Focus advice
I know this is exactly the time o’ clock that every doofus tries to submerge you in their wise minds by sharing a tip or two about productivity and life advice but bear with me. I read a couple of good posts doing exactly that from friends and I figured that I might as well throw my bullshit free brilliance out there.
I am powering through one of the most intense periods of my life so far. I have multiple high maintenance and difficult projects, none of which can be left behind. The world feels like a racetrack made of ice and I have to run, which I like. But if I slip things are going to get nasty. That means, efficiency is key and the hunt for that peak effectiveness has showed me some dos and don’ts.
Don’ t read too much stuff like this online
It is probably a waste of time and you are as likely to follow this as you were to follow the previous identical article you read yesterday.
Day in, day out in small bites
You can’ t finish your projects in a single day and you can’ t do random pieces of work. You have to play the long game.
Break every project into smaller tasks and every task into smaller bites. Then you can eat them one by one.
Schedule every freaking thing
Use your calendar and set the time each thing is going to be done. If you are not going to make it, use your calendar and set the time each thing is going to be done. If you are always rescheduling do a better job scheduling.
Set the mission for the day and do the mission.
If something is not scheduled for today it is not happening. If something is scheduled and it is getting out of hand, know that you planed poorly and don’t sleep until it is done. Don’ t let things pile up ever.
Remove distractions
Facebook, instagram, twitter, youtube, any other hip social outlet. Anything that is on there is far less important than the task at hand. Delete social apps from your phone and internet browsing.
The phone is for communication, not for skimming articles and silly pictures. use the computer for that on your downtime.
Simplify, simplify, simplify
Which can be summed up as simplify.
Prefer single tasking. In my experience many people who “multitask” are actually single tasking on the wrong task.
Personally I work better when things are as black and white as possible both on my personal and work matters. Maybe try that.
Say no
Here is a trick. The more you say no, the more people accept it. If you need time to finish the difficult things you challenged your self with, have the courage to say no to people and stuff.
Time is infinate but your deadlines are finite.
Don’ t say no every time
Work hard but make sure to party hard from time to time. Meet your friends, your better half, take a walk, catch up, work on a hobby… Anything!
Just do something else that relaxes you and preferably makes you go outside. If you sit all day, your back will thank you. Trust me.