The Intermediate Packet Focus: A way to avoid spinning your wheels and get more done

Hi again,

This was a tough week.

Last week my daughter had lice. We took her to a lice clinic to ensure they were all removed. This week we were to apply a treatment and comb her hair with a special comb just in case. We did that last night and were up way too late with her.

To make matters worse, my other daughter got a urinary tract infection which we noticed last night, too. I tried to take her to urgent care but when we got there they had too many patients and they wouldn't let us in.

So after being up late with one daughter, I was up early with the next to take her to the doctor.

Then drop the kids off, then jump into a meeting, then another meeting, then a parent-teacher conference, then another meeting.

Yes, the day was long.

In any case, the kids are finally asleep now so I can finish this newsletter.

I hope your week is passing easier than mine. 😀

* * *

In this issue, I discuss three things.

I. Update on my Unlimited Email Coaching experiment

II. Article - The Intermediate Packet Focus: A way to avoid spinning your wheels and get more done

III. Two ways I can help you

Let's get started.

---

I. Update on Unlimited Email Coaching experiment

A few weeks ago, I offered unlimited email coaching as an experiment.

I wanted to learn a few things:

• Would I be able to coach more people if I did it via email?

• Would I be able to actually help people with this model?

• Would I learn something useful from this approach?

Here's my thoughts so far on each question.

Would I be able to coach more people if I did it via email?

The answer is a tentative yes. Two people accepted the offer so I can't say for sure. But the number of questions I got wasn't very large, so if I had 10 or so clients for this offer I'd still be able to manage it.

Would I be able to actually help people with this model?

The questions and my client's responses seem to suggest yes. One thing I've been able to do is help both clients evaluate their ideas and suggest ways to test and improve them.

Would I learn something useful from this approach?

Wholehearted yes. Although I've used frameworks I developed over the years to answer their questions, I also had to customize my answers to their situations which gave me a fresh perspective.

Will I continue this experiment for another month?

Probably but with some changes. I didn't get as many questions as I'd have liked. To solve this, I gave one client a framework for asking questions. After that she submitted a question. So from now on, I'll give that to every client who signs up right away. Another change I'm considering is to my follow up rule. I told them I wouldn't ask after them but I couldn't help myself. I reached out when I didn't get questions. But if I had a lot of clients for this model in the future, this follow up may not be sustainable.

Anyhow, I'm still thinking about this experiment. If you have any thoughts, I'd love to hear them.

---

II. The Intermediate Packet Focus: A way to avoid spinning your wheels and get more done

It's easy for activity to lead nowhere.

I've spent countless hours being "busy" and yet not getting much done.

How often have I viewed web stats just to see what's there but learned nothing useful?

How many times have I researched on the web but ended up with little to show for it?

How often have I reviewed past student work hoping for a spontaneous insight?

And how many times have I finished the day and wondered where all the time went?

I had an activity focus.  Thinking only about the actions I would take. Ticking items off my to-do list. Doing, doing, doing.

But is all this activity really productive?

An activity-focus can feel like we're a car stuck in the mud with wheels spinning and spinning but getting nowhere.  So how do we get some traction and get going?

One solution is to to develop an intermediate packet focus.

An intermediate packet is a small creation that helps you build a larger project. This concept was created by Tiago Forte, author of Building A Second Brain.

For a cathedral, an intermediate packet could be the first rough sketch before a blueprint is made. Or a few paragraphs describing the architect's vision.

Intermediate packets are what we create when we are truly productive.  At the end of the day, you don't have to wonder where your time went, you can look at all the things you made.

However, it's useful to see some examples of intermediate packets to make the concept more real.

Here are some ways I've switched to an intermediate packet focus to get more done.

Web stats. I don't just glance at them anymore, I'l take a screenshot of the stats and write up some commentary and questions.  This has lead to insights I never gathered by just peeking at the graphs and charts.

Instead of just reading past student work, I open a note then record insights I can use to improve the course.  As I do, I notice that I discover useful patterns quickly. And they are not forgotten since I'm writing them all down.

Research? The black hole of entrepreneurship. Instead of just reading, viewing and listening, I write down my questions, search for answers and record them in a note.

Notice the difference?

I'm creating something. 

If you make something instead of just do something, you'll build up assets to move your project forward.

Here are a few more examples.

A book can start as a few ideas scribbled on the back of a napkin. A new business can start from a conversation with a friend and the notes you take after. Solving a thorny problem might begin with a mind map of the issues.

As long as you make something, you're making progress.

But if you just do and do and do without leaving any breadcrumbs behind, you may find that you have little to show for your efforts.

This article started from a single note that contained a single sentence.  From there, I added more ideas, brainstorms, examples and reflections.  Eventually I was able to assemble these intermediate packets into the article you see before you.

I didn't write it in linear fashion. It was assembled out of many tiny building blocks.

This building block philosophy can apply to any project in your work and life.

Make small things to help you build bigger things.

How can you start creating building blocks instead of just taking action?

When you sit down to work ask "What can I make today in 15 minutes that will move my project forward?"

When it comes to writing for my business, I'll make

• Lists of potential topics and subtopics

• Outlines of ideas

• Draft responses to my outlines

Each of these take 10-15 minutes to create and help me produce articles.  Here's how I'm using this approach currently.

I've been making changes to a coaching course I teach every year.  I added specific assignments that involve students watching tiny snippets of coaching sessions.

This seemingly small change involved having to re-arrange all previous material and figure out which other activities to drop.

But finding the coaching calls was the toughest part.

I reviewed hours of recorded coaching sessions and at first my search process was clumsy and disorganized.  But because I wrote up reflections after each effort (an intermediate packet called progress notes), I was able to better strategize on how to improve my process.

It took me 12 hours to create the first assignment made with a small video snippet.  But by the end of the last course, I was creating them in just 30 minutes to an hour.

And how can you create intermediate packets for your work?

One approach: instead of just jumping into action to take a few moments to brainstorm a list of things you can create to move your work forward.

Just 3 or 4 minutes is enough to help you come up with something small you can build.

So what small thing will you create today to help you bring something larger into the world?  Why not start now?

---

III. Two ways I can help you

The Atomic Course Blueprint - Want to create a course without the usual overwhelm? Try creating a tiny course. Find out more here.

iPARA: How to organize your digital life for action- Is digital disorganization keeping you from reaching your goals? What if just four folders could let you not just stay organized but actually get things done. See for yourself here.

That’s it for this week. I’ll see you next week with another issue.