The 4 “It’s” to Getting Stuff Done: A Simple System to Beat Procrastination and Win Your Day

If you’ve ever looked at your to-do list and thought, “I should really get to that…” but then somehow didn’t—welcome to the club. You’re not alone.

The truth is, we don’t fail to do things because we’re lazy or undisciplined. We often fail to act because we don’t have a clear system for taking action. As an executive coach, I’ve worked with high-capacity leaders who juggle dozens of tasks every day, yet they still struggle to make progress on what matters most.

That’s why I teach my clients this simple, powerful system I call The 4 “It’s” to Getting Stuff Done.

It’s not a complicated formula. But it will challenge how you think about your time, your focus, and your follow-through.

Ready to stop procrastinating and start gaining traction?

Here’s how:

1. Prioritize It

If it doesn’t matter to you, it won’t get done.

We often say we “don’t have time,” but the reality is—we didn’t make it important enough. To prioritize something means it’s hot on your radar. It’s not background noise—it’s front and center. If a task, goal, or project aligns with your long-term vision or values, it deserves priority.

Action Step: Pick one thing you’ve been putting off. Ask yourself, “Why does this matter to me?” Tie it to a long-term goal or core value. Write that connection down somewhere visible.

2. Schedule It

If it’s not on your calendar, it doesn't exist.

Once you prioritize something, you need to lock it in. That means actually putting it on your calendar. Treat it like a non-negotiable meeting with the CEO—because it is. You’re the CEO of your life, your time, and your energy.

Action Step: Take that important task and schedule it on your calendar for this week. Don’t just leave it on a to-do list floating in space. Anchor it to a time and place.

3. Protect It

Defend your time like it matters—because it does.

Once you schedule something, the battle has only begun. Protecting your time means guarding it against interruptions, distractions, and even good things that aren’t the main thing. If someone wants to meet during that time, you don’t need to explain yourself—just say, “I already have a meeting at that time, but I’m available at...”

Action Step: Set boundaries around that scheduled time. Turn off notifications. Close your email. Let people know you’re unavailable. Treat it with the same respect you’d give a meeting with someone important—because you are important.

4. Start It

Starting is the hardest part—and the most powerful.

This is where most people get stuck. They’ve prioritized it, scheduled it, even protected the time… but they never start. The beginning feels uncomfortable, overwhelming, or awkward. But once you take the first step—even a small one—you build momentum.

Action Step: When the time comes, do one small action to begin. Open the document. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Say the first line. Just start. Motion leads to momentum.

Final Thought:

Your productivity doesn’t rise and fall on your apps, your calendar, or your tech. It rises and falls on your decisions. And those decisions stack up—day by day, hour by hour—to determine whether you’re moving toward your best life or away from it.

So here’s the challenge: What’s one thing you’ve been putting off that deserves your best energy?

Prioritize It. Schedule It. Protect It. Start It.

You’ve got this.

For help in defining and customizing these steps for you, contact maxUcoaching.com.

If you are ready to truly get Focused & Productive, check out our MaxUcoaching Focus & Productivity Planner for a simple system to get things done!

"We didn't create it so you can do more, we created it so you can get what's most important done!"