When we are overloaded and overwhelmed by a bloating to-do list, we automatically start working even longer and squeezing even more things into existing working hours. We practice multitasking, rush from one meeting to another, secretly check email under the table in the meeting room, we start working early in the morning and finish only at night. Our goal is to reduce stress and workload. But actions at the same time have the exact opposite effect: we experience even more stress and are loaded to our ears.
Or we say something that we think will impress others, but in reality only causes rejection. We try to cheer up our friend, but for some reason we upset him even more. We give an inspiring speech to our team, but somehow we just extinguish
enthusiasm. Every time we do this we are shocked. "What happened?" - we are perplexed. As a result, we spend long days trying to fix what we broke with our automatic reaction. We spend countless hours and a lot of energy thinking about the words we have spoken; discussing yours with others
behavior; drawing up a plan for further actions - and sometimes we get to the toilet in a roundabout way, just so as not to run into someone who was reluctantly offended in the waiting room.
Press pause
Living and working dynamically, fixated on productivity, we lose our garden - literally and figuratively. And we need to get it back. I recently had lunch with Rajeep, the CTO of a large investment bank. When we returned to his office after spending an hour together, he received
138 emails. We were talking, and the sound of new messages was heard again and again. “How can I keep up with everything?” - he asked me. He could not.
Rajeep's department has almost 10 thousand employees. “I don’t have time to think,” he complained.
I don't have time to think. Perhaps the six most terrible words uttered by a leader. They no longer scare us because they are familiar to many. We don't need 10 thousand subordinates to feel the lack of time to think. Almost every one of us feels this way.
And it's not that we're unproductive. We are incredibly productive. We make deliveries. We make decisions. We form and distribute budgets. We manage our teams. We prepare applications. In a sense, productivity is where the problem lies. In conditions of manic productivity, we miss the most important thing: skill
learn lessons. In busy everyday life, we rarely deeply analyze our experience, listen carefully to other people’s opinions, and evaluate how the results of our decisions will affect the future. All this takes time. We need to slow down. But which of us can afford it? Therefore, we think little and limit our personal growth.
My solution to Rajeep's problem? Remember where he thinks best and make it a habit to be in this place every day. I myself began to practice different variations of “garden walks” every day. One of them - physical exercise on fresh air. If I go off on my bike, go for a run or go for a walk, I almost inevitably come up with something and look at things differently when I return. This is my favorite and most reliable garden in which to grow creative ideas. Another way is writing. As I write, ideas evolve, and these sessions subtly expand my worldview. There is no need to show someone what you write - the principle of a personal diary works great here. And you don't need to devote more than a few minutes to this activity.
Meditate
Meditation provides many benefits: it renews, helps us comprehend what is happening to us, makes us wiser and calmer, helps us not to go crazy in a world that feeds us with information and connections, and much more. if you
missing economic justification to dedicate time to meditation, how about this: Meditation makes you more productive. How? Strengthening your ability to resist distracting impulses. Research shows that resisting impulses improves relationships, enhances trustworthiness, and improves productivity.
How should you meditate? If you're just starting out, the simpler the better. Sit - on a chair or on the floor on a pillow - and straighten your back so that you can breathe easily, set a timer for the time you want to devote to meditation. Once the timer has started, close your eyes, relax and don't move - just breathe - until the alarm sounds. Focus on inhaling and exhaling. Every time a thought or impulse arises, give it a little attention and focus on your breathing again. That's all. Simple, but difficult to do. Try it - today - for five minutes. And repeat tomorrow.
Doing, not planning
A few days ago I received an email from my friend Byron: “Peter, I haven’t been very diligent in exercising for the past five years, but now I want to go back to the gym. I realized that among the three components - mind, body and spirit - the body remains my weak link. We need to fix this. But I find it VERY difficult to motivate myself. Any ideas?" No, Byron's problem is not motivation. The point is to start taking action. Any attempt at self-motivation will only increase stress and guilt, widening the gap between motivation and action - between strong desire going in for sports is the first step towards fulfilling this desire.
