Lisa Skeete Tatum, Founder and CEO of Landit, On How to Get Stuff Done
Masterclass
January 3, 2025
Lisa Skeete Tatum, founder and CEO of Landit, a personalized career pathing platform, has a refreshing take on how to ditch the chaos and focus on what really matters.

In an age dominated by endless notifications, Zoom calls, and looming to-do lists, staying productive feels like a Herculean task. But, Lisa Skeete Tatum thinks it possible to do manage it all. Below, find her insights on turning productivity from a buzzword into a reality.

"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."

The Busy Trap: Why Busyness Is Not Productivity
We’ve all fallen into the busyness trap—long hours, endless meetings, and multitasking galore. But Tatum argues that true productivity is about working smarter, not harder. "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing," she emphasizes. Productivity isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing what matters most.

There are four "thieves of productivity":
- Overdrive: When ambition lacks boundaries, it leads to burnout.
- Perfectionism: The need to get everything perfect delays progress.
- Information Overload: Too many emails, meetings, and messages disrupt focus.
- Boundarylessness: Allowing external demands to dictate priorities.

Lisa’s Top Productivity Hacks
To counter these thieves, Tatum suggests practical strategies to take control of your time and energy:

  1. Ditch the To-Do List: Replace it with a "done list." Tracking accomplishments boosts confidence and highlights progress—both key for staying motivated.
  2. Master Zero-Based Calendaring: Treat your day as 1,440 minutes instead of hours. Allocate time for everything—from work tasks to personal priorities—with intention.
  3. Time Boxing: Schedule uninterrupted chunks of time for deep work. Limit multitasking and create intervals for breaks to stay mentally refreshed.
  4. Prioritize with Purpose: Yse the "urgent vs. important" matrix to focus on tasks that align with your goals. Delegate or delete the rest.
  5. Build Habits That Stick: Use habit stacking, like dressing in workout clothes immediately upon waking if exercise is a goal. Automating small actions creates momentum.
  6. Redesign Meetings:Adopt no-meeting days or reduce meeting durations to 25 minutes. Always have an agenda and ensure only essential attendees are invited.
  7. Embrace Grace: Productivity isn’t about perfection. Give yourself room to make mistakes and learn.

The Ultimate Success Blueprint
According to Tatum, successful people excel by creating systems and routines. Here’s her recipe:

  • Start your day early to gain uninterrupted time.
  • Focus on one task at a time, completing it with excellence.
  • Make quick decisions, especially if they’re reversible.
  • Limit distractions like emails and notifications.
  • Always align actions with long-term goals.

Beyond Productivity: The Bigger Picture
For Tatum, productivity is about designing a life that works for you. "It’s not just about getting more done; it’s about getting the right things done," she says. Whether it’s scheduling family dinners at 7:30 p.m. or carving out time for self-care, her approach integrates work and life into a harmonious system.

By adopting her strategies, you can move beyond the frenzy of daily demands and create a workflow that delivers both results and peace of mind. As Tatum puts it, "Success isn’t about doing it all—it’s about doing what matters most."

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