How to work less and make more
Forming Motivation / / December 19, 2019
It would seem impossible, right? All of us are constantly convinced that in order to do more, need more work. How to work lessAnd do more? Ten-hour day will bring you more fruit rather than colleagues who work seven hours. However, this is not always the case. In order to achieve the results you need quality, not quantity, in that it is possible to work less and get a better result in the end.
It is not easy, and it requires a qualitative rather than quantitative approach. We need to think creatively to find better ways to work, but first you need to be open to the fact that your working methods are not effective. Only after you acknowledge it, you can begin to look for ways to increase its effectiveness. Here are a few recommendations to start the search.
The 80/20 rule (Pareto principle)
20% of efforts gives 80% of the results, while the remaining 80% of the effort - only 20% of the results. Try to minimize the 80% of non-productive time and effort. Here are some tips:
- Cut the time to look at e-mail, released minutes invest in more important projects.
- Learn how to talk to people consuming wasting your time, "no." During operation, try to communicate only with people, from which depends the result of work, reduce the number of empty talk to a minimum.
- Spend most of your time just to work. Install the essence, and work on it, do not get distracted by details.
Parkinson's Law
Parkinson's Law states that "work will fill up all the time available for its completion." This means that no matter how much isolated myself time for a task, she will eat it all without the rest, whether it be a week or two days, and the result is the same. You could say differently: if you do not put yourself deadlines, the job will run forever. In this, always put yourself strict deadlines, cultivate a desire to complete the project by the deadline. Here are a few applications of Parkinson's Law:
- Set the timer for 90 minutes to finish a small project. When the timer will be felt, continue to work on the project, knowing that time is passing. The faster the finish - the better.
- Do not work on the project as a whole. Divide it into several small tasks, determine the time for each of them, and work on individual tasks rather than on a project at all.
energy management
Rational use of energy, in contrast to the time, makes you think about the results. Working more intensively for a short period of time, you can do better, rather than working all day, tired and distracted. Here are some ideas:
Priority works
Dedicate yourself to zones of intensive attention and complete rest. Alternate them.
Murder projects
This is an extreme method saves energy focused and great time saver. Its essence is not to stretch the tasks that need to implement a few hours, a few days with interruptions. Sit down and finish it in one sitting. Kill her.
Recreation, Health, and Entertainment
Do not forget that you are not a slave, in this, let yourself rest, but only when you really need it. Learn to separate the honest laziness from tiredness.
Only use sharp tools
It's like that old parable about two woodcutters. Both of them in the competition loggers issued instruments. First grabbed his ax and ran hack, thinking that the main thing - it's time. A second calmly sat down, and began to sharpen his ax. When the time is coming to an end, the first one was sure to win, because he kept chopping. However, the second at the end stood, and his sharp ax coped much better for the remaining time. Morality? Do not use rusty tools. Use effective methods, programs, a fast computer in the end they will save you time and effort, and free up time spend on something else.
rule numbers
Assumptions are a major waste of time. Do not make assumptions about how much you have done, how much is left to do - always looking at the actual numbers. Break the job into components and notes made as execution. In this case, you will always know exactly how much you have done. Changing the slider to the job - the best stimulant to do more. Before long-term project to do the test, trial versions. By measuring the time taken for the test, you will be able to extrapolate the results, calculate the time that is actually required for the execution of the project.
Rule of quality time
How to evaluate which project how long it takes? Which project to pay more attention? Try it for yourself to do the following: try to work with e-mail 30, 60 and 90 minutes a day. Compare the results. If you see that in 30 minutes will be ready 50% of jobs in 60 minutes of work you will do 90% of the tasks, and for 90 minutes - 95%, choose for themselves the best value for time / quality, and stick it in further. For me it is obvious that more than 60 minutes to spend longer profitable.
Maybe you have your own ideas - share!