Perhaps everyone is familiar with the situation when the mind sabotages intentions. We decide to go to the gym after work, but when the time comes, we think: “It’s too late. I'm tired. I’ll probably skip it today.” We decide to meditate, but look at the clock and come to the conclusion that “there is no time for this.” The secret is simple: if you want to do something, stop thinking. Stop the internal dialogue before it even starts. Don't let yourself get hooked. Stop arguing with yourself. Accept specific solution regarding an important matter, and do not doubt it.
Concentrate
The goal determines the return you want to receive. The concentration zone determines the activities that are worth spending time on. The goal is the result. The concentration zone is the path. A goal points to the future you intend to achieve. The concentration zone connects you to the present. In the field of sales, the goal is formulated, for example, the desired income or a certain number new clients. In production - the volume of cost reduction. Meanwhile, areas of focus in sales may include proactive communication with potential clients, and in manufacturing, areas worth exploring to reduce costs.
Of course, these two approaches are not mutually exclusive. You can have both a goal and a zone of concentration. Moreover, some will even insist that both are necessary, since the goal indicates where you are going, and the zone of concentration indicates how you plan to get there.
Don't blame others
We begin to blame others as children, usually to avoid parental anger and punishment, but also to maintain self-esteem and protect our self. Later, this behavior becomes a habit and develops into adult life. I - and I'm sure you too - constantly encounter people who point fingers at others.
In companies, this sometimes happens at the departmental level: if the sales department doesn't perform well, it blames the product, and the product creators blame the ineffective sales team or nod on manufacturing shortcomings. Blaming an entire department or product is safer than blaming an individual because it doesn't have to be personal, and it feels less defensive. However, such behavior is unproductive, since the involvement of the accuser is visible to the naked eye.
If you are not to blame for what happened, then you don’t need to change anything. However, if something happens due to your fault, and you do not admit it, then in the future you will probably make the same mistake, which will give rise to new accusations. This is a vicious circle, walking in which has never led anyone to anything good.
Say thank you
John, the CEO of a small trading company, emailed Tim, an employee several levels below him, to praise him for his performance at a recent business meeting. Tim did not respond to the letter. About a week later, he found himself in John's office as a candidate for a vacancy - it was an opportunity to grow to the level of management. John asked if Tim had received his letter and he said that he had. Why didn't he answer? Tim said he didn't think it was necessary. But he was wrong. John deserved at least a “thank you” in return. Tim wasn't given a promotion. Was his candidacy rejected solely because he did not thank John for his positive feedback? No. Was his disregard for gratitude one of the reasons John decided to look for a better candidate? Without a doubt.
You could argue that we are all too busy with work and life to take the time to exchange pleasantries. If John is that sentimental, he can't be CEO at all. He has fallen behind the electronic age, in which unanswered emails are the norm. If Tim does his job well, that's enough. People are paid for doing their job - they don't have to give out "thank you's." Thanking your CEO for a nice letter is nothing short of sycophancy. I am ready to argue with all these statements. It doesn’t take much time to respond “thank you,” but it is an expression of concern. John is a brilliant CEO who is loved by his subordinates, management and the company's shareholders. It provides its employees with conditions for quick career growth and outstanding work results. Leave someone's request unanswered - SMS, email or phone call is not a generally accepted norm, it is a gap in the dialogue that many often complain about. Tim may be good at certain areas his job, but he cannot be said to be “doing his job well” if he does not give credit to the people around him. And finally, “thank you” is not sycophancy, but a manifestation of politeness.
The book is provided by the publishing house "Mann, Ivanov and Ferber"
Hello, dear friends. In this article I will answer questions that arise in Lately very relevant: and “Where can I find the 25th hour?” The most interesting thing is that many blog readers ask me: “Ali, how do you manage to do everything? After all, officer service, communication with family, daily routine, sleep... how do you find time to maintain your blog? Write yourself that you spend about 6 hours.”
Guys, you’ve probably heard about such fashionable concepts of late as “time management”, “prioritization”, “activity planning”. Personally, I’m already sick of these abstruse phrases! Probably, today only lazy people on the Internet do not write articles about managing their time. When a person begins to understand the issues of “time management”, he enters such a jungle that “Mom, don’t worry.” In the end - the question “how to learn to manage time?” remains open.
Why do you need to learn how to manage your time or what is the background to the question “how to manage everything”?
