Working long and hard is not always the best way to reach your goals. Spending lots of valuable time without fresh, clear, prioritized focus doesn’t necessarily accomplish much. Here are 6 tips to help you prioritize your work and reach your goals.
1. List your tasks. Setting things out before you helps you understand what needs to be accomplished and then you can act accordingly.
2. Take care of the the most challenging jobs first. Getting the tough tasks out of the way first will provide you with an empowering sense of accomplishment.
3. Turn off the technology around you. That includes the phone, texts, TV, radio, smartphone, etc. The very stuff that is supposed to save you time and make life easier for you has been shown to interrupt and impair you.
4. Distinguish between “urgent” and “important.” Someone else’s “urgent or emergency” may not be yours. Take a moment to also decide whether the issue is also “important” to you before you automatically interrupt yourself to take care of it.
5. Schedule breaks. Take 8-10 minutes every hour to stand up, stretch, get something to eat, and the like. You will likely work harder when you know that a break is coming.
6. Collect the repetitive chores that take time away from you daily and block out a few hours to take care of them, but just schedule and do them once or twice a month.
By observing these tips and then planning ahead, you can better manage the mundane and move ahead to more creativity.
