5 time management tricks for those who are not helped

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Ditch boring to-do lists, schedules and timers.

1. Replace to-do lists with to-do lists

To-do lists are not for everyone. Discard them if you write down 20 tasks a day and then get upset that you only completed three. Or if the very need to structure things puts pressure on you.

Some actions are better not to be turned into tasks at all. For example, adding “go for a walk” to the list will turn an enjoyable activity into a duty.

Instead, remind yourself of what not to do. Write down what does not bring you joy or help you achieve your goals. With such a list, you will not waste time on things that only take away your strength and give nothing in return.

2. Replace timed breaks with procrastination

The "tomato" method is too harsh for many. It is impossible to always work for 20-25 minutes and take five-minute breaks. Sometimes you are so immersed in a state of flow that a break will only get in the way. At other times, the concentration will be enough for only 10 minutes, and then it will take an hour to recover.

Experiment intermittently. Once you're done with one thing, allow yourself to procrastinate as much as you like. As soon as you get bored, move on to the next case.

3. Replace the graph with thematic blocks

Many people draw up a schedule: they divide the day into time intervals and define a task for each interval. In theory, this is very convenient. But most underestimate how long it will take them to do each task. At the end of the day, they get frustrated and scold themselves for not meeting their schedule.

Try to break up the days of the week by topic. For example, on Monday - management tasks, on Tuesday - work on the product. If you cannot devote an entire day to one topic, divide it into several topics.

Focus on one area in the morning, on another in the afternoon, and on a third in the evening.

This approach is more flexible. You will get rid of the rigid time frames of the chart. Just do all the things that will help you advance in each of the areas.

4. Replace difficult tasks in the morning with something that charges you with confidence

For some, it really helps to "eat the frog" first - to do the hardest thing. Others then can no longer do anything properly. Complex cases take longer to think about. This means that you will get hung up on details, spend more time and effort. It is not surprising that then there will be no energy left for other things.

Start your day with simple little tasks. After completing them, you will experience a surge of self-confidence. Then the rest of the day will be more productive. Mark Zuckerberg mentioned this approach: "In business there is a simple rule: if you do the easiest first, then you can achieve a lot."

5. Replace automation with single-tasking

To improve efficiency, it is usually advised to automate all processes. It seems to be useful, but not everything can be simplified so far. For example, writing an article. You can organize the process, but not the fact that it will save you time.

Better get back to single-tasking. Remember how often at work you were distracted by something unrelated to the business. Surely this happened more than once. According to scientists, we feel happier when we fully concentrate on one task.

Our consciousness is so arranged that we are constantly distracted. This makes us feel unhappy.

Try to focus on one thing. In a calm, happy state, you will get through things faster.