How Working Less Helped Me Get More Done
Most people think the busier you are, the more you’re getting done. We all know people who run around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to get an impossible list of tasks done in a day. I used to do the same thing.
Soon after we got married, my husband saw a schedule I’d made for myself on my desk. “What’s this?” he asked me holding the paper aloft.
When I told him it was my new weekly schedule, he laughed. “You’ll never get all this done in a week,” he said.
I was angry at him for suggesting such a thing, but he was right. I’d made impossible schedules like that for myself all my life and wondered why I always felt disappointed in myself. Why couldn’t I get all the things done that I needed to get done? I just couldn’t figure it out.
I thought that if I got a lot done I’d be more productive. The problem was that I ended up feeling discouraged. That discouragement caused me to get less and less done.
I think this trap is especially easy to fall into when you’re self-employed. In my case, my work involves creativity that can’t be forced. Often my most creative moments happen when I’m most relaxed.
If I sit down at the keyboard and agonize over what to write, I won’t write anything. If I’m feeling uninspired, doing something enjoyable helps me come up with things to write. Some of my best post ideas come to me when I’m in the bath. When I’m having trouble writing a story, going for a walk helps me work out the plot in my head.
There are a few important steps that will help you work less and get more done.
Prioritize–When you get up in the morning think about what you need to get done that day. Some things absolutely need to get done that day, others can be done some other time. Choose the most important tasks to do first.
Cut out the small stuff– There are tons of little things that you do in a day that waste time, like checking your email multiple times a day. Cut those activities down to a minimum.
Focus–Do one thing at a time. When you’re working on completing a task you do it better and more efficiently if that task is your main focus. I’ve written about my thoughts on multitasking before.
Under-schedule–I used to over-schedule my life. I had a million things to do in one day. Now I only require that I do a few things. That way I’m always sure I’ll complete the tasks I planned to get done. I usually complete those tasks with plenty of time left in the day to get extra work done. I feel good about myself and confident because I got more done than I expected instead of feeling disappointed about not doing enough.
Rest–When I’m tired, I rest. That seemed like common sense but a lot of people don’t do it. If a task is getting to be too much, I rest. I’m a firm believer and getting the rest you need.
Doing these few simple things has helped me be more productive. I do better quality work and I feel better doing that work. I never try to write when I feel stressed or panicked. Working when I’m inspired helps me work better.
Photo by Paul Worthington
Great advice. I tend to over schedule then get upset when I cant do everything! When I make detailed lists, set a timer for web surfing, and actually do my writing off line (in Word, not in my Wordpress page) to avoid the temptation to check my email, I get so much more done. The extra time left is just bonus time to get something else accomplished.
Writing your posts offline really does help save time. The web can be so distracting.
Setting a timer for web surfing is a great idea. I’ve never thought of doing that before.