Have you heard something like this - “how to kill time”, “what to do with yourself” or “I’ll only spend 5 minutes (actually, an hour and a half) on Odnoklassniki”? Are you smiling? I suppose you yourself have said this more than once? In fact, there are people who don’t need anything, they just “live as they live.” Well, something like a known mass in an ice hole. What kind of time management and goal planning are there? The day has passed, and that's okay.
Lord, why strain, come up with something, write, achieve, win. It’s better, like a normal “guy” or “dude” (sorry for the familiarity), to come after work, eat your favorite dumplings, take an empty bottle of beer, pretend to be smart, turn on the TV and “develop up to the tomatoes.” Fortunately, there are a lot of “highly intelligent” programs on our domestic television (Dom-2 and other heresy). If you feel that these lines described your life, then immediately close this article and go ahead to “Klinsky” (this time you follow him, or rather, every time you go).
Hard? Agree! No other way! Since you haven’t closed the article yet, that means... Well, okay, let’s move on. Just a year ago it dawned on me that there are three most important components of achieving success in my life: health, relationships with family and time. I have already written an article about the first component. I don’t really like to advertise my relationships with my family, although I have already written about this several times (for example,). But in order to be healthy and have good relationships with loved ones, in addition to desire, there must be time. But we run off to work at 8 am (someone goes to work), rush around like a squirrel in a wheel all day, then run home in a hurry, the only strength left is to eat and turn on the TV.
Oh yes, there is the long-awaited weekend! We look forward to them, but, as luck would have it, they fly by very quickly. And here it is again Monday, the sound of the ominous “dibilnik” wakes us up and again everything is in a circle. And so on until the age of 55-60, there is pension (most likely in need), old age and... “I wish you health, Angel Gabriel.” That's it, enough about the sad stuff! Let's answer the question - why and how to learn to manage time?
Time is our only non-renewable resource, and therefore the most valuable. But have you ever wondered how you spend this important resource? No? I found a cool video here that tells how and what the “average” person on the planet spends their time on (be sure to watch, it’s very motivating):
You know, it makes me very funny when they say: “I don’t have time for this!” Then I ask: “Listen, how much time do I have in a day?” At this moment, the one who only said that “he doesn’t have time” begins violent processes in his head. He begins to realize that God acted very fairly towards all people! We all have exactly 24 hours in a day! And not a second more!
How you spend these seconds, minutes, hours is your own business. But the point is that in 30 years you won’t regret “the years you spent aimlessly” (words so hackneyed that they set your teeth on edge). If you are sure that this will definitely not happen, then consider that you are the happiest person!
How I manage everything (my personal experience of freeing up time)
I admit, I don’t manage to do everything I plan! In general, before you learn to manage your time, you need to understand whether you need it? Let's say you managed to carve out an hour or two from your day. What will you do with this time? How do you use it? It shouldn’t turn out like that old joke: “I saved so much for a rainy day that I’m looking forward to it.”
That is, you must have some clear and precise goal to achieve which you will spend your freed up time. Great! But how to find this “extra time”? Be confident the moment you decide on your purpose in life ( main goal), you will immediately begin to understand how to find time to achieve it. But how do I do this? Over the past two years, I have developed a “time saving formula” for myself. This formula is based on three “pillars”:
- Planning (where would we be without it)
- Analysis
- Work on mistakes
Many coaches (personal growth trainer) advise planning your life 5-10 years in advance. To be honest, I can’t look that far yet. The maximum that I allow myself is to plan 2 years in advance. Moreover, for the coming year I am trying to write everything down very clearly and in detail. To do this, on the 20th of December, I take an A4 piece of paper and write down all my goals for coming year. Moreover, I break down my goals by area of life. Here they are:
- Health (example - from January 15, sign up for Gym, go 3 times a week, start going to the pool on February 1, and so on)
- Personal life (here I enter all the goals that I want to achieve in relationships with loved ones and family)
- Finance (it is clear that this item includes everything related to income and expenses. That is, how much I plan to earn on this or that project by the end of the year)
- Career (here I enter what I should get at work, what position to take, who to communicate with, and so on)
- Education (how many and what books should I read, what courses should I take and at what time)
- Projects (what goals do I need to achieve in various projects. For example, goals on the blog for 2012 can be read -)
- Vacation (when and where to go on vacation, where to go on vacation, what steps to take. For example, in September last year my wife and I knew a year in advance that this is where I would go)
- Planning (when to plan a month, day, etc.)
