How To Eliminate Time-Wasting Tasks

time-management-feature

time-managementIn order to completely eliminate bad time management habits and stop wasting precious time today, consider developing a routine that will help you avoid wasting time. Things that we feel like reacting to such as: phone calls, emails, news stories, text, etc. are known as urgent tasks. According to Brett McKay, “Important tasks contribute to our long-term mission, values, and goals.” Understanding all the basics of time management is a very valuable lesson because they can be incorporated in all aspects of your life. Below are some remedies to set you on the path to productivity.

1) Avoid Multitasking

For a lot of us, multitasking is a way to keep up with the flow and feel like we are not getting left behind. But only 2 percent of the population can multitask successfully. It actually reduces our ability to focus, lowers the quality of our work, and can actually cost us time. It is very important to stop multitasking as soon as you realize you are doing it. Instead, try to minimize and manage interruptions, and work on improving concentration by scheduling your day into blocks of time.

2) Put an End to Silent Procrastination

If you procrastinate a lot, then you must understand the pains and stress that comes with putting things off. Procrastination is always easy to spot, especially when you are scrolling Facebook, playing solitaire, or gazing out the office window. Though it might seem like an innocent waste of time, this can lead to stress due to missing a very important deadline or inability to complete simple tasks. To overcome this, create task reminders by making use of your day planner. If your work requires the use of computer, then make sure you avoid time-wasting websites so you are not tempted.

3) Learn to Say No

If you have already planned your schedules, you are working as effectively as you possibly can on important tasks and you have found ways of dealing with things that distract you a lot, but you still don’t have enough time? Probably you are trying to do too much. You need to learn to say no. You can’t always take care of everyone else. But you can still care and say “No” and look for another way to help without sacrificing your own success. You want to slow down and remain focused on the biggest pay-off activities that’ll give you the best results in a time frame you prefer, personally and professionally.

4) Continue With What Works for You

If your morning ritual is to “warm up” first and ease into each day by grabbing a cup of coffee, answering email and checking in on Facebook, then that may be what you need to do to start your day. Activities that eat up your time can only be referred to as problems if they continue to get in the way of getting things done. However, you have to be honest with yourself about how much time that is being spent on such activities and whether it is really a time waster or a tool.

5) Do the Most Difficult things at Your Peak Time

It is always better to handle or tackle the most difficult tasks whenever you are at your peak performance as this will help you schedule your day properly. You don’t want to make important decisions when you are not efficient or energetic. If you perform best whenever you are awake first thing in the morning, then tackle those jobs first. Avoid using your peak performance time for easy assignments or for socializing and playing.

In conclusion, being organized and productive in the areas that are very important to you will be rewarding. As discussed above, avoid procrastination, do not multitask, work on your more difficult tasks whenever you are most alert and learn to say no – because most of our time wasters come from a courage problem and not a time problem. Hope this helps. Wish you the best in your efforts to eliminate time-wasting tasks.

To your success

Michael W

Michael W

P.S. If you are looking for a confidence program that can help you with your self development. Send me an email at michael@youaresuccesslifecoach.com to request a copy of my “Maximum Confidence Transformation Package”. Afterwards we can arrange a discovery telephone call to discuss the package and how you can benefit further from developing your confidence level.

Procrastination Cures – 7 Different Methods

7 Unusual Cures for Procrastination

Everyone procrastinates. However, some of us are better at dealing with procrastination than others. You’re not alone if you procrastinate. The people that get things done are more effective at minimizing procrastination. You don’t have to remain a master at procrastination. You can choose to become a master of productivity!

Getting things done can be challenging. It’s much more challenging than not getting things done, in the short (very short) term.

However, procrastination has a steep price. It creates a lot of stress. Even while you’re avoiding a task, you’re stressed and anxious. You’ll also be much more stressed at the end when your deadline approaches.

