80/20 Your Life! How To Get More Done With Less Effort And Change Your Life In The Process!

by Damon Zahariades

one that recognizes the tremendous value in focusing on items that matter and ignoring the rest.

we’re dedicating our focus and energy to tasks that produce the greatest impact with regards to our goals.

The core idea behind the 80/20 rule is that you can get more done while taking less action.

Eighty percent of the items that cause me concern never come to pass. Therefore, they can be ignored without consequence.

First, when you attend networking events, focus on the 20% of individuals you know are able to help you. Nurture those relationships. Second, spend only 20% of your time talking about yourself. Spend 80% of your time listening to others. You’ll make a better impression. Third, invert the 80/20 rule when following up with new people you’ve met. Spend the majority of your time following up with the small number of high-value contacts.

First, limit the number of items on your daily to-do list to seven. If you can get away with five, do so. It’s okay to maintain a brain-dump list. But your daily to-do list is something entirely different. Second, only include high-value tasks on your daily list. Eighty percent of the tasks you’ll be tempted to put on your list won’t contribute to your goals. Focus on the 20% that will.

“work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” So if you give yourself five hours to clean your home, you’ll take five hours. If you shorten the available time frame to two hours, you’ll get everything done in two hours.

First, categorize all of your belongings into one of two groups: things you frequently use and things you use rarely often. Do this for your clothes, shoes, kitchen appliances, DVDs, knickknacks, bed sheets and pillowcases, makeup, hair care products, condiments, etc. Then, throw out everything you’ve placed in the second group.

use a timer to remind yourself when to take breaks so you don’t have to keep looking at a clock.