Getting the Most Out of Your Day
Building a Proactive Lifestyle
We’ve all had those days where time slips right between our fingers. Either we’re too busy to notice or too caught up to keep track, but making simple changes can help you take control of your hectic schedule. Explore our top tips for getting the most from your day, staying organized, and crossing off more from your to-do list.
Do Two-Minute Tasks First
We’ve heard this rule before; do the easy things first! But, have you heard the Two-Minute Rule? If something takes you less than two minutes to complete, do it now. Examples would include sending an email, making the bed, putting that dish away, or writing out your to-do list. The Two-Minute Rule aims to cut procrastination by accomplishing little tasks throughout the day rather than having them all pileup. Think of it this way; it’s easier to motivate yourself to do small jobs than try and complete everything at once. The Two-Minute Rule can help you build new habits that not only make you more productive but give you more time to focus on the creative tasks at hand.
Create a Daily To-Do List
Much like looking with a recipe, a daily to-do list provides a roadmap to your day. Not only will it help you remember and accomplish your most pressing tasks, but it offers an objective view of everything you’re doing. We suggest listing the highest priority tasks first, followed by jobs that can be carried out between a few days. To-do lists are easy to create and allow your mind the chance to organize everything on paper. The best time to create your daily to-do list is before you begin, it’s a great exercise to get you started for your day. Pro-tip: if you don’t check it off your to-do list today, make a mental note that this task now needs to be moved up in priority so it will get accomplished.
Map Out Long-Term Projects
While sending emails and follow up phone calls are a necessary part of almost every job, it’s the long-term projects that have the most impact on our careers. While it can seem daunting to begin a big project, breaking the project down into more manageable parts makes it easier to accomplish. Consider taking the project week by week. What did you finish this week? What still needs to get done? What portions of the project are taking you longer than expected? Also, create benchmark dates to ensure you’re staying on track with deadlines. After you finish a portion of the project, check in with the initial plan to make sure it’s in-line with your original goals.
Time Yourself
This tactic works better than expected! Before starting a new task, begin timing yourself and go about the job as usual. You might be shocked to see how much time you’re actually spending on something that was only supposed to take a few minutes. This is just one of the many ways the day tends to slip between our fingers. Once you understand how much time you’re truly spending on a task or project, you’ll be able to gauge your allocated time better. This timing tactic works both ways. Instead of giving yourself all day to work on something, try to accomplish it in only a few hours. This way, you’ll avoid procrastination and distraction in one swoop while still getting the task done!
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