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To Do or To Don’t – That Is the Question for Certified Legal Nurse Consultants

Structured procrastination is a very real malady that many CLNC® consultants (or any business person) suffer from. A symptom that one is afflicted with this slow-moving disease is the endless making of checklists and constant interaction with the lists.

My own research has identified that this disease first appeared in the early 1990’s, when a famous motivational speaker encouraged his followers to start their day by making a “to-do” list of everything they needed to accomplish that day and then end their day by making a list of what they didn’t complete. In between, he encouraged them to check off (or add and check off) each item that was completed. The same cycle started over the next day, and the next and the next. Rather than label this compulsive behavior by its DSM-5 title of structured procrastination, I simply call it the “feel good addiction.”

This feel-good addiction doesn’t just infect unproductive legal nurse consultants. Even if you are productive you can be addicted to straightening, organizing, reorganizing and checking off. The feel-good addiction is insidious for those who like to check things off, because you feel good after completing each small task. This addiction to check marks gives you a quick productivity high, but comes at a cost. It bites you on the butt because your cheap check-mark high guarantees to frustrate, overwhelm and stress you out in the long term. You feel busier than ever but are accomplishing less of real value – you’re simply checking something off a list and not doing much real legal nurse consulting work.

The feel-good addiction often influences the way Certified Legal Nurse Consultants start their day. “I’ll knock this out quickly and strike it off my checklist.” Or “I can’t start my day until I empty my email box of messages from my attorney-clients, CLNC subcontractors and Google alerts.” I’ll admit I’m slightly guilty of this too. I like to quickly scan email to ensure nothing blew up overnight.

But, is this feel-good start of your day really the best use of your time? You’ll be tempted to knock out each email that clamors for your attention (and they all do). After all, it only takes two minutes to fire off a response to that attorney-client and then happily check it off your list. Since you’re not yet feeling the days’ time constraints, these trivia steal more attention from your CLNC business than the trivia deserves. Before you know it you’ve wasted an hour doing nothing more than answering, deleting and filing email.

I too am a happy checker-offer. Working for two hours on a huge project I won’t finish doesn’t release the same amount of endorphins as cleaning out my email box. After two hours I need to get something checked off. That’s when I indulge my own feel-good addiction and attack that stack of invoices, plow into the financials or grab my mouse to viciously click through my email.

But when I’m in high productivity mode, I use the distraction as a relief and avoid structured procrastination. So rather than make a to-do list of everything on your plate each day, I recommend making a to-don’t list and put making a to-do list on that list.

Instead, keep a list of the big things you really need to accomplish on your desk, refer to it often and only check something off when it’s really done. Leave the to-do lists to the alleged productivity addicts and you’ll work circles around them.

I’m Just Sayin’

P.S. Comment and share your views on to-do lists.

One thought on “To Do or To Don’t – That Is the Question for Certified Legal Nurse Consultants

  1. In other words, do not let those daily to-do lists get in your way. I can see how that theory applies to this business. You see, I am a list person and always wondered how I got that way. When I was a student getting my BSN and MSN I had to live with a daily list. I accomplished a lot and graduated with honors. I am not bragging about the honors list, just noting how I got there.
    There are so many things to do in this business and you are right; get the most important things done first. The LIST can be tricky, deceptive and takes more time that you really want to lose. Time management is important as a CLNC® consultant.

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*The opinions and statements made by Vickie Milazzo, the founder of Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, Inc. are based on her experiences and expertise, should not be applied beyond the specific context provided, and do not guaranty or project actual results. Vickie Milazzo is no longer involved in the operations or management of the business, but is involved as an independent education consultant.

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