Try these unusual strategies to deal with procrastination:

  1. Put your procrastination to good use. Consider what you do when you procrastinate. You perform one activity in lieu of performing another activity that you should be doing. Create list that includes a couple of reasonable, but awful, tasks that you can add to your to-do list. You’ll then procrastinate on those tasks and perform the tasks you need to accomplish.
  • It might sound silly, but this technique is highly regarded by many productivity professionals. You’re willing to do any unpleasant task if you can avoid something even more unpleasant.
  1. Get to a new location. Head to the library, park, or coffee shop. You could even move to a different area of the house or find a vacant office at your workplace. A change of scenery can often minimize the tendency to procrastinate. Part of your brain associates procrastination with your usual hangouts, like your desk.
  2. Use a timer and a very short time frame. Getting started is often the most challenging part. It’s surprising how easy it is to complete a task versus taking the first step. Set a timer for two minutes and see how much you can get done. Two minutes is too much? Try one minute.
  • Have a list of steps and begin on the first one. When you have a list, you won’t waste any mental energy trying to figure out what to do first.
  1. Try working at an unusual time. Get out of bed at 4 AM and see how much you can get done before your normal wakeup time. Try staying up late and see what happens. Shake up your routine and you’ll be less likely to engage in your old habits.
  2. Focus on enhancing your mood. You procrastinate when you feel bad, and the thought of performing the task makes you feel even worse. You’ll do just about anything that you think will make you feel better. Work on enhancing your mood and you’ll be less likely to procrastinate.
  • Think happy thoughts, eat a healthy snack, or listen to music that lightens your mood. Once you feel better, get started on your task without overthinking it.
  1. Give your friend money. You may have enlisted the assistance of a friend in the past, but did you do it in the most effective way? Instead of telling your friend that you’ll give her $50 if you don’t complete your to-do list by Friday, give her the money upfront. You only get your money back if you’re successful. It changes the dynamic significantly.
  2. Give yourself a big reward. Make completing the task as positive as possible. Instead of viewing a task as painful, you’ll begin to view it as desirable. Promise yourself a day off, a meal at your favorite restaurant, or a massage.

Procrastination occurs when not performing a task is perceived as less miserable than performing the task. Procrastination creates stress, and can even put your employment and relationships at risk. When you procrastinate too much, you ultimately fail to live up to the reasonable expectations of others.

Deal with procrastination by tackling it head on. Dig in your heels and try these strategies. Start today. You’ll discover that you can beat procrastination and get things done.

To your success.

Michael W

 

Michael W

 

 

 

P.S. Are you frustrated that you are not reaching your ultimate level of success? Do you desire to be more confident and successful? Fantastic. Let me help you.

As a Life Coach, I have set myself a goal of helping 8 people by providing confidence coaching before mid-summer and so I am offering 2 free coaching sessions to the first 8 people that put their hand up. Only do so if you are ready to make the shifts in your life that you desire.

Simply email me at michael@youaresuccesslifecoach.com to get started now and we can start the process of getting together to help you develop your confidence level.

Are you ready to reach the level of success that you know you desire?

Cures For Procrastination

7 Unusual Cures for Procrastination

Everyone procrastinates. However, some of us are better at dealing with procrastination than others. You’re not alone if you procrastinate. The people that get things done are more effective at minimizing procrastination. You don’t have to remain a master at procrastination. You can choose to become a master of productivity!

Getting things done can be challenging. It’s much more challenging than not getting things done, in the short (very short) term.

However, procrastination has a steep price. It creates a lot of stress. Even while you’re avoiding a task, you’re stressed and anxious. You’ll also be much more stressed at the end when your deadline approaches.

