It’s not that you’re incompetent or can’t make it in time… you’re just procrastinating and losing focus! Yes, you are – deal with it. You know what they say: the moment you accept the problem you are already one step closer to solving it.
But hey, we get it… the delaying part, you know. To all of us who are working way too long hours for the money we’re getting, that cup of coffee in the morning is God! Unfortunately, the whole coffee-indulging process often tends to last 30 minutes longer than it should, just as does that shower routine or that Instagram scroll… for this, the work suffers and no matter how hard we’re engaged it always feels like we’re slacking.
To all of you who are determined to squeeze a few extra hours into the 24h drill, we’re giving you a few tips that will help you do just that:
Go on autopilot
Routines are beautiful and there’s no need to renounce them as long as they are not doing you any harm or messing up with your overall daily productivity. While enjoying coffee in the morning for over an hour while frantically waiting for the next episode of Taboo to load sounds perfect, it may be wiser you cut the whole thing a bit short. No, no one is suggesting you stop it altogether; rather, cut everything in half. Say, you’ve spending almost two hours on your “morning routine” after you wake up. Cut it to one hour. You’re left with an extra hour to do the work – and that’s big! Do the same with your lunch break and leisure time. At first, it’ll take some adjusting but you’ll soon wonder why you haven’t done it earlier. Obviously, you don’t have to devoid yourself of pleasures permanently – stick to the “cut offs” while you are on important, deadline projects.
Bury your phone
We’ve all become totally obsessed with our phones even though there’s nothing spectacularly interesting about them. Sure, there’s Instagram but then again – so what? Insta and similar apps are taking way too much of our time on daily basis. Make it your business to bury your phone someplace in the room, far from your reach. If you’re at the office, ask a colleague to hide it someplace so you cannot get it. Until you’re done with your work, don’t reach for your phone. When you are done with the project, reward yourself with a WhatsApp text, Instagram scroll, Snapchat meme or whatever it is that you’re doing on your phone.
Take the pill
Unfortunately, 24h don’t cut it; with everything that we’re burdened with, even 47h don’t feel like enough. With all the commitments lurking around, it’s only expected we’ll get worn-out, brain-dead and exhausted. Still, good thing is – there’s always a solution to fall back onto. These days, virtually all entrepreneurs, workaholics and project-committed millennials are reaching out for the smart pill for a brain power boost and improved focus. It’s tested and safe. We’ve tried it, it’s up to you if you’ll try it, too.
Use the checklist
Checklists are magic, especially if you’re swamped! Sort the list out by priorities (from the highest to lowest) and once you’re done with the task, tick it immediately! The more ticks there are you’ll be closer to the bottom of the list and feel amazing about your daily input and achievements. We love checklists, seriously.
Find external pleasure
No matter how focused, determined or entrepreneurial you are – having everything revolve around your job is totally absurd. In careers, just as in life, a healthy balance leads to successful results which means you need to find pleasures other than work to rely on for an emotional, mental and physical boost. Go to the cinema, have dinners with friends, enjoy various hobbies, go the gym, try yoga, discover your inner Steve McCurry… whatever it is, as long as it’s making your heart jump. External activities will help you regenerate and rest, making you even more amazing at your workplace!
Author: Peter Minkoff
Vlad Vaida 