Did you know you can get more done in less time? A little over a week ago, I cut my workday in half. I went from working 8 a.m – 8 p.m. with not enough to show for it, to a very reasonable 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., with weekends off. The result: I’m accomplishing twice as much in half the time … and I’m lovin’ it!
Clock by Chris Halderman on flickr
If you set your own hours and especially if you work from home, it’s crucial to set boundaries. When my husband and I tell others that we both work from home, we’re usually met with an incredulous “I don’t have that kind of discipline … how do you do it?” type of response. The truth is that it begins and ends with boundaries.
I can easily stay busy 12-hours each day on the computer – and just as easily accomplish little. There’s always one more email that needs a response, one more blog post begging to be read, one more idea to be learned to help propel one’s business to the “next level.” But at the end of the day, if billable work or priority tasks haven’t been accomplished, all that busyness of a 12-hour workday is a waste of time … time we could and should be spending more productively.
- Shorten your workday.
- Set time limits for your tasks.
- Focus in 55-minute segments with a five-minute break.
- Get more done in your morning, evening and weekend – not work related.
- Setting reasonable boundaries helps you free your mind to get more work done during working hours.
The timer is your friend.
I have a small kitchen timer on my desk and a time tracking tool installed on my computer. I set the kitchen timer for 55-minutes, and punch into Toggl (my time tracker) with a quick description and project name, then focus on the task at hand. This gives me six focused time periods throughout the day. And guess what, folks: you can do ANYTHING for 55-minutes. No distractions allowed! At the end of the day, I log billable project time, make a list of what’s needed tomorrow, then walk away.
Side benefits:
I’ve reclaimed my mornings, evenings and weekends … those hours between work days that we call “life.” We’re eating better because meals have become more than a happy accident. I’ve found time to exercise and keep the house ready for company. Best of all is a sense of peace because I’m living a more balanced, healthy life.
If you’re working too many hours and not getting enough done, check your boundaries. Could you get more done in less time if less time was all you allowed yourself?
What have you tried that helps you to be more productive?
