6 Ways to Get More Done
[image error]We’ve all faced days where we know we have a lot to do, but sit for minutes, even hours, not knowing where to begin. Or, perhaps you’re the type who “puts out fires” all day at work – exhausting yourself and only putting yourself further behind.
The Pareto Principle – or the 80-20 Rule — is a common rule of thumb in business that’s based on the idea that 80% of your activities help produce only 20% of your results, so here’s some advice on how to flip that equation and spend less time getting more done.
Commit to a Plan
If you take 15 minutes each morning to assess your workload and make a specific action plan, you’ll be better equipped to accomplish more. In their book The Power of Full Engagement, authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz write about a study in which a group of women agreed to do a breast self-exam during a 30-day period. A full 100% of the women in the experimental group who identified where and when they were going to do the self-exam completed it. But only 53% of the group that didn’t make a plan completed the task. The lesson? Write out a who/what, where, when and how plan for your day, including a description of the task, where and when you’ll do your work, and how long you plan to spend on each activity. Even if you don’t stick to your schedule, you’ll have the day’s road map in mind, as you move from task to task.
Do the Most Important Stuff First
Identify what has to be completed by the end of the day, jobs that if you fail to accomplish them, will only make you stressed out, or even get you fired. Place them at the top of your “To Do List.” But don’t just make it about your day-to-day — identify the highest value activities that will have the largest impact on your success and happiness at the end of the day, week, month – and even year. Maybe it’s drawing up a new business plan, or plotting a major career move. Always make time to move these crucial activities forward, even if it’s just an hour a day.
Focus On the Details Later
Instead of spending an hour on one rough draft for an article you may write, spend 10 minutes creating six brainstorms for the article — and then pick the best topic. You’ll be able to write more efficiently when you’re confident you have a solid idea to work from, and aren’t going down dead ends with your research. Likewise, rather than spending an hour reading a few articles in detail (which may not be relevant to you), spend 15 minutes skimming through multiple articles, and then spend time fully reading the best three.
Limit and Delegate Obligations
Sometimes we spend too much time on unnecessary and low-value activities or obligations, work-related or not – like volunteering to run the Co-op you belong to, or doing the lion’s share of the housework (when your spouse is just as capable at splitting up the activities). Learn to delegate tasks, and eliminate unnecessary obligations for a more productive day. A good rule of thumb: Take your annual salary, subtract the last three digits and, and divide by 2. That’s your hourly rate. (For example, $50,000 becomes $50. Then divide by 2 for $25 per hours) If it costs you less than your hourly rate to have someone perform a task for you – be it, laundry, car washing, organizing your closet – it’s worth it to outsource.
Pinpoint When You’re Most Productive
This requires a bit of homework, but for a week, track your time by jotting down what you’re doing every 15 minutes. By mapping out your day, you can more easily identify bad habits, and even figure out when you’re at your peak efficiency (i.e., you may figure out you’re less efficient after lunch, or a slow-starter in the morning). Schedule the hardest, most difficult tasks when you’re the most efficient and alert. While you’re at it, keep a watchful eye on time-sucking activities that may be sabotaging your progress and success.
Take Breaks
Speaking of breaks — your body and mind NEED to rest at regular intervals throughout the day. Working five hours straight may seem productive, however, spending long hours focused on one thing fatigues the brain and makes problem solving harder. By taking regular breaks to refresh the mind and body, you’ll work more efficiently. A simple 10 minute time-out to stretch, grab a coffee or even power nap goes a long way.
Photo credit courtesy of North Caroline Virtual Public School
