10 Things That Will Help You Get More Done In Less Time Every Day

Time flies when you’re having fun, and the same goes when there’s an endless list of things to do; there’s not enough time.

Despite the long list of things you should be doing, you may struggle with finding the motivation to get started–there’s just so. much. to. do.

Is there an end in sight?

Life can be hectic, which convinces you there’s no way out of being overwhelmed…

With no pause button in the real world, more time isn’t coming to knock on your doorstep ⏰

BUT

There is a way to use the time you already have and turn it into success– it involves learning how to get more done in less time (without the stress).

If you’re hoping that by getting more done, you’ll finally reach a point where there’s nothing left to do…I have bad news–

Humans are naturally curious and hardwired to try and accomplish things. So your brain will always think of problems to solve or try finding something to do, even if you finally score the opportunity to have zero obligations.

You may be thinking about your current situation, adamant you’d make a point of doing nothing, assuming you had the chance for some time off. 

Take a look at married couples, for example; they finally score a babysitter and make their way out for a kid-free date night… yet, they end up using that time to discuss plans for the future or problems in their day-to-day lives.

The same happens when you’re sitting in a waiting room for an extended period; you end up scrolling on Pinterest for new recipes or upgrading your wardrobe by looking at the new arrivals in your favorite online boutique.

Tasks aren’t the problem. The problem is going with the flow, jumping in and out of everything tossed in your direction which ends up leaving you with no direction.

You end up like the bug in the middle of the cobweb, stuck and getting nowhere.

Now that we’ve established that you’re always going to solve problems and complete tasks (whether you like it or not), it’s time to face why you’re reading this in the first place…

You’re sick of feeling depleted and overwhelmed.

So, the question becomes: how do you wake up and stop dreading all the things you need to do?

Yes, It’s possible! I’ve found a solution that keeps my days un-clogged and running smoothly while accomplishing more.

Unfortunately, you’ll never be more productive and start seeing improvements if you always have 101 tasks on the go. You’re not meant to juggle a hundred things at once. 🤷‍♀️

I know you think you don’t have a choice, but there is a way–and I’m going to help you learn how.

No more feeling like a prisoner to the constant demands of life or sense dread every time you roll out of bed–

It’s time to learn how to simplify your life and finally get this “adulting” thing under control to accomplish more.

#1. Give Your Brain Some Relief

If you’re thinking about “everything” at once, you switch into reactionary mode; meaning,

You run around putting out fires yet feel like you have nothing to show. If this sounds like you, living this way does nothing but burn you out and waste your time.

So, how do you give your brain some relief?

1. Put your ideas and to-dos on paper
2. Look at all the things that need doing, and analyze them
3. Decide how you’re going approach them and what needs prioritizing

It’s called a “brain dump,” which I talk about in the stream-of-consciousness section of my article: how to start journaling.

I’m not saying you need to start journaling to use the brain dump method. It can be as simple as making a quick, scrappy list or taking a few minutes to take notes on a piece of paper.

This is the secret sauce that many successful people use. 

Forcing yourself to constantly power through and take things as they come is like driving in a new city without a map–you’ll get lost in the process and waste a lot of time.

Directions help make things faster and easier! Once you start writing things down…

• You’ll be less distracted since you’re not worrying about all the other tasks that float in the back of your mind
• Your abilities will improve since you’re focusing on one task at a time
• You won’t have to panic over what to tackle first since you’ve already established your priorities 
• You’ll feel inspired once you know the direction you need to take and when you’ll accomplish it

If you find yourself thinking, “multitasking works fine for me; I’ll keep doing it,”… follow the research:

Your brain isn’t designed to perform two or more tasks simultaneously. You think it can, but it can’t. 🧠 

Kevin P. Madore, Ph.D. & Anthony D. Wagner, Ph.D. – Multi costs of Multitasking

Just imagine how successful you’d be if you followed a system that lets you reach your full potential.

#2. Always Apply The Pareto Principle

Wondering what that is?

The Pareto principle is also known as the 80/20 rule, something I apply to everything.

80% of outcomes are made up of 20% of the output–this means that most of the time, 80% of what you do is achieved by only 20% of the effort you put into it

If you apply this rule and take a good hard look at your to-do list, that means only 20% of the things you’re doing are getting you somewhere.

So, how do you identify the 20% of things that truly matter? 

Instead of only writing down tasks, write everything involved in completing them, including how much time it’ll take and the tools and steps required.

Adding in this extra step is the equivalent of baking cookies–if you take the time to measure and follow the steps, you’ll have amazing results.

