Time flies when you're having fun. It moves just as fast when you have an endless list of things to do and never enough time for any of it.

Despite the long list of things you should be doing, you might struggle to even get started. There's just so. much. to. do.

Is there an end in sight?

Life gets hectic enough to convince you there's no way out of feeling overwhelmed.

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

BUT

There is a way to use the time you already have and turn it into real progress. It comes down to learning how to get more done in less time, without the stress.

If you're hoping that getting more done will eventually leave you with nothing left to do, I have bad news.

Humans are naturally curious and hardwired to try and accomplish things. Your brain will always find a problem to solve, even if you scored zero obligations tomorrow.

You might be picturing your current situation and telling yourself you'd finally do nothing, given the chance.

Take a look at married couples. They finally score a babysitter and head out for a kid-free date night.

Then they spend it discussing plans for the future or problems from their day-to-day lives.

The same thing happens when you're stuck in a waiting room. You end up scrolling Pinterest for new recipes or browsing the new arrivals at your favorite online boutique.

The problem is going with the flow, jumping in and out of whatever gets tossed your way, which leaves you with no real direction.

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

Now that we've established you're always going to be solving problems and completing tasks, whether you like it or not, let's get to why you're actually here.

You're sick of feeling depleted and overwhelmed.

So here's the real question. How do you wake up and stop dreading everything on your list?

Yes, it's possible! I've found a way to keep my days un-clogged and running smoothly while actually accomplishing more.

Unfortunately, you'll never feel more productive if you always have 101 tasks going at once. You're not meant to juggle a hundred things at the same time. 🤷‍♀️

I know it feels like you don't have a choice, but there is a way, and I'm going to show you how.

No more feeling like a prisoner to the constant demands of life or dreading every morning you roll out of bed.

It's time to get this "adulting" thing under control and simplify how you spend your time.

#1. Give Your Brain Some Relief

If you're thinking about "everything" at once, you switch into reactionary mode.

You run around putting out fires but feel like you have nothing to show for it. 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 everything that needs doing and analyze it
3. Decide how you're going to approach it and what needs prioritizing

It's called a brain dump, and I've written about it before as one of my favorite journaling methods.

You don't need to start journaling to use it. It can be as simple as a quick, scrappy list or a few minutes of notes on paper.

This is the secret sauce a lot of 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 make things faster and easier. Once you start writing things down, here's what changes.

• You'll be less distracted since you're not worrying about every other task floating around your mind
• Your focus improves since you're working on one task at a time
• You stop panicking over what to tackle first since your priorities are already set
• You feel inspired once you know the direction you're taking and when you'll get there

If you're 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 at the same time. You think it can, but it can't. 🧠

Kevin P. Madore, Ph.D. and Anthony D. Wagner, Ph.D., break down the real costs of multitasking in their research.

Just imagine how much you'd accomplish if you actually followed a system built around your full potential.

#2. Always Apply The Pareto Principle

Wondering what that is?

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

It states that roughly 80% of your results come from 20% of your effort.

If you take a hard look at your to-do list with that in mind, only 20% of what's on it is actually getting you somewhere.

So, how do you identify that powerful 20%?

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

Adding this extra step is the equivalent of baking cookies. If you take the time to measure and follow the steps, you'll get amazing results.

If you "wing it" with the same ingredients, they end up unfinished, burnt, or unpleasant. Sound familiar?

The 80/20 rule also applies to your belongings, your kids' toys, deciding what to keep, and just about everything else.

I use it for everything because it actually works. You can hit small and big goals this way.

Once you've identified your 20%, what happens to the other 80%?

I actually picked up this exact filter from Kate Northrop. Ask yourself:

• Does this need to be done at all?
• Does it need to be done by me?
• Can it wait until later?

This helps you figure out what's not essential, so you can skip it or hand it off to someone else. Then remove it from your list, and your mind.

Sometimes your brain gets carried away with planning the second you've had a mental break. It subconsciously wants something to do, so it fills the space, often with things that don't actually move you forward.

Remember to re-evaluate your plan regularly and decide what's working and what isn't. Learning to identify that 20% is what gets you 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 for making good decisions and creating a supportive space.

I'm talking specifically about the feelings that surround prioritizing a task.

When it comes to getting things done, our feelings are usually not on our side.

We waste a lot of time and energy hunting for motivation or mentally preparing ourselves. It's really just a form of procrastination and dread.

How much time have you spent scrolling on the couch because you're avoiding 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 pushes you toward getting it done instead of thinking, "I don't feel like it."

You're officially on your way to getting more done! ⭐

It may not feel like much, but once you get through these first three steps, you'll go from dreading it to doing it.

#4. Batch

There's no such thing as a perfect person or a perfect life, including the person you constantly compare yourself to.

It's normal to have days where you don't accomplish as much, but that doesn't have to get in the way of your success.

That's where a technique called batching comes in.

Batching means spending a large chunk of time on one task. For example, devoting an entire day to decluttering a room from start to finish instead of chipping away at it whenever you feel like it.

How do you benefit from batching?