Try these unusual strategies to deal with procrastination:

  1. Put your procrastination to good use. Consider what you do when you procrastinate. You perform one activity in lieu of performing another activity that you should be doing. Create list that includes a couple of reasonable, but awful, tasks that you can add to your to-do list. You’ll then procrastinate on those tasks and perform the tasks you need to accomplish.
  • It might sound silly, but this technique is highly regarded by many productivity professionals. You’re willing to do any unpleasant task if you can avoid something even more unpleasant.
  1. Get to a new location. Head to the library, park, or coffee shop. You could even move to a different area of the house or find a vacant office at your workplace. A change of scenery can often minimize the tendency to procrastinate. Part of your brain associates procrastination with your usual hangouts, like your desk.
  2. Use a timer and a very short time frame. Getting started is often the most challenging part. It’s surprising how easy it is to complete a task versus taking the first step. Set a timer for two minutes and see how much you can get done. Two minutes is too much? Try one minute.
  • Have a list of steps and begin on the first one. When you have a list, you won’t waste any mental energy trying to figure out what to do first.
  1. Try working at an unusual time. Get out of bed at 4 AM and see how much you can get done before your normal wakeup time. Try staying up late and see what happens. Shake up your routine and you’ll be less likely to engage in your old habits.
  2. Focus on enhancing your mood. You procrastinate when you feel bad, and the thought of performing the task makes you feel even worse. You’ll do just about anything that you think will make you feel better. Work on enhancing your mood and you’ll be less likely to procrastinate.
  • Think happy thoughts, eat a healthy snack, or listen to music that lightens your mood. Once you feel better, get started on your task without overthinking it.
  1. Give your friend money. You may have enlisted the assistance of a friend in the past, but did you do it in the most effective way? Instead of telling your friend that you’ll give her $50 if you don’t complete your to-do list by Friday, give her the money upfront. You only get your money back if you’re successful. It changes the dynamic significantly.
  2. Give yourself a big reward. Make completing the task as positive as possible. Instead of viewing a task as painful, you’ll begin to view it as desirable. Promise yourself a day off, a meal at your favorite restaurant, or a massage.

Procrastination occurs when not performing a task is perceived as less miserable than performing the task. Procrastination creates stress, and can even put your employment and relationships at risk. When you procrastinate too much, you ultimately fail to live up to the reasonable expectations of others.

Deal with procrastination by tackling it head on. Dig in your heels and try these strategies. Start today. You’ll discover that you can beat procrastination and get things done.

To your success.

Michael W

Michael W

 

P.S. Are you frustrated that you are not reaching your ultimate level of success? Do you desire to be more confident and successful? Fantastic. Let me help you.

I have set myself a goal of hitting 50 hours of coaching before mid-summer and so I am offering 2 free coaching sessions to the first 8 people that put their hand up. Only do so if you are ready to make the shifts in your life that you desire.

Simply email me at michael@youaresuccesslifecoach.com to get started now.

Are you ready to reach the level of success that you know you desire?

Tips For Taking Action In Your Life

Taking Action In And For Your Life

 

 

 

go do somethingSuccess results from achievement which is what happens when you get things done. Instead of allowing procrastination to hinder your progress follow the 10 tips below and discover how you can become a successful action taker.

  1. Set a Goal:
    Decide what you want to achieve. Once you know your goal you can devise a plan showing the step by step process on how to achieve it. Knowing the outcome and the process will allow you to identify where to start and enable you to take action.
  2. Clear Your Mind:
    It may sound counter inter-intuitive but take time at the beginning of your day to mind dump your thoughts onto paper. Take a piece of paper and a pen and spend 10 minutes writing down everything that comes into your mind (your stream of consciousness). This will clear your mind leaving only the important tasks.
  3. Make a List:
    Many successful people make a list of things they need to do the evening before. This ensures that they go to bed knowing that they have action points for the following day and the next day starts positively with a road map of what needs to be accomplished.
  4. Small Steps:
    It’s easier to take action when you set yourself small steps (or tasks) on the way to completing a bigger goal. This is because you will not feel as overwhelmed and as you complete each smaller task you will feel a sense of accomplishment and success.
  5. Be Accountable:
    Announce your goal to a friend, partner or colleague. This accountability is a great driver to taking action because you will feel a greater sense of commitment towards the goal and its completion. You will also be able to discuss your progress and this can help you discuss any potential issues that may hamper your progress and brainstorm ways to overcome them.
  6. Remove Distractions:
    Turn off your phone, shut down your email and social media sites and get yourself into a situation where you can be undisturbed. Lessening the chances of being interrupted will ensure you have a greater chance of getting in the flow of work and this will help you be more productive.
  7. Change Your Mindset:
    Be positive and tell yourself that you can and will complete the task. Envision yourself as a successful action taker. You could create a mind movie of yourself taking action. Make it involve all of your senses so that you can really feel, hear and see yourself working towards your goal, achieving it and then experiencing the positive results of having done so. This Neuro Linguistic Programming technique is very powerful and will program your mind for success.
  8. Stop Waiting For The Perfect Time:
    It’s easy to wait for the perfect time or situation but the chances are it will never happen. Simply get started and you’ll find that momentum will build and you will make progress.
  9. Be Consistent:
    By taking consistent action every day you will make good headway towards achieving your goals. You will also ensure that your action taking becomes a habit.
  10. Remove Analysis Paralysis:
    Stop over-thinking as it will get you nowhere and actually stop you taking action as you will find yourself second guessing and over-worrying. If you know what you need to do, what you are trying to achieve and have the resources needed available then your best course of action is to get started.

