Five Ways to Get More Done

If you’re anything like me, your to-do list seems to magically grow while you sleep, but the day doesn’t get longer in response. No worries. Leo Babauta, author of Focus: A simplicity manifesto in the Age of Distraction, writes, “There are lots of ways to find balance. The key is to think about what you need to focus on, what your peak focusing hours are, and try different styles to find a method that works best for you.”

Every day, I force myself to acknowledge this truth: I have ample time to do what matters most. The key is to spend time judiciously, so it doesn’t slip away while I’m acting busy. Here are five tricks that help me stay focused:

1) Do less. Instead of a lengthy, unfocused to-do list, commit to only three goals for the day. “It’s not that ‘less is more’ but ‘less is better,’” Babauta writes. Do your top three tasks first, so you don’t waste your time and energy on things that will get done (eventually) anyway. Putting off a 2-hour creative project until 3 p.m. puts you into a time crunch that just isn’t necessary. Save distracting, no-brainer tasks for late in the day, when your energy is likely to be lower. Completing projects you’re passionate will energize you for mundane must-dos like picking up dry cleaning and taking back library books.

2. Tune out. The pressure to read and respond to news, email, Facebook and Twitter can steal your focus and concentration. “It’s easy to become addicted to being connected and distracted,” Babauta writes. Turn off your cell phone, close your web browser, and shut down your email program for 30 minutes. Then race against the clock to see how much you can accomplish during your disconnected half hour. If you’re still on a roll at the end of that time, keep going. Momentum is hard to build up and dissipates easily. Don’t squander it! If you simply can’t wait to check in, do it. For 5 minutes. Then tune out again and get back to work.

3. Take breaks. Fit pleasant distractions and quick tasks into your scheduled work breaks to give yourself a needed change of pace. Read a magazine article, clean off your desk or order a new book from Amazon in the 15 minutes you have between larger tasks. Shifting your attention to something different will help you see your work with fresh eyes when you restart. Use pleasant diversions to reward yourself for staying focused.

4. Automate. Many tasks that take up your time could be automated. Set up automatic bill pay for accounts that require regular payments, as long as you can afford to pay them in full each month. Cell phone, cable television, water, trash and electric bills are good candidates. Make a schedule for routine tasks, such as buying groceries, cooking meals and cleaning the house. Maybe you decide to shop only on Sunday and to clean one room of the house each night before dinner. Sticking to a plan keeps you from shopping every day for two or three items, prevents you from letting tasks go until they’re overwhelming, and leaves more time for fun.

5. Slow down. In a rush to get everything done, you’re likely to move on to the next task before you finish the first one. Aim to complete an entire task from start to finish, even if your initial attempt isn’t perfect. Life is a series of second chances. Give yourself permission to review and revise. An imperfect, finished project is usually more satisfying than one you never had time to begin.