I read an article the other day and alot of what it said really resonated with me. I consider myself a pretty productive person in general, but I know I have a tremendous amount of room in my life to increase organization of the space that I live and work and to increase efficiency of my time. At the end of the year, this is typically when I start really thinking about how that is going to go from a thought into an action for the next year. I figured someone “out there” was thinking about this as well for 2020. So, that is what prompted this blog
Did you know that Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, has six kids? Even as a single father, this man has carved a path for how we exchange currency for things on eBay, developed a silent electronic car, and has sent a few rockets to Mars. He has the same 24-hours in a day that we have. So, instead of wondering how he found the time to accomplish the tasks, ask yourself how did he prioritize his time to accomplish these tasks?
The world if full of technological distraction including games, apps, and emails on our phone as well as endless choices of things to watch on Netflix and Hulu. While fighting between what gets our attention now and what gets it later never really gets easier, I wanted to share a few ways I plan on adjusting my priorities in 2020 to become more efficient in work time so that I can have more “down time” to enjoy with family and friends or even just for myself!
Select Your Priorities
The article mentioned above recommends a book called 18 minutes by Peter Bregman. The book offers insights on how to efficiently prioritize and focus on the things that matter the most to you. To start, select five major priorities for the year. The book says to break it down to the following – two for your business, two for relationships, and one for yourself.
When you’re creating your daily to-do list, divide your task into the five categories and keep track of them as you complete them. If an item sits on your to-do list for longer than three days, it should be the first task completed on the fourth day or you need to re-evaluate how truly important it is to you.
It is recommended to keep a visual inventory of your important tasks because it will reinforce their meaning and the challenge you to face to complete them.
Harness Your Creativity
Everyone is creative in their own way, and we all need a way to harness that creativity constructively. Whether it’s a pen and paper, your phone, a voice recorder, or whatever you find works for you, record your thoughts as they come to you and catalog them away for when they’re needed. Have you ever noticed that our best ideas come to us without warning? Don’t just make a mental note of the idea. Take the idea out of your head and put it somewhere you’ll remember for when it’s useful.
Be Aware of Distractions
When you’re focused on getting work done, close out any web browsers you don’t need, shut down your email, and focus on the task at hand. Do you find yourself with a lot of apps on your phone that you don’t need? Delete them. Get rid of anything that keeps you from focusing on the task you’re trying to complete.
Keep Time Top of Mind
The article mentions to set a time and reflect on each hour, but that may not work for everyone. Set multiple time checks throughout the day to reflect on how productive you have been. Ask yourself if what you accomplished will get you to your next goal. Continue to remind yourself of the fleeting nature of time and stay committed to maximizing it.
In a world built around technology, we’re practically being told to be unproductive and waste our days away. By making the conscious decision that your own willpower is enough to accomplish anything and everything you put your mind to, the white noise of distractions around you will melt away. Make a resolution in 2020 to stay focused on your goals and maximize your productivity every day!