When was the last time you…
- Enjoyed a meaningful conversation with a friend
- Ate lunch somewhere other than your desk
- Took a day off (doctor’s appointments don’t count)
- Had a vacation for longer than five days (without checking your work email/voicemail account)
- Enjoyed “date night” with your spouse or significant other
- Had at least 7 hours of sleep at night
- Accomplished everything on your daily to-do list
- Left work at 5 pm
If your answer to most of these questions is “I can’t remember” – you’re too busy!
Busyness has become a way of life for most Americans. However, contrary to popular opinion, you don’t have to sacrifice your personal happiness for professional success. You can live a productive, fulfilling life without being stressed and overwhelmed.
Whether your busyness is due to the increasing demands of others or you own procrastination habits, here are a few things you can do to tame your hectic schedule.
1. Operate In Your Highest and Best Use
As a high achiever, there are probably many things you can do exceptionally well, but only a few of those things represent your highest and best use – the activities which maximize your income and happiness. For instance, I am a speaker, writer, and coach. My highest and best use involves creating content for my newsletter and blogs, speaking to audiences, and coaching clients. Although I have the intelligence and ability to design my own website, create a marketing campaign, or even put a bookshelf together, doing those things only takes my time away from my most productive and fulfilling tasks.
2. Cut down your to-do list.
According to Forbes Magazine, the most effective and productive managers identify only three top priorities for the day. Every day, they focus on only those top three priorities and anything else they accomplish over that is a bonus. Try it for yourself. Instead of piling things on your to-do list, only add the three most essential tasks. Your productivity (and confidence) will skyrocket as you repeatedly check off all the items on your to-do list day after day.
3. Make a “Don’t Do” List.
As you shorten your to-do list, you should begin to create a “don’t do” list. If it’s not an essential task, or if you are not essential to the completion of the task, place that item on your “don’t do” list. Learn to delegate those non-essential tasks or eliminate them all together.
4. Don’t say “yes” right away.
Most of the time, our overwhelm is caused when we say “yes” to all the demands of our co-workers, family members, and friends without regard for our already busy schedules. The next time you are asked to do something you don’t have time to do, say “Let me think about that.” Before you give an answer, look at your schedule. A reminder of all the things you already have to do will put the request into proper perspective.
5. Have defined work hours, no more than 8 a day.
This is probably the most controversial of my suggestions. In the corporate world, with its pressing demands and threats of layoffs and downsizing, we want to work more to show our loyalty and dedication. However, it may surprise you, but the most productive people aren’t the ones who spend the most time at work. When you know that you have a set number of hours to accomplish certain tasks, you become more efficient and are able to set better priorities.
Cleansing Exercise
For the next week, try out the “3 Item To Do List”. At the end of each day, notice how many things you were actually able to do.
My,my,my…. Great minds think alike. This is an empowering post. I have a similar post “Are you too busy to succeed?” This is a needed topic and must be taken seriously. Many women and men too for that matter wear busy like it’s a badge. I often ask are you busy-busy or productive busy? We’re building businesses, ministries etc. and yet many won’t live out their years due to stress, overwhelm, pushing beyond what God has designed for them. I’ll share this with my network today. Thanks Benecia.
Benecia – I really needed to read this today! I find myself so busy it cuts down on family time, which is and should stay my priority. #2, Cut down your to-do list is my goal for the week. I am going to incorporate that with your 3 Item To-Do. I am a list-maker and it’s daunting when you list it all out! I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂
Benecia, I didn’t realize how busy I was until you put it into perspective! 🙂 I especially loved tips 3 and 4 because I had never even thought of setting up a Do Not Do List and I definitely always say yes before people even ask me the question… 🙂 I am a list maker and always say I will only add a couple of things, yet end up adding TONS! Maybe if I created a Not To Do List I can get some freed up time.. 🙂 Thanks for this awesome post!
Thanks so much! This is awesome! Hmmmm! I never thought of a don’t do list. I’m a big list maker so these are great tips!
I do consider all of the ideas you have preetnsed on your post. They’re really convincing and will definitely work. Nonetheless, the posts are very short for newbies. May you please prolong them a little from next time? Thank you for the post.