If you “wing it” with the same ingredients, they’ll end up unfinished, burnt, unpleasant, and feel like a wasted effort; sound familiar?

(I mention the 80/20 rule in my blog about “why you’re likely doing simplicity wrong in your home”)

The 80/20 rule also applies to:

• Your belongings
• Kids’ toys
• Deciding what items are worth keeping
• And just about everything.

The reason I use it for everything is that it actually works. You can achieve small and large goals this way, 

Now that you’ve identified the 20%, what happens to the other 80%? Ask yourself:

Is this truly necessary?

Does it need to be done by me, or can it be done by someone else?

Can I do this later?

This will help you establish what tasks are NOT essential so that you can skip or hand them off to someone else. Then, remove them from your list– and your mind. 

Sometimes, your brain will get carried away with planning things as soon as you’ve had a mental break. It’s because your brain subconsciously wants something to do, so it’ll try to fill it– often with things that aren’t worth your time.

Remember:

Re-evaluate your plan regularly and decide what’s working and what isn’t. Learning how to identify the 20% will get more done in less time.  

Trust me, you think you HAVE to do everything you’re currently doing, but you don’t!

So, prioritize and get to it 🎉

#3. Focus Less On Your Feelings

To be clear, being in tune with your emotions is crucial in making good decisions and creating a supportive space.

I’m referring strictly to the feelings that surround prioritizing a task.

When it comes to getting more done, our feelings are typically not on our side. 

We waste a lot of time and energy trying to find the motivation to do things or spend a lot of time mentally preparing ourselves-it’s a form of procrastination and dread.

How much time have you spent on the couch, scrolling through your phone because you’re trying to avoid what you should be doing?

Getting things done is a lot like plugging your nose and taking a shot of bad cough syrup- get it over and done with.

If you give your brain no choice but to do ‘the thing,’ it will make you want to get things done instead of thinking, “I don’t feel like it.”

You’re officially on your way toward getting more done! ⭐

It may not feel like much, but if you can get through the first three steps, you’ll be on your way from dreading to doing it.

#4. Batch

There’s no such thing as a perfect person or life–including the person you constantly compare yourself to… wishing you had what they have.

It’s normal to have days where you don’t accomplish as much, but it doesn’t have to get in the way of your success–

It involves a technique called batching. 

Batching involves spending a large chunk of time on one task. Example: Devoting an entire day to decluttering a room from start to finish instead of doing bits and pieces when you decide you’re up to it.

How do you benefit from batching?

• You gain a lot more time. For example, if you spend an average of 10 minutes procrastinating before starting something, you’re going to waste 50 minutes on procrastination if you start and stop five times!
• You’ll get more done, faster and more efficiently
• No more multitasking, which will reduce stress and stop you from getting overwhelmed
• You’ll gain confidence because you’ll feel incredibly accomplished!

I’m sure you hate the thought of using an entire day on something you’d sooner avoid and resort to tackling in stages, so you’re only working on it for a short period.

There’s a word for that; it’s called procrastination. 😬

Juggling 100 tasks waste your energy and stress because you’re dealing with a long list of negative emotions that stop you from getting things done.

You can’t finish a race if you never cross the finish line, even if you run as fast as you can. You’re better off slowing down with a steady pace than having to forfeit because you overworked yourself. 

I know it’s not easy to face something that causes you stress… but you’re going to stress about it regardless of doing it for a short time or a long time–so rip the bandaid and get it over with!

#5. Structure Your Tasks

One of the worst things you can do is start your day on a sour note. 

Research shows that how you spend the first 10 minutes of your day will set the tone for the entire day.

So, if you wake up in a panic because there’s too much to remember and you’re terrified of forgetting something, it’s time to whip out a calendar and create a visual of your to-do’s 🗓️ 

And set reminders for the things you can’t afford to forget ⌛

Having something in front of you will skip the chaos and make a successful plan. In addition, you’ll have peace of mind knowing there’s actually enough time to get things done! 

Finally– you can roll out of bed, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and have comfort knowing things will work out. 

(you can actually start feeling excited about the day that lies ahead of you)

#6. Give Tight Deadlines

Have you ever thought to yourself, “I wish…” then convinced yourself you can’t do it, or it isn’t possible; all before you even tried?

Assuming you:

1. Chose a goal
2. Researched it
3. Wrote the requirements down
4. Divided them into your schedule wherever you have time to spare

You’d be able to accomplish your tasks–and your goals. The problem is that we naturally tend to avoid situations we don’t like.

