To get more done, you need to do more things. That’s self-evident. But what if I told you the secret to getting more done was limiting your tasks?
I am one of those people, who, when faced with a huge list of things to do, will shut down and do none of it. It’s not uncommon. Most people, faced with a pile of work where they don’t know where to begin, will not being at all.
So how do you get past that? Read on.
There are productivity lessons everywhere, if you just look. Here are four lessons I learned from a video game my daughter got me into, “We Bare Bears Match 3 Repairs.”
I like matching games, and when my daughter started playing this one (based on one of her favorite cartoons), I peeked over her shoulder. What makes this game different from most is that there is no time pressure – a round is governed by the number of moves that you make. Make less than “par”, you win the round. Otherwise you need to try over. It’s fun, and it made me think about the general rules I was applying to select my moves…and all can be applied to productivity.
Few people would say that work and life are the same. Yet we try to apply work task management techniques to the rest of our lives, and are frustrated when it doesn’t work.
I have very little problem staying on task at work. I have multiple priorities and multiple projects, and yet I consistently meet my deadlines. I began to wonder why I had problems at home, and so I started to read books on task management and to-do lists, hoping to find the answer. Instead, I had an epiphany.
I figured out how to manage my personal tasks in a way that takes into account their differences.
As part of my quest for productivity, I read a lot of articles and books on the various aspects. I get frustrated from time to time, because I think a lot of the authors miss the points.
For example, I have been reading a lot about building a better task list. And I’ve discovered that most task advice is worthless.
I tackle my email overload by moving everything into a “backlog” folder, setting up filters, and creating processing folders like “Respond” and “Task.” Using timers to sort emails helps me stay organized and focused.
You have a beautiful blank calendar before you. What should you put on it to ensure you get the most use out of it? This article addresses the basics.
In spite of my dedication to electronic calendars (because of their portability and shareability), I still maintain a paper calendar in my kitchen. This is simply for the visibility without extra steps. But both types of calendars have benefited from my adding the following types of items.
January 1 is when all the calendars recognize the start of the New Year. And as we have just passed that date, I thought I would talk about some things you can do to make your New Year get off to a great start.
I have discovered that when I take time to acknowledge the new year and its potential, I get off on a productive beginning that will carry me through the doldrums of January. I do certain things every new year that I’ve learned by experimentation, but that really help me get some direction.