• You gain a lot more time. If you spend an average of 10 minutes procrastinating before starting something, you'll waste 50 minutes if you start and stop five times
• You get more done, faster and more efficiently
• No more multitasking, which reduces stress and keeps you from feeling overwhelmed
• You gain confidence because you feel accomplished

I know you'd rather avoid using an entire day on something and tackle it in stages instead, working on it for just a short period at a time.

There's a word for that. It's called procrastination. 😬

Juggling 100 tasks wastes your energy because you're carrying a long list of negative emotions that keep you from getting things done.

You can't finish a race if you never cross the finish line, no matter how fast you run. You're better off slowing down to a steady pace than forfeiting because you overworked yourself.

I know it's not easy to face something that stresses you out. But you're going to stress about it either way, so rip off 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.

How you spend the first 10 minutes of your day sets the tone for the rest of it.

So if you wake up in a panic because there's too much to remember, it's time to pull out a calendar and build a visual of your to-dos 🗓️

Set reminders for the things you can't afford to forget ⌛

Having a plan in front of you skips the chaos. You'll also 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 trust that things will work out.

(You might even start feeling excited about the day ahead of you.)

#6. Give Tight Deadlines

Have you ever thought, "I wish...", then convinced yourself you couldn't do it before you even tried?

Say you chose a goal, researched it, wrote down the requirements, and slotted it into your schedule wherever you had time to spare.

You'd actually be able to accomplish it. The problem is we naturally 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 finish, so there's a good chance you won't start on Monday, or Tuesday.

Giving yourself too much time makes you way less efficient. You'll either burn time until the last minute or spend more time on it than it needs.

You could use the time you spend scrolling your phone or rewatching a show you've already seen a hundred times to get things done instead.

Mindless activities are fine every once in a while. But most people use them to procrastinate or "kill time," which is a colossal waste of it.

Give yourself smaller deadlines. It pushes you to be efficient and use your time wisely, which frees up more time for everything else.

#7. Automate

Automating means building an organized system for tasks that need to happen on an ongoing basis.

If you're hired for a job with no training, you'll spend most of your time frantically figuring things out. Whatever gets done will probably involve mistakes that cost you extra time to fix.

To be efficient, you have to break down how something is done and repeat that same process every time.

Over time, a consistent approach makes things easier. Eventually you become an expert, and it stops consuming your thoughts, or your time.

A plane and a bicycle can both get you from one place to another, but that doesn't make them equal. One is clearly a lot more efficient at getting you there.

With a hundred different ways to approach a task, it's important to pick ONE that works for you and stick with it. Doing this helps you:

1. Eliminate the panic-stress
2. Keep 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. 🚗

I rely on 15 systems that keep my own home running smoothly.

#8. Delegate

"If you want something done a certain way, the best way is to do it yourself."

That may be true, but if you're doing too much, nothing is actually getting done.

If you catch yourself thinking "nobody can do it like me" or "nobody can do it as well as me," that's a warning sign.

You're making yourself a prisoner to feeling overwhelmed, with never enough time to spare.

Other people are capable of learning how to do things. We were all beginners once.

Teach someone else how to do the teachable tasks. It may take longer at first, but eventually they'll become self-sufficient, saving you time in the long run.

Success requires letting go of some control and trusting the process. There's a reason large companies run with far more employees than a small-town gift shop.

Whether it's a family member or an assistant at work, delegating frees up room for you to accomplish other goals.

#9. Audit And Optimize

This step is essential if you don't want to keep losing time without noticing it.

Take a look at where you're spending your time and energy. Does all of it actually 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 just because they aren't "necessary." Being happy still matters.

There's no single right answer for how you spend your time. It comes down to whether something brings you joy or actually benefits you.

Make a list that includes:

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

Once you've gathered your data, look for anything having 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 it out.

A garden always ends up with dead flowers cluttering around the ones trying to bloom. They get in the way and stunt the healthy ones from reaching their full potential.

Pruning out the dead ones is what lets the plant thrive.

Change can be uncomfortable. It's easy to find comfort in predictability, even when it's holding you back.

Stop taking on the weight of everyone around you or doing things out of guilt for saying no. You get to choose what you spend your time on, because it directly impacts your happiness and success.

You should still make time for others, but let it come from a place of joy and desire instead of obligation.

Now that you've filtered out the weeds, here's what you can start to expect:

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

Time for those dreams to become a reality.

Put This Into Action

If you want to get more done in less time, stop chalking it up to "bad luck" and start putting your time and energy to work for you.

1. Decide it's time to be successful and happy
2. Establish your goals and study them in detail
3. Picture the joy these goals will bring so you stay motivated
4. Prepare for the parts that aren't fun but are necessary, and get them done
5. Decide when things need to be finished and schedule them on your calendar
6. Turn it into a routine that holds you accountable and builds good habits
7. Review your progress regularly, cutting what isn't working and adding what is

Getting more done in less time is really just one piece of a bigger goal, learning how to simplify your life for more time, energy, and mental capacity, in your schedule and everywhere else.

Welcome to your future of success! 🎉