I used to be a hardcore member of the "Busy Cult" - writing long to-do lists, filling my planner to the brim, and scheduling every single little minute of my day. Then I'd get super overwhelmed when I didn't have "enough time" to finish everything before the end of the day. Now that I look back, I'm actually kind of upset that I'll never get back those exhausting late work nights and years of sleep debt.
Let's make this clear from the beginning - being busy doesn't mean you're being productive.
From a very young age, it is embedded in us that doing more is better and multitasking is essential to success - even if that means the quality of our work is compromised. In fact, 98% of the population actually sucks at multitasking, which in turn, hinders our productivity, causes us to fade in and out of focus, and makes us believe we "don't have enough time". It's actually kind of ironic that a universal "hack" to saving us time is actually costing us time.
Productivity Tips For Better Time Management
When you feel like you don't have enough time to get everything done, consider some of the following tips to help you strengthen your skill of time management.
- Create A Productivity Action Plan
- Start Your Day With The Most Important Task/Project
- Swap Multitasking With The Pomodoro Technique
- Know When To Just Say "No"
- Set Yourself Up For Success
Create A Productivity Action Plan
Don't waste your time scheduling unnecessary tasks just to look and feel more productive. I know it is kind of exciting and fills us with pride to see a full calendar at the start of the day, but it can cause you to feel very overwhelmed and upset at the end of the day when not everything was done on time or completed. Instead, focus on scheduling specific daily tasks and events with a purpose.
Here are 3 Steps To A Functional Action Plan:
- Analyze your current lifestyle
- Cleanse all tasks that don't serve you
- Create Your Productivity Plan
Start Your Day With The Most Important Task/Project
When I used to work in an office, the very first thing I'd do after settling into my desk is check e-mails and voicemails I missed from the previous day. By the time I finally got through all the mindless administration work, it would already be lunchtime and I'd be mentally clocked-out thinking about that delicious Dynamite Roll I just ordered on Skip The Dishes. And by the time I finally was back from lunch, I'd be suffering from a delicious food coma and just impatiently waited for my shift to end - without even touching the important projects.
Don't waste your valuable time and productive energy on unnecessary tasks. Your e-mails and voicemails can wait. Browsing social media can wait. Organizing the pantry can wait. You know what cannot wait? Budgeting to ensure you're paying bills on time, buying dog food because your Pup has one serving left, or completing that project you've been putting off. Prioritization is so important for success in all areas of your life.
Swap Multitasking with The Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management tool that focuses on working smarter, not harder by dedicating 25 minutes at a time for high-focus work on only one task. Once the timer goes off, take a short break and write a checkmark on your paper. Repeat this until you have four checkmarks on your paper - which grants you a long break. During this time, put your phone on silent, close all other tabs on your computer, and really focus on the task at hand.
My favorite app for the Pomodoro Technique is Flora - Focus Habit Tracker. I love how it creates an initiative to help me stay off of my phone (unless you want to kill the tree you planted). To add an extra incentive, it also gives you the opportunity to "bet" money that, if you fail your Pomodoro time, will be collected and used to plant trees around the world. If you make it through your designated time without an issue, you are not charged.
Know When To Just Say "No"
One of the reasons I find people become so overwhelmed is because they constantly are taking on way too much - even things they aren't passionate about - because they don't want to disappoint others. Whether you believe it or not - Time is a currency and you have a choice of how you want to spend it. When you agree to go out with the group of friends you haven't seen in a while even though you have an early morning the next day or agree to bake 100 cupcakes for your church fundraiser despite also having to write a 10 page research paper for school the same night; you're stacking your plate way too high that it is almost impossible to digest it all at once. It's okay to say "No" and put yourself first. And it's okay to decline things you previously agreed to if you realize it doesn't fit.
Set Yourself Up For Success
Take the initiative to prepare so that when you do need to go into high-focus, there aren't other things on your mind leaving you distracted. Doesn't it suck when you're about to sit down at your desk to get some work done, only to be very distracted with how messy your desktop is? Or when you're going to pick-up groceries, only to realize you didn't make a list and don't know what you already have in your fridge? Failing to set yourself up for success typically leads you to procrastination and distractions. Take the initiative to set yourself up for success and focus will come naturally.
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These were 5 tips on how to get more stuff done. How do you live more productively? Let me know down in the comments below!
LET'S SAVE SOME MONEY TOGETHER!
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Hey Jennifer! What an incredibly insightful article! I absolutely am in love with the FLORA app you suggested. I had no idea there was such a thing. I mean I've heard of other task management tools but never anything quite as supportive as planting trees! Super cool! I learned a lot from this post. I shared it on Twitter which I hope it ok. I noticed you don't have a profile or link to tag you in. But I get a lot of love on there so I shared it there! I'll see you out there!
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