19 Way To Achieve More in Less Time
Procrastination, as well as being a term guaranteed to raise a snicker, is also a very dirty one – right up there with flange, flap and GST return. In its many and various guises, it’s also probably the number one reason that people don’t get their s**t sorted when they should. That, and downright bad organisation, of course. Oh, and general crapness too. But mainly procrastination.
Yes, according to Victor Kiam, “Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin” and I guess he should know. He liked something so much, he bought the Remmington shaver company on the spot. Talk about commitment. But even if you’re not made of money or easily impressed by electric razors, there are still many ways you can cut through the crap and get things done.
What follows are a few tips on how to do exactly that. Please ensure you read them. Right now, preferably.
1. Deconstructing the Fear
Often we put off what we really want to do because we think it’s too difficult, or we might make a complete tit of ourselves. Maybe so, but it really comes down to that old chestnut of wouldn’t you rather regret something you have done than something you haven’t? If you’ve had a goal for a while but just not gotten around to achieving it, ask yourself what’s really stopping you. If fear of failing is the answer, then “feel that fear and do it anyway.” Sounds obvious. Is obvious. Plagiarised too. But sometimes it can be that easy.
2. Eating Healthier
“You are what you eat,” or so they say. If that makes you a hot dog on a stick, or a cinnamon donut, then maybe you need a change. Try being a green salad a bit more often, or a chicken fajita. It may not be as much fun, but you might have more energy to GTD (Get Things Done).
3. Write a List
Lists are good. Lists are your friend. As long as you don’t take them to extremes like someone I talked to recently who wrote a list for every single aspect of their life, from supermarket shopping to reminding them of their own kids’ names. No joke. That’s not helpful, that’s OTT. And probably OCD.
4. Get More Sleep
Most night owls are that way purely because they feel they are missing out on something. And they usually are — sleep. Try to get at least eight hours a night. Or if you’re a parent, try not to laugh in my face quite so vehemently.
5. Say “No” More
Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink. Learning to say “no” – to new projects, to distractions, to anything — is one of the most valuable skills you can develop. It keeps you focused on the job in hand and gives you more time to work on it. In fact, learning to say “no” is just as important as learning to say “yes.” And some might say being the opposite of Jim Carrey was a good thing no matter what.
6. Buy a Self-Help Book
Something by David Allen, perhaps. Not the cigarette smoking, whiskey-slurping, sedentary Irish comedian, but the bestselling US author whose “Getting Things Done” time management system has purportedly helped millions to become dynamic, successful go-getters. In one review, somebody compared him to a god. Although he looks more like a mortgage broker from Albany.
7. Prioritise
At the start of each day, figure out three or four of the important things you need to do that day, and make sure you get them done above anything else. If all you achieve is these things, that’s a pretty productive day, wouldn’t you say?
8. Get Single
If you’re not happy in a relationship, maybe you should just end it. The words “high” and “maintenance” consume energy at an alarming rate and just as importantly, take up valuable time — time you could be using to much better effect for GTD.
N.B. M2 does not accept responsibility for any legal fees attributed with the above tip.
9. Play the Long Game
Try always to have long-term goals as well as short-term ones — bigger projects that require chipping away at gradually. Set time aside every week to keep them ticking along. For example, if you’re writing a book, set yourself a number of pages to complete a day, or a minimum amount of time to stare at a blank computer screen. Remember, completion takes application, as well as inspiration. Blimey. Just surprised myself there.
10. Take Notes
Always carry something to take notes with – a pen and notepad, a smartphone, or a dictaphone. By capturing every decent thought that comes into your mind when it actually occurs to you, you’ll cover off much more. Especially if you transfer your thoughts onto one of those lists we were talking about.
11. Spend Less Time on Email
Spam, spam, spam, spam. Decide what to do with an email as soon as you read the subject line. If it’s spam, ditch it. If it’s not important, ditch it. If you need it for reference, file it. Or if you might read it later, do it when you have the time. It’s only an email after all. It’s not people.
12. Little Steps
Whether you’re Mao-Tse Tung or Ian Botham, the longest journeys start with a small step. Over-ambitious “To Do” lists can be just as harmful to GTD as none at all, so tread lightly but firmly. Maybe even break what originally would have been single tasks into more than one part to be completed in the next 24 hours. For example, instead of “Clean the house”, try “Clean the sideboard” one day, “Vacuum the cat” the next, and so on. It all adds up.
13. Get Up an Hour Earlier
Add a whole extra productive hour to your day by getting up an hour earlier – before everyone else starts imposing on your time. On second thoughts, don’t. That’s just crazy talk.
14. Do a Personal Timesheet
Bit drastic this one, but we thought we’d chuck it in anyway. Kind of a personal extension of the way you have to track everything at work, so you can be productive, know what’s taking up the majority of your time and bill people accordingly (or in this case, metaphorically). Lawyers are very keen on timesheets. Advertising sorts too. But let’s not start talking about them. I’ve just eaten.
15. Suck the Lemon
Also known as eat the frog, wrestle the aardvark, or gurn the ocelot. Possibly. No, not a perverse sexual practice (unless you know better) but a metaphor for doing your most unpleasant task first. Based on the saying that if the first thing you do in the morning is suck a lemon, the day – and your face – can only get better from then on.
16. Beat Procrastination
When the going gets tough, the tough get going, whereas the weak may sneak outside for a quick durrie. Everyone has their own little tricks to delay the inevitable tasks ahead. If you can recognise your own stalling tactics and stop yourself in your own tracks, you can force yourself to GTD much more easily.
17. Plug the Gaps
If you have a spare five minutes in your day – or a few of them – don’t just spend them scrolling through social media. Set yourself some small tasks that only take that amount of time. Tell you what, write yourself a list of possibles beforehand. Told you lists were your friend.
18. Know When to Wear Which Hat
Everyone fulfils several different roles in their life. For instance, you can simultaneously be a father, a son, an uncle, a partner, a manager, a teacher, a student. Even a banker. Just make sure you understand each role, keep things balanced and have goals within each. Goals like, “I must get out of banking,” perhaps.
19. Remember it’s Okay to Fail
To come full circle then, give yourself permission to suck. After all, without failure, there would be no success and no failure is final. Unless you’re dead, of course but then you wouldn’t be reading this.
And that’s that. We make no promises but you are now fully armed to GTD better. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do…
Top Image: 1964 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc