We’ve all been there. Many of us are there right now. That hamster wheel that just seems to keep on turning. We don’t know how to stop it. We panic, silently. We wonder, under our breath…
“What am I forgetting?”
“Am I even getting anywhere at all?”
“Why is hamster life so hard?”
Well, because you’re not a hamster. You’re a human being. More than that — you’re a creative human being with many other needs besides checking off an item on your to-do list. Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE to-do lists. They are my allies. They keep me sane. They keep me focused. However, just like anything else, these sacred tools can work against us if we’re not mindful of just how we are using them.
Remember this: being busy doesn’t necessarily mean being productive. We want focus. We want results. We want flow and clarity. Learning how to consciously cultivate these qualities in my work life has been a huge game-changer for me. I’ll admit it: I’m still working on it and I can’t say I’ve earned my badge of mastery just yet, but what I can say is that I’ve learned a thing or two along the way and I believe that when you do that, you share what you’ve learned. Here are my 5 tips for taking control of your time and becoming more productive.
1. De-clutter. I’m talking physically and mentally. Let’s start with our physical space. Our physical space is usually a good indicator of our mental space. When it’s clear and spacious, you have more capacity to think and to create. When overwhelm hits, clearing my physical space is my first go-to. Time yourself so you don’t use it as an excuse to procrastinate. Just ten minutes should do the trick. It’s also nice to clear your computer desktop of all unnecessary junk. I like to keep my top 3 project folders out on the desktop until they’re complete and file the rest away. Next, clearing your mental space can be a huge help. This doesn’t have to be daunting. I like to challenge myself to be silent for 11 minutes. Sometimes you only have 3 minutes; that’s fine too. Sitting and observing the breath can seem so boring but it’s been an immensely helpful tool for me, especially as an entrepreneur. I think of it as a shower for the mind. Our thoughts can pile up and sometimes drown us. When we learn to put some space between ourselves and our thoughts, we realize that we have more control than we may think. We can stop the runaway train and reassert our rightful place as conductor. It just takes some consistent effort, attention and most importantly, intention.
2. Write shorter to-do lists. I used to write out super long to-do lists. Sometimes, they were over 10 tasks long! Even just looking at the list could cause some overwhelm and I never got to all tasks in one day. We have to set ourselves up for success. With this realization, I started writing lists of only 3 tasks. I personally like to handwrite my to-do lists first thing in the morning or at the end of my work day in preparation for my next day. Using this method, I find myself checking all 3 items off on most days and looking for more — what a confidence boost! Exceeding your own expectations feels great. In any case, try lightening your load to accomplish more.
3. Limit daily email use. I’ll admit it, I covet a clean inbox. I’ve realize, however, that spending too much time sifting through it can be an escape from the real work that needs to be done. Studies show that checking your email constantly can do real damage. To deal with it, I schedule times throughout the day to check my email: once at the beginning, once before lunch, and once at end of my workday. Time limits are helpful. Try setting a time for 15-30 minutes. Delete all the junk. Skim for important responses. Send out quick replies. Flag anything that will take longer, more thoughtful writing. Unsubscribing from anything that you don’t gain value from is also such a great feeling. Little by little, you’ll have less junk mail to deal with and the important emails won’t be overshadowed. Once your 15-30 minutes is up, close out (preferably completely — no notifications) and tell your inbox you’ll be back later!
4. G-Cal it, then forget about it (until you get a notification). Call me a control freak, but I add everything to my Google Calendar — from my credit card bills to my yoga practice. With the multitude of tasks and meetings we have to keep track of, it is best to let technology do it’s thing and carry some of the load. This way, our minds are freed up to focus on the tasks at hand. If you’re particularly visual, like me, you may want to color code items. Avoid getting too fancy. I like to keep it to 3 or 4 colors. Ex. Yellow for in-person meetings, orange for virtual meetings, blue for self-care, and red for non-non-negotiable working time blocks.
5. Dedicate your days. Similar to my to-do lists, I have a bad habit of trying to accomplish many different types of things in one day. For example, I would meet with a client, then work on a blog post, then finish up administrative tasks. What I quickly learned was that shifting gears took a lot of effort. Where my head was going from abstract to creative to organizational, my ADD kicked in like no other, and at times, even set me back. Now, I try to dedicate specific days to the type of task I want to accomplish. Usually, Mondays are admin days, and I’ll have 2 dedicated days for back-to-back client meetings. I still feel like I did what I needed to, but I’m spending less energy on switching between the many different hats I tend to wear.
What are your productivity and time-management tips?