So much to do, so little time. In a fast-paced world, people don't want to wait more than 5 seconds. Why does modern life feel like it's a million things to do? There's an email to answer, a project to finish, time to spend with friends and family (if there's time left).
The more work we have, the easier it is to fall into a frantic state. Busy people often work on tasks they think need to be done, but in reality, they're counterproductive. I need to pinpoint these habits in my own life. Here are a few things to stop doing if you want to get more done.
1. Trying to do everything at once
Have you ever seen people who are completely exhausted? They're pulling their hair, running from place to place, and barely have time to breathe. They're trying to do everything and panicking. I used to wonder how such people could accomplish so much. Until I saw their results. Then I realized that trying to do everything at once prevents you from achieving good results. Trying to do everything shows a lack of determination, not ambition. So, if you want to become an expert at something, it means saying no to other opportunities—at least for now. For example, tennis player Serena Williams is highly ranked among tennis players and has her own clothing line. But initially, she focused all her energy on becoming the best tennis player. She came to the fashion business later.
Become the best in one area, then another.
2. Control everything down to the smallest detail
Micromanagement is a problem for perfectionists who need everything done their way. They tend to hover over others while they work, trying to do things that would be easy for someone else. The worst part of micromanaging is that others feel stifled and resentful of being disrespected.
Instead of overlooking every detail, try focusing more on the big picture. Release your control and empower others to make decisions (to some extent). This will be better for your health and well-being. When you learn to let go of things, you'll find that you're able to achieve more of your goals.
3. Improvise on the fly
I remember back in school, when we had to prepare presentations for the class, there was always someone who would say, «I'll just improvise!«"This person probably isn't at the forefront of the class. Even if they were, they're incapable of pushing others. Goal-oriented people achieve high results more often than inactive ones. They constantly prepare and practice, so when the time comes, their performance will be flawless. I like to prepare for the next day using the page-turning technique. It helps me stay organized and calm, even when everyone else is getting restless.
If you want to succeed, don't improvise. Practice.
4. Not giving yourself a break
A common misconception is that successful people work nonstop, day and night. They have no time for fun or play. Nothing could be further from the truth. Creative people and innovators need free time to explore. By finding time to rest, they can reflect on the obstacles they face and see them from a different perspective. Arianna Huffington says that sleep is the secret to success. We often think that not having time to rest is a badge of honor we wear with pride. Instead, we should think about how more sleep helps us recharge, become happier, and accomplish more. If you want to feel refreshed and creatively charged, try taking a break from work. The most productive people don't work 24/7, but adhere to the 52/17 formula. This means that for every 52 minutes of intense, focused work, there should be a 17-minute break.
This recommendation takes into account the time during which a person is able to concentrate and achieve results. After that, attentiveness declines, which leads to mistakes, inattention, and procrastination. Yes, that's right, most often it occurs only to give you a chance to rest.
5. Skipping lunch
A friend once bragged to me about working 18 hours a day, nonstop. She said she often forgot to eat because she was so busy. On the other hand, another friend sleeps a lot and cooks for himself. He has more free time and energy for hobbies. Guess who's burned out? Skipping meals lowers your energy and concentration, and you get less work done. This increases cravings, which we then eat unhealthy foods and sweets. I find that preparing my lunch in advance helps me organize my day; I don't seek out unhealthy foods to quickly satisfy my hunger. And I no longer worry about what to eat.
6. Get up earlier
Authors of books on personal effectiveness often offer this advice: if you start your day even an hour earlier, you can get much more done! If you're a morning person, you probably wake up early anyway and don't experience any discomfort from this schedule. But ambitious night owls may suffer. After all, regardless of what time of day you're most productive, it's unwise to compensate for work with sleep. Personal growth enthusiasts are always focused on squeezing more juice out of themselves (that is, productivity), and, unfortunately, they don't care at all about replenishing the resources they expend on achieving their goals: physical, emotional, and time. And resources, alas, are finite.
Even if you feel incredibly productive now, years of sleep deprivation and lack of proper rest and recovery will leave you exhausted. Chances are, by age 35, you'll find yourself lying on the couch, wishing only one thing—for everyone to leave you alone. Forever.
