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Be Realistic With Your Time A sense of overwhelm can come from giving yourself far to much to do within a given period of time. Map out your week starting with the the things you have to do. Block the time out for the tasks that are high priority or must do s. You can then get a clearer and realistic idea of where you have the time to complete other tasks. (See attached weekly planner) Plan Your Day The Night Before Plan your goals for the week and then break them down on a to do or task list. Review your list every evening, this means you wake up knowing how your day wil begin and what you need to do. It saves time, mental energy and stops you dithering. Break Projects Down Into Tasks Are the things on your to do list projects or tasks? The mistake a lot of people make is to list a project as a to do when in fact it is much more practical to break it down into a series of smaller, actionable mini tasks. Prioritise By Numbering Your First 3 To Do s To do lists, most definitely focus the mind but many of us just have too much on the list. Number the 3 most important to do s on your list; when you have completed those, decide on the next 3 to tackle. Do? Ditch? Or Delegate? Let s face it.. we all have stuff on our to do lists we hate to doing or maybe it really doesn t need doing by you, or perhaps it doesn t need doing at all? Always ask yourself the question should I do it, can I ditch it or can I delegate it #
When Are You At Your Best? Identify the times of day when you are mentally most alert, when you are most communicative and when you are most creative. Wherever possible plan to spend time doing the kind of task that comes easily at that time. Knowing when you are at your best is key to performing at your best and getting stuff done. What s Your Why? Focus On The Bigger Picture If there is a task you must do, that really doesn t appeal to you and keeps getting put off, ask yourself, Why do I need to do this task? or What will it do for me when I ve completed this? Focus on the bigger picture, rather than the actual task and you may find that it s easier to get it done. Set Deadlines Set deadlines to get things finished, even small things. This helps focus your mind and helps you prioritise. If you have a tendency (like me) to leave things to the last minute then make life easier for yourself by keeping your diary clear in the run-up to important deadlines. Use A Timer Set yourself shorter time limits in which you are going to get things done. Try using the kitchen timer or use the alarm on your phone. Take Regular Breaks You probably know this, but do you do it? The natural rhythm of brain and body means that few people can focus on the same thing in the same way for more than about 45 minutes. When you start to feel restless or your mind starts to wander, that s a good indicator that it s time for a change of pace for a few minutes. Check your email or make a phone call or get a glass of water and then you may be surprised how easy it is to return to your original task. $
Remain Flexible And Learn To Adapt Life has a mysterious way of playing up, just when you don t want or need it to. Remember to remain flexible and adapt your day or weeks as necessary in order to get things done. Shut Down All Technology Life has many interruptions and we are surrounded by so much NOISY technology it s very easy to get distracted. When you have something important to focus on, turn off your phone, shut down your email, close down your Internet browser and give yourself a period of uninterrupted time. Learn To Say No (politely) Have you heard the saying If you want something doing, ask a busy person Well its time for you to stop taking on others peoples to do s. JUST SAY NO Change Your Energy State If you find you are loosing focus and concentration, change your position, your posture or get up and walk around. Try standing whilst working, make phone a calls standing, work in a different space or get out in the fresh air for 10 minutes. Review Your To Do List Daily Is what you are doing what you really need to be doing? Maybe not? Just ask yourself and be honest Adjust as you go. %
Post-It Focus Write your daily goals on a post it note and stick it to the top right hand corner of your computer screen or somewhere else that s VISIBLE. Don t Be Too Hard On Yourself. If something just isn t working, then walk away, give yourself a break and come back to it later. Be kind to yourself and stop feeling guilty. Don t Do Domestic If you work at home, it s so very easy to get distracted by domestic chores. You know the ones.. shove a quick wash on, clean the bathroom or load the dishwasher When working on a project or task at home allow yourself NOT TO DO DOMESTIC. (Unless of course it is a domestic project) Ask for help If a project or task becomes overwhelming why not phone a friend for support. Sometimes its better to share the load and brainstorm ideas to get you refocused rather than dwelling on the fact you are struggling and not progressing. Have a Cup of Tea And A Biscuit Don t forget nutrition It s easy to forget to eat when you get absorbed in a project but sugar lows can make you feel lethargic, lacking in motivation, tired, grumpy and brain dead Eat and drink at regular intervals &
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