Imagine it’s Monday; there’s only one thing on your calendar for the ENTIRE week, and it’s due Sunday…

It’ll only take a few hours to complete, so there’s a good chance you won’t start on Monday–or Tuesday.

Giving yourself too much time to get something done will make you way less efficient, either burning time until the very last minute or spending more time on it than needed.

You can better use the time you spend scrolling on your phone or binging that show you’ve seen 100x to accomplish the things that matter to you.

You can still enjoy mindless activities every once in a while, but most people do these things as a way to procrastinate or “kill time,”–which is an obvious colossal waste of time.

Give yourself smaller deadlines– it’ll push you to be efficient and use your time wisely, which will create more time to complete the rest.

#7. Automate

Automating involves creating a complex, organized system for tasks that need to be completed on an ongoing basis.

If you’re hired for a job but given no training, you’ll spend most of your time frantically trying to figure things out. Whatever does manage to get done will probably involve a lot of mistakes and require you to spend extra time correcting them.

To be efficient, you must break down how it’s done and use this process every time.

Over time, using a consistent approach will make things easier to accomplish. Eventually, you’ll become an expert, and it won’t consume your thoughts (or your time!)

Just because a plane and a bicycle can travel from one place to another doesn’t make them equal, but one of them is clearly much more efficient at helping you reach your destination. 

With 100s of different ways to approach a task, It’s important to choose ONE that works best for you and keep it consistent. Doing this will help you:

1. Eliminate the panic-stress
2. Prevent tasks from falling behind
3. Avoid mistakes, so it’s done right the first time
4. Get things done a lot faster

Systems are like engines–they’re essential if you want things to run smoothly. 🚗

(Click here to read about the 15 systems I use)

#8. Delegate

“If you want something done a certain way, the best way is it yourself.”

That may be true, but if you’re doing too much, it’s not getting done anyways.

If you feel like:

“Nobody can do it like me.” or “nobody can do it as good as me.”

You’re making yourself a prisoner by feeling overwhelmed and never having enough time. Other people are capable of learning how to do things (we were all beginners once upon a time). 

Teach someone else how to perform the teachable tasks. It may take longer in the short term, but eventually, they will learn to be self-sufficient, saving them time in the long run.

Success will require you to let go of some control but trust the process. For example, there’s a reason that prominent corporate billionaires have substantially more employees than small-town gift shops.

Whether it be another family member or hiring an assistant at work, delegating will allow you to make room to accomplish other goals.

#9. Audit And Optimize

This step is essential in assuring you don’t eat away your time.

Take a look at where you’re spending your time and energy–does everything help you get ahead?

It’s easy to waste a lot of valuable time on things that aren’t necessary without ever realizing it.

You don’t have to eliminate the things you love in life just because they aren’t deemed as  “necessary” (it’s still important for us to be happy, right?)

There is no right or wrong answer regarding what’s “worth your time”– it’s about whether or not it brings you joy or will benefit you.

Make a list that includes the following:

• Items you own
• Your space
• Your time
• Your relationships
• Your goals

Once you’ve collected all of your data, be on the lookout for anything that has a negative impact on you and find a way to fix it, or get rid of it.

#10. Prune

So, you’ve applied the 80/20 rule and identified what you could eliminate from your day-to-day– it’s time to prune them out!

A garden will always end up with dead flowers cluttering around the ones trying to bloom– they get in the way and stunt a flower from reaching its full potential.

Pruning out the dead ones allows the plant to thrive.

Change can be uncomfortable; it’s easy to find comfort in predictability, even when those things hold you back.

Stop taking on the weight of everyone else around you and doing things because you feel guilty for saying no. You have every right to choose what you spend your time on, seeing as it’ll impact your happiness and success.

It would be best if you still made time to do things for others, but it needs to come from a place of joy and desire, not an obligation.

Now that you’ve filtered out the weeds, you’ve completed the secret sauce. Here’s what you can start to expect:

• Success
• Happiness
• Less stress
• More confidence
• More productivity

Time for dreams to become a reality!

In Summary

If you want to get more done in less time, stop blaming everything on the universe and calling it “bad luck.” If you’re ready to make your time and energy rule in your favor;

1. Decide it’s time to be successful and happy

2. Establish your goals in life and study them in great detail

3. Envision the joy and success these goals will bring to your life to keep you motivated

4. Prepare yourself for the things that aren’t enjoyable but necessary–and get them done

5. Decide when you expect things to be completed and schedule them on your calendar 

6. Turn it into a routine system that holds you accountable and helps you develop good habits

7. Review your progress/audit your time by eliminating anything deemed unnecessary and incorporating things that will improve your current system

8. Welcome to your future of success!