Get it out of the way quickly. Completing this can give you a huge burst of confidence and momentum. You can then feel free to tackle anything once this is off your plate.
15. Be organized. This is significantly under-rated. Have systems in place that allow you to know what your doing, what your goals are, who owes you information, where you can find resources, etc. Having an organized PKM, or Personal Knowledge Management system that you use and can rely on can bring huge benefits to both your business and personal life. Check out 'Getting Things Done', by David Allen, for a reliable process, and Notion (Notion.so) as a great tool to help you implement your systems.
16. Schedule downtime. You need to have balance, or certainly burnout will occur. Allow for the rest and relaxation you enjoy. Get away, see the world. Whatever will help counter-balance a heavy work life.
17. Stay healthy. Most importantly, eat nutritiously, move your body and get the sleep you need. Be consistent. Listen to your doctor. This will have an amazing affect on the momentum and productivity you enjoy on a daily basis.
18. Review and evaluate your results. Extremely important yet often forgotten, or not done because you don't want to see the results. The review and evaluation must be done on a consistent basis. Look at the good, the bad and the ugly. Make a plan to continue the good and immediately fix the bad and the ugly. Commend others for the positive achievements and take time review with others (and yourself) where positive action or change is required.
19. Learn. Help yourself and others learn more about their job and environment. It could be about the projects, processes and/or technology. When you have more knowledge to get your job done better, faster, cheaper, etc., it brings confidence and momentum.
20. Eliminate energy drains. You know, the time-and-energy-sucking vampires in your life. These can be tasks, especially ones that do not add value to your life. Yet, they can also be people, those you work with or those from your personal life. Learn how to say 'No' and avoid them as often as possible. These are momentum destroyers.
21. Just do it! Of course, Nike nailed it. There are times you are in the middle of multiple tasks, projects and requests, impending deadlines, noise and complete overwhelm. You can just shake your head, focus your time and energy, then take action on what you think matters most. Sometimes you just have to force momentum to immediately come your way.

How we spend our days is how we spend our life. Once you know how to harness momentum and have the ball rolling in your favor, work and life will become much more enjoyable.

Patrick Muldoon CPA
Founder & President
Business Growth Success Inc.
w: BusinessGrowthSuccess.com
e: patrick[at]BusinessGrowthSuccess[dot]com

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