Don’t wait use the tips in this article to move your life forward.

To your success

Michael W

Michael W

Are You Waiting For The Right Moment To Move Forward?

Why Waiting for the Right Moment is Often a Mistake

 

 

getting in the flowAre you waiting for the perfect time to launch your grand plan? We don’t like to wait in line, but we’re more than content to wait for some other things. Diets are commonly started on a Monday, or the first of the month, or the first of the year. It’s rare that someone chooses to start a diet right this very minute.

The same mindset applies to starting a business, going back to school, learning to play guitar, writing a book, or having a difficult conversation. We believe that challenging objectives require optimal conditions.

But all that’s really required is the courage to get started. Waiting is often an excuse when we feel fearful or uncertain.

The idea that perfect conditions are necessary is flawed:

  1. Life is much too short. Eventually, we all run out of time. No one can wait forever. That doesn’t mean to be impulsive and throw all caution to the wind. It does mean, however, that it would benefit you to act soon.
  2. Life will always get in the way. Waiting for the right moment is like saving the money you have left over at the end of the month. You’ll never have any time to spare, just as you’ll never have any money left over.
  • Make time for the important things you want to do or accomplish. The longer you wait, the harder it can be to get started.
  1. Waiting is passive. Each day is filled with unique moments. It’s not necessary to wait until the perfect storm of opportunity, convenience, and motivation finally occurs. You can create special moments whenever you choose. Plenty of good moments are happening each day, but you’re failing to make the most of them.
  2. You don’t learn anything while you’re waiting. You’re not enhancing your skills or gaining any experience when you’re inactive. Make the most of right now and you’ll be better prepared for the future.
  3. Avoid regret. Do you really have the time to spare? Those that wait too long are filled with regret at the end of life. Do you want to look back on your life and think, “If only I would have …”
  • Few things are worse than regret, especially when you’re no longer in the position to do anything about it. You might still be able to climb a mountain or learn to play the piano at the age of 80, but it might be easier when you’re 45. You’ll also have more time to enjoy it!
  1. Taking action results in a more exciting and fulfilled life. Taking action and failing is better than doing nothing at all. Even in failure, you’re learning, taking risks, and living life to the fullest. You’re better prepared for the future and gain a new perspective.
  • Make your life interesting and fulfilling by deciding that right now is a good enough time to get started.
  1. Waiting results in a lack of control. While you’re passively waiting for the perfect situation to occur, you’re giving away control of your life. One common symptom among those with depression is the belief that they lack control over their lives. Why wait? Take action now to create the life you want and take back your control.

Valuing yourself will result in valuing your time. When you value your time, you’ll begin to make the most of it. Every moment is important because you’re important. Avoid waiting any longer for the perfect moment to finally arrive. Get started today and create your own moments.

To your success

Michael W

Michael W