7. Eat "frogs"«
Many are familiar with Brian Tracy's "eat the frog" method. People tend to put off the most difficult or unpleasant tasks until the last minute. So, he advises doing these first—to avoid wasting time, get things done faster, and move on to something more enjoyable.
And that seems like good advice. But the catch is that sometimes procrastination is a way to think through a problem thoroughly, find missing information, and develop a more elegant solution. Rushing can lead to mistakes that will take much longer to correct.
In general, business literature offers a multitude of life hacks to help you become faster, higher, and stronger. Before you start implementing them, it's still worth evaluating how suitable they are for you and your specific job.
8. Don't wait until the last minute
There is an opinion that an effective employee should plan their work so that the task is completed before the deadline or at least strictly by it.
It's worth mentioning right away that managers and contractors may initially set unrealistic deadlines because they "really have to!" and "need it yesterday!" But even under the most ideal conditions, gradualism and measured approach don't always help everyone achieve excellent results. For example, according to the Myers-Briggs typology, people generally fall into two types based on their decision-making style: those who prefer to calmly plan, study the situation in advance, and systematize information. And those who are more inclined to act spontaneously, guided by circumstances. They are the ones who do everything at the last minute, but perform brilliantly. So if you belong to this type, it's useless to force yourself to plan or try to portray yourself as a model employee—it will take more effort, and the results may even be worse.
9. Using too many apps
The advent of gadgets and all sorts of apps would seem to make life easier. You probably have apps on your phone for getting the right sleep, scheduling meetings, learning foreign languages, creating schedules, managing your finances, and evaluating your own productivity... But more likely, you're simply wasting more time: learning the often awkward and clunky interface, and then downloading updates and entering data.
The truth is, any app can only be useful if you have a system. And if the app complements that system, not replaces it.
No program will help you manage your time more effectively if you can't prioritize and are trying to fit everything in. It won't help you speak a foreign language if it only helps you study grammar. Just like an alarm clock won't help you wake up early if you went to bed late and are very tired.
10. Putting off household chores
What's the point of working hard if it leaves no time for life? Even in the most desperate of crises, make sure at least the bare minimum of household chores is taken care of: bills are paid, dishes are washed, and laundry is done. In short, your home shouldn't become a visual demonstration of how hard life is for its owner.
11. Get distracted by everything
There's no escaping external distractions, but who said we should pay attention to them anyway? If someone calls, texts, or knocks on your door, it doesn't mean you have to immediately drop whatever you're doing. There are breaks for anything unrelated to work.
12. Not having a goal
Transform your dreams into extremely specific and clearly defined goals. Until you do this, they will remain mere daydreams, the impossibility of which you can occasionally sigh over.
13. Having too many goals
On the other hand, don't plan more than you can realistically accomplish. You won't be able to devote enough attention to each task anyway, so there's a high risk the whole undertaking will go to waste. Besides, it's not quantity that matters, but quality, right?
14. Procrastinate
The longer we put something off, the less likely we are to ever get it done. Just believe me: it's better to finally do it and rejoice than to put it off yet again and suffer over it.
15. Not keeping track of expenses
People whose financial affairs are in disarray have absolutely no chance of living a normal life. Monitoring your income and expenses is as important as taking care of your health, so don't neglect all that bookkeeping.
16. Wasting time on other people's problems
The only person who has complete and total control over your life is you. Your time is your most valuable asset, so treat it with respect.
17. Giving up halfway
Break each task into several smaller steps. This approach will help you tackle even the most seemingly impossible tasks. A rule of thumb: the last 10% of work always takes 90% of effort, so take this into account when planning.
Denying your guilt, or even more so shifting it onto someone else, will in no way improve your life or help you achieve your goals. A mistake is always a lesson. Learn it and move on.
19. Strive for perfection
Oh yes, the proverbial, mythical perfection. We know it simply doesn't exist, yet somehow we strive again and again to do everything perfectly. A wonderful way to occupy time that could be spent on more useful things.
20. Refuse to make decisions
Difficult decisions are called difficult for a reason. But if you don't make a choice, it will inevitably be made for you, and you may not be happy with the outcome.