Relax! You Can Get More Done in Less Time

Are you using your time wisely? When it comes to your to-do list, you may not be thinking too much about your time management skills, but my guess is you DO think about checking to-do items off as quickly as possible. Especially now, when many of us are working and learning remotely, staying on top of your daily tasks can be a challenge.

But here’s the thing – you can learn to DO MORE in LESS TIME.

Alexis Haselburger has built a career out of this very idea. A time management and productivity coach, Alexis helps people and teams use their time more intentionally in service of their own goals and values. This means she can teach you how to use your time in a way that makes sense to you.

Here’s why: Alexis a self-described driven lazy person. That’s right! She believes in eeking out the MAXIMUM ROI when it comes to her time. She has found the key to DOING MORE in LESS TIME.

To start, she has TWO secrets that will move you in the right direction.

GOOD ENOUGH IS ACTUALLY ENOUGH

Here’s a secret: nobody notices the difference between GOOD ENOUGH and PERFECT. Only you notice that. That means that most of the time, GOOD ENOUGH IS ACTUALLY ENOUGH.

Chances are, you base your performance expectations on past experience. If you’ve been successful with PERFECTION then it’s hard to let go. So try an experiment: turn in your next project before you’re fully comfortable with it. See what happens!

Focus on doing the BEST JOB you can with the LEAST amount of time and effort. This will train you to spend your time WISELY and not waste it on the details.

LET GO OF WHAT WAS

A layoff earlier in her career was the catalyst that led to Alexis’ current role. If it hadn’t been for a NEGATIVE moment, she never would have found such a POSITIVE profession. Choosing to DO MORE WITH LESS means you’re going to have to LET GO of old patterns and habits. This will make room for new ones.

Ready for some new practices to help you manage your time? Here are FOUR to try now:

1. MAKE AN END OF DAY PLAN

At the end of the day, make note of everything you need to do the next day. Then walk away and enjoy the evening. This officially ends your day and sets you up to hit the ground running the next morning.

2. DON’T RELY ON MEMORY

Don’t rely on your memory to remember your to-do list. Our brains work linearly, which means that contrary to popular belief, we actually don’t multi-task well. We have to do things one at a time. So write everything down in ONE PLACE. When you’re forced to do this, then you’re forced to work linearly, and you’ll in turn work more efficiently.

3. START YOUR DAY BEFORE YOU CHECK EMAIL

Or #slack or any other communication platform. Do your MOST IMPORTANT thing first. This may be meditation, exercise, or just a moment alone with a hot cup of coffee. Otherwise, if you just roll over and jump right into it, your brain gets stuck in REACTIVE mode. You’ll wind up REACTIVE instead of PROACTIVE all day and struggle to knock anything off your to-do list.

Worried about what your boss or other contacts will think? Alexis says it DOES NOT make a difference if you respond to someone at 8am or 9am. BUT the amount you’ll get done for yourself in that time is HUGE – and will boost your productivity. That’s something your circle – both personally and professional – WILL notice.

4. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR ENERGY LEVEL

Do you often suffer from a mid-morning or mid-afternoon slump? If so, plan to do something that requires less brain power during the times when it’s harder for you to focus. For example, file or clean out your inbox. Also, get back up to speed by doing something to boost your energy – take a cat nap, drink another cup of coffee, or take a brisk walk.

Try these tips today and see how much TIME you start to save. And if one doesn’t work for you it’s okay! Here’s a PRODUCTIVITY TIP – TIME MANAGEMENT IS PERSONAL. The patterns and plan that works best for you will depend on your personality, your position, and your responsibilities. No two to-do lists are alike.

Give these a try and adjust as needed. Either way, you’ll learn to DO MORE in LESS TIME

Learn more about Alexis at AlexisHaselburger.com and choose her FREE downloads, Working Parents Survival Guide and Distraction Action Plan. You can also follow her on FB at DoMoreStressLess or Insta @do.more.stress.less