As an ex-chief exec, our guest blogger Karen Eyre-White, founder of Go Do, knows a trick or two about how to get things done. Here she shares her top 5 tips for success.
We’re all in the game of time management, whether we know it or not. Time is the one thing we can’t make more of. We can only spend it once, and we all have the same amount of it each day. So how can you up your game and spend your time in the most effective way?
Be intentional with your time
Whether it’s decluttering your bedroom or planning that family holiday, if we want to get things done we have to be intentional about how we spend our time. This means planning in specific time in our diary. Even if you can’t find space for it until three weeks’ time, put it in the diary and stick to it. If you struggle to keep commitments to yourself, enlist a friend to do it with you over a glass of wine.
Declutter Your Diary
We all sometimes have to do things we don’t want to do, but the key thing is to try to keep these things to a minimum. Learning to say “no” is a skill, but it’s one worth learning if we want to be able to say YES! to the things that bring happiness and joy in to our lives.
One thing at a time
Our attention is precious and needs to be guarded carefully. Focus on one thing at a time and you’ll find that your productivity sky-rockets. This can be easier said than done in the era of the smartphone. My recommendation? Turn off all your notifications. It may sound nuclear, but if you can train yourself to look at WhatsApp and Facebook when you want to, rather than every time your phone pings, you’ll find it easier to keep your attention on the task at hand.
Use the Power of Auto-Pilot
Routines and habits are powerful ways to get things done without putting too much mental energy in. If there are things which need to be done every day or every week, find a regular slot for them and do them in the same way each time. Your brain can go on to auto-pilot, leaving you with more energy and time left for your priorities.
Be Kind to Yourself
Finally, as with all things in life, be kind to yourself. We’re all trying to be the best version of ourselves and sometimes that can be a bumpy and difficult process. If you slip back in to bad habits, don’t beat yourself up. Chalk it down to experience and remember, tomorrow is a new day.
Karen Eyre-White, our guest blogger, is the founder of Go Do, a time management business based in London which helps busy, overwhelmed people get more done. You can find out more about Karen at Go Do and follow her on Instagram and Twitter for more time management tips and tricks.
Awesome post! Keep up the great work! 🙂