Secrets to Getting More Done Daily
It's a real drag when you're nearing the end of a workday and you realize you haven't accomplished much. Even if you're a productive, focused person, you probably find yourself wishing there were ways to get more things done on a daily basis. Whether you want more free time to enjoy your personal life or simply want to do the best you can at work, being more productive with the time that you do have brings satisfying results. Read on to discover how to do more than you ever thought possible in one single day.
Schedule Time to Check E-Mail
If you have a desk job, you'd probably be amazed at how much time you spend each day checking and responding to e-mails. While it's good practice to respond to e-mails promptly, most aren't urgent. Instead of dropping all of your tasks to focus on responding to e-mails as soon as they pop into your inbox, set aside two or three dedicated chunks of time to answer all of your e-mails. You'll be much less distracted and more focused on your task at hand.
Live by David Allen's Two-Minute Rule
Widely known for his book Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, David Allen is a renowned time management expert with tons of great tips. One of his better-known tips is what he calls the "Two-Minute Rule." It basically states that if you have a task that can be done in two minutes or less, you should do it right that moment. For instance, if you've been meaning to clean up your computer's desktop, do it right away instead of putting it on a to-do list, which will take time anyway. If you follow this philosophy with intent, your daily tasks will seem much more manageable.
Make Smaller Daily To-Do Lists
It seems counterintuitive, but making smaller daily task lists can actually help you get more done. If you make a giant to-do list for Monday, you'll spend the whole day frustrated and fretting about how you'll never get anything done. As a result, you probably won't get everything done, and then you'll feel poorly about yourself. Next time you're tempted to make a monstrous to-do list, be honest with yourself. Ask yourself what tasks absolutely must get done today, and be realistic about the ones you can afford to do tomorrow. Making smaller daily task lists means you won't feel as overwhelmed and irritated, and as a result, you're more likely to complete each task by the day's end.
Do Your Most Challenging Work First
Many productivity gurus will tell you to get small tasks out of the way before accomplishing big ones. However, this can easily lead to procrastination, especially if you have a big project on your plate that you're not excited about. It's easy to put the big project off with the excuse, "Oh, but I just have to finish these three little things first!" Cut to the chase and prioritize big, burdensome projects. You'll feel incredibly relieved when they're over with, making it easier to focus on your remaining tasks.