- Other (here I write down important goals that do not fit into any of the above areas. For example, last year I needed to get a passport and a driver’s license. Everything was done, by the way)
It is imperative that you write everything down by hand, not on a computer. After that, write down what you will do if you don’t achieve your goals! As I achieve my goals, I put a plus sign on this paper. The more pluses, the more you want to work and achieve. This is self-motivation.
Another important point– set goals for the month and for the day. For the month, I also write everything down on an A4 piece of paper, and for daily planning I started a diary. This really motivates action. By the way, here is my diary (although it’s all covered in writing, by the way, so should yours):
The second step is that at the end of the day I definitely do an analysis. I look at what has been completed, what needs to be moved, and so on. At the end of the month I sum up the results of the month, and at the end of the year, accordingly, the results of the year. Well, you definitely need to work on mistakes. See where we waste time, where we work ineffectively. Believe me, it's not yet full list what you can and should do in order to effectively manage your time. But, if you at least learn to do this, you will be surprised at how many things you manage to do.
By the way, a big problem lately is that we spend time aimlessly on the Internet. Open your mail social media, Youtube and you don’t notice how time flies. I will also write an article about how to work at a computer correctly. Subscribe to blog updates to receive all new blog articles to your email ().
At the end of this article, as promised, I would like to invite you to take the “Lord of Time” super training. It is ABSOLUTELY FREE, I myself took it once, and from time to time I come back and remember the course tasks. I will say one thing - guys, you will really learn to manage your time. Famous in Russian Internet entrepreneurs Evgeny Khodchenkov and Mikhail Gavrilov created a real bestseller. I'm just giving you advice. It’s up to you to decide whether to pass or not! You know that I will not advise my readers anything bad.
I wish you to increase your efficiency many times over! With this I want to conclude this short article. I really hope you found the answer to your question. “how to manage everything?”. Of course, it’s impossible to do everything, but you can and should strive for it! And I will help you with this. In conclusion, I want to let you listen to Al Pacino's greatest speech (I listened to it several times):
Friends, what ways do you have that help you manage your time? I will be very happy to discuss your opinion in the comments to this article.
Take just 10 minutes of time for self-development and find out how to keep up with everything and be on top!
It has the amazing ability to stop in place when we are doing something boring and unloved, and literally the next day fly at a speed of several hundred kilometers per second if we are having fun or need to cope with a lot of things... unfortunately...
Few people would not want to acquire such a valuable ally and learn.
So imagine that there are people who have tamed the clock and no longer need to worry about how to manage everything.
Well, how can you learn to keep up with everything?!
I once had former colleague at work - Nastya.
Smart, active, efficient - a good girl, in general.
But she has one huge drawback that hinders both her and her entire team: lack of punctuality in doing things.
Zapara is actually her middle name, and neuroses from piled-up tasks are constant companions.
At the same time, it cannot be said that she is simply lazy and does not want to do anything; this would explain Nastya’s situation.
She is constantly busy with something and seems to be trying to do everything, but something is always missing to get everything done!
I believe that my colleague's main problems are due to the fact that she:
- Doesn't know how to plan his time.
- Constantly distracted.
- Unable to concentrate on one thing.
- Doesn't know how to keep a personal success diary.
- Takes on more than he can handle.
How to keep up with everything: the beginning!
Learning to complete all tasks on time is as simple as programming your life for success.
People don’t even realize that they create most of the problems and obstacles in their lives themselves.
All you have to do is put in a little effort and everything will turn out even better than you expected.
Of course, lazy people who do not want to work on themselves will never understand how to manage everything, and will continue to flounder among unfulfilled tasks without hope of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
As you know: “You can win any battle only by choosing the right weapon!”
So, you need to start taming your time by buying a beautiful notebook, pen and watch.
The expense is small, but the benefits from this acquisition will be enormous.
“To begin with, imagine that an hour is not just a unit of time. This is a commodity that can be exchanged for money, education, pleasure, health and other resources. You just need to determine what exactly you need.”
But the most important thing is that you must understand that a person who feels tired and unhealthy will, in principle, not be able to work productively.
