It is all well and good saying that in such times, you have to suck it up and do the hard yards. And sometimes that is the case. However, the fact is, overworking yourself is a situation best avoided. Not just so that you can retain a social life and so on, but because rest is incredibly important to effectiveness and focus.
So with the above in mind, I have listed below the time saving/creating techniques that have been effective for me, or that I am considering.
- Use your lunch break (as I am doing right now).
- Avoid time wasted in rush hour traffic – get to work early and/or leave late.
- Negotiate remote work days with your boss (even if it’s just a day a week).
- Work a six day week and dedicate Saturdays to your business.
- Use your holiday allowance.
- Use designated sick days.
- Prioritize!
- Confirm what you are and are not allowed to do on the job – if you get your work done, can you be free to work on your own things?
- If things are going well, consider going part time.
- Read Getting Things Done. Be more efficient.
- Turn off all notifications!
- Stop checking email and social media sites every 10 minutes. Set yourself a two or three 5-10 minute set periods throughout the day and stick to them religiously.
- Use Rescue Time. Be shocked. Then be more efficient.
- Evaluate the worth of any given task that you are carrying out relative to your Target and Endgame.
- Eradicate anything that isn’t taking you forward. Be ruthless.
- Allocate 1-2 hours after work to your online business. Once that time is up, disconnect yourself and relax.
- Cut out an hour or two of TV on weeknights, get up earlier and start on your work.
How about you? Do you use these tips yourself? Or will you? Do you have any additional tips that you can share with us? Let us know in the comments section!
Photo courtesy of John Morgan