How to achieve more with 5 times less energy

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

To work more productively and be satisfied with life, you need to give all your best not 100%, but only 20.

Chances are, you are already familiar with Pareto's Law, which states that 20% of your effort produces 80% of results. If you think about it, you will probably notice that the rule works in your life as well.

For example, 20% of the people you associate with have an 80% influence on your behavior and attitude towards life. They either inspire you to move forward or slow down your progress.

In business, 20% of customers generate 80% of the profit.

Determine which 20% of actions are most important to you

It is important to understand that in your life there are some actions (those same 20%) that are responsible for most (80%) of your success.

Try to identify the most important goals for you in each area of life and develop several ways to achieve them. But first you need to figure out what you are spending your strength on now.

Your time is spent on 80% of actions that bring 20% of results if:

1. You do those tasks that others entrust you and that are of no value to you.
2. You have a lot of "urgent" things to do.
3. You waste time doing things that you usually don't do very well.
4. All your tasks are taking longer than you expect.
5. You find yourself constantly complaining.

Your time is spent on 20% of actions that bring 80% of results if:

1. You do what helps you move towards your main goal in life (if, of course, you have one).
2. You are doing what you always wanted and you are happy with yourself.
3. You complete tasks that you don't like, knowing that they help you move towards your goal.
4. You hire other people to do things that you do not know how or do not want to do yourself.
5. You are smiling.

Learn to say no and value your time

You need to set your priorities and have the courage to politely, smile and say no to everything else without making excuses. And for this you need a big flaming "yes" to light up inside you.

Stephen Covey speaker, businessman, leadership and success specialist

We are not taught to say no. Quite the opposite: we are taught not to say no. The very word "no" is usually taken for rudeness. But “no” means more time for productive work and creativity.

By saying no, you give yourself time and the opportunity to focus on tasks and projects that are important to you personally. So allow yourself to say “no” in response to other people's requests and suggestions and do not feel guilty or selfish at the same time.

Keep track of where your time is going

Ask yourself, “What do I really want from life? What 20% of my work do I need to focus on? Consider your efforts and results carefully.

As you start tracking your efforts, you will learn to focus on what helps you most towards your goal.

Write down what you spend your time on. It may seem pointless at first, but then you will see that it helps you better understand yourself and structure your day correctly.

Where to begin

Take the time to compare the effort you put in with the results you get. Answer these questions:

1. Are your efforts helping you achieve your goals and tasks?
2. What actions need to be reduced? What should be completely abandoned?
3. What needs to be increased or improved?

If you dream of different results, but continue to do the same as before, you will never get what you want.

It's simple: focus on the activities that bring you the most benefit. And in order not to be mistaken, compare the efforts expended with the results obtained every day or at least once a week.