Therefore, make it a rule:
Get enough sleep:
The cherished rule about 7-8 hours of necessary sleep was not invented by fools.
Eat properly:
not only because it is tasty, but also because it is healthy.
Fresh vegetables and fruits should be regular guests on your table.
Exercise:
physical activity not only improves immunity, but also gives a boost of energy.
To-do lists are your everything!
I hope you have already bought a nice notebook and pen to keep your success diary?
So: make it a habit in the evening or in the morning to write to-do lists that you plan to complete during the day.
Moreover, do not write them out of the blue, but next to each item indicate the time required to complete it.
Did you get the job done?
Cross it off the list.
You can also create separate lists of global plans for a month or a year.
Before you finish work, resist the urge to go on Facebook or the UNIAN website, reject a phone call from a friend, refuse a mug of coffee.
All this can be done during a break.
Don't pile on more responsibilities than you can handle!
Each person has a limit to his capabilities: for some it is very small, for others it is very impressive.
Your task is to determine yours!
Colleague Tanya can write 5 articles in a day, but you can only write 3, no matter how hard you try?
Then you shouldn’t beg your boss for 5 tasks, then sit until midnight, not have time, get nervous and get a scolding the next day.
Better complete your three tasks on time and efficiently!
Keep your workplace tidy!
Even if your workplace – own apartment, no need to turn it into a landfill.
Firstly, unnecessary items are distracting, secondly, you waste time trying to find something you need in this rubble, thirdly, the clutter dampens you and prevents you from getting into a working mood.
Optimize your workflow.
Every task, including homework, can be simplified and the time it takes to complete it reduced if you show a little ingenuity.
For example, the files that I need for work every day are copied to a separate folder, although all electronic documents I store them in thematic-chronological folders.
Use modern gadgets.
When preparing dinner, you probably enjoy using a food processor, multicooker, electric meat grinder, etc., rather than doing everything by hand, wasting energy and time.
The same principle must be followed in any business!
Reward yourself for success.
We did one thing quickly and efficiently - drink tea with a delicious cake, another - look at the news feed on Facebook, a third - go for a walk, etc.
Don't mark time in one place.
People can drive themselves into hysterics in search of perfection that only they understand.
Remember that the best is the enemy of the good.
You shouldn't get hung up on some stupid ideals if it slows down your progress.
Don't accumulate unfinished tasks.
Forget about the phrase: “I’ll do it tomorrow!”
Today is today, and you must finish everything planned before midnight.
If you put something off every day, sooner or later an avalanche of unfulfilled tasks will cover you.
Don't be afraid to ask for help.
Sometimes, due to pride (or stupidity?), we are afraid to turn to even the closest people for help.
If you don’t have time, then ask your mother to cook dinner, your husband to pick up the child from kindergarten, a friend-colleague to answer a call from a client, etc.
from the famous video blogger Pavel Bagryantsev:
“How to manage everything and manage many projects at the same time?”
You can try them all and choose the most optimal ones for yourself, you can combine these tips, or you can come up with something of your own.
The main thing is to start acting, and not just moan every day: “ How to keep up with everything?!».
Useful article? Don't miss new ones!
Enter your email and receive new articles by email
There are two approaches to what we do. We can do something quickly, hastily, in a hurry, trying to do as much as possible, but often after such work we ourselves do not enjoy it, we don’t even want to look at what we have done, the quality is so disgusting that we created. On the contrary, when we do something slowly, enjoying the process, paying attention to every detail, trying to do everything to the highest standards, we end up getting a special feeling of satisfaction from the work done. We want to admire what we have produced. And thanks to the fact that we admire our product, our self-esteem improves accordingly, we are proud of what we have done and this gives us confidence in our own abilities, we feel better and often receive approval from others, since everyone likes to admire what what is done with high quality, with soul.
I have my own secrets on how to improve the quality of the work I do. During any task, I constantly ask myself the question: HOW CAN I DO THIS BUSINESS EVEN BETTER? I look at what can be improved and how it can be done, I constantly raise my bar, achieving maximum quality. I ask myself: is there a person who, if in my place, could do this job better/higher quality? And I can imagine what a highly qualified master would do in my place. And I move on, raise the standard, telling myself: no one should do this job better than me. If I feel that I have not reached the limit and there is still room for improvement, then I do not stop. If at least someone can surpass me, then it means I have not yet achieved mastery and I need to continue to improve myself. When no one can surpass me in my place, only then can I stop and tell myself that I did my best. Of great importance for improving quality is the degree of our INVOLVEMENT in the process, how focused we are on our lesson. Assess yourself: how fully are you present in the present moment while doing your activities? Nothing distracts you? Is your attention elsewhere when you are doing your work? Are your thoughts in the clouds?
