“Never mistake motion for action.” – Ernest Hemingway
Do you ever wish there were more hours in a day?
Do you ever feel like no matter how hard you work, your to-do list never gets complete?
Well, you may be taking on too many things, or you may not have the right systems in place. If you’re ready to start working smarter instead of harder, keep on reading.
Don’t Say Yes Right Away
No matter how talented you are in the time management department, you are only human and only have 24 hours in a day. There will always be tasks, opportunities or events you may really want to do – but just don’t have the time.
It’s so easy to understate timelines. Before committing to any new task or project, be sure to do your homework and ask plenty of questions.
If the time frame seems reasonable, that’s great. If not, you may have to re-evaluate.
If something isn’t right for you or doesn’t align with your goals, there is nothing wrong with politely declining.
Have The Right Systems In Place
“Every minute you spend in planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1,000 percent Return on Energy!” – Brian Tracy.
Sure, sometimes things fall through the cracks. It’s life. But there are plenty of things you can do to prevent that from happening. Planning out your day or week the night before and setting regular calendar reminders can help keep you on your game.
Prioritize First, Act Second
Just because something seems urgent at the moment doesn’t mean it is.
We’re all human, and sometimes due dates and deadlines can slip our minds.
Writing down which tasks have strict deadlines can help make planning your day much easier. A good rule of thumb is to tackle all-time sensitive tasks before moving onto the more flexible ones.
“Focus on being productive instead of busy.” – Tim Ferriss