For myself, I have developed the following quality assessment system. What level is what I did? Is this 1. Premium level of quality? 2.High level of quality? 3. Average level of quality? 4. Low level of quality? And thus I evaluate myself and continue to forge, hone, improve and polish my skills.
I will continue to share my experiences in future blog posts. This is very important for me, because, in addition to personal goals, I also have socially significant goals. I dream that our city of Gubkin will become famous for the fact that people live here who are very responsible about what they do. So that everyone associates Gubkin with Quality, so that we Gubkin residents constantly raise our standards and be an example for everyone in the field of qualitative improvement of life. If you have questions, write in the comments. I will be happy to answer. Prosperity and prosperity to you!
This article is more for female readers than for readers, because we will talk about how to harmoniously organize your life in order to manage to work, and do household chores, and not forget about yourself. Despite the fact that views have changed somewhat, most often it is the woman who remains responsible for the cleanliness and comfort in the house, for a delicious dinner and even to a greater extent for raising children.
A delicious dinner is a daily task, but when it comes to cleaning, many continue to adhere to the Saturday “general” routine. This is the same case when on Sunday you want to put on shoe covers, it’s so clean all around, but on Friday it’s already quite embarrassing to invite guests. As a result, comfort and cleanliness remain very short-term concepts, and Saturday cleaning not only practically deprives you of one day off, but is also terribly exhausting.
Cooking is also not the easiest task, and what takes the most effort and time is thinking about what to cook, because food should not only be tasty, but also properly balanced, and also, preferably, more or less economical.
Even if there is no child in the house, the housewife already has quite a hard time, because she also just wants to relax or do what she loves (let’s not forget that the woman probably works, and probably not half the day). Well, and with the advent of the baby, everything spins into an even steeper whirlpool.
I have been wandering the Internet for a long time in search of interesting materials on the topic: “How to clean up easily and quickly?”, “How to quickly prepare dinner?”, “Economy and simple recipes"... And in the end I came across the popular FlyLady system, which was developed by the American Marla Seelly. This system covers many aspects of management household and its successful combination with work and leisure. The system promotes avoiding tedious cleaning once a week and teaches that you can do something every day in just a few minutes. As a result, you get many bonuses: firstly, you don’t spend half of Saturday wearing rubber gloves with a mop, and secondly, your house will be equally clean every day (the phrase: “Sorry, I’m a mess” can be excluded from the vocabulary) , thirdly, you will be surprised how much free time you will have for yourself and for your personal hobbies. But FlyLady touches not only on the topic of cleaning and cooking, it is a global system that covers issues of family vacations and issues financial organization household.
There are thousands of articles about the FlyLady system on the Internet. There are even entire resources dedicated to the ability to effortlessly manage a seemingly gigantic amount of work. But, unfortunately, this is all theory. And only a few, having read all these tips, begin to put at least half of them into practice. In fact, the theory remains a theory. We know what is right, but for some reason everything remains the same.
I recently came across the Flyvzlet service, which offers practical training in the FlyLady system. A whole course has been developed that gradually teaches you how to put all the advice into practice, day by day, slightly changing your life in better side. And we write a lot on Lifehacker about how this is exactly how you need to act - breaking a large task into several small pieces, without trying to amaze everyone with changes in yourself in one day.
What results do the creators of the course promise? Quite impressive: mastering the principles of time management, which will help not only with household chores, but also with work and self-care. A lighter attitude towards cleaning and other routines, as a result - you will be less exhausted and irritated, you will become better relationship in family. Considering the popularity of the FlyLady system and the serious approach of the Flyvzlet service to training (you can read about this in the “Services” section), there is no reason not to trust that this result will be obtained. By the way, on the service I also saw many articles about the system, and reviews from those housewives who successfully use it, and again I was inspired to take it seriously, finally moving from pure theory to practical application.
