How To Get Things Done In Less Time

It is possible to be productive without being stressed out or overwhelmed all the time 

How do you get more done in less time? The answer may be as simple as:  

• You need to know what to do  
• When to do it and  
• How much time each step will take 

If only it was that easy, everyone will be super productive right?  

Follow these steps and you'll find yourself with more time for fun and relaxation, too! And if you have trouble getting started or keeping on track, don't worry—read on and find some tips to try straight away and other tips that might take a bit longer. 

Prioritize projects 

When you're overwhelmed by a messy to-do list, it's tempting to just throw your hands in the air and give up.  

But if you want to improve your productivity, there are ways to get things done. The first step is prioritizing projects. Identify and highlight: 

 Urgent: are they due now? 

Importance: which tasks are important?  

Time: how much time and effort will they take? Or some 

Combination of these factors that works best for you personally  

Once you've ranked all your projects according to their importance, urgency, and effort, it's time for another round of prioritization.  

This time around, and especially if you are an entrepreneur, prioritize based on money making activities. what can you do now:  

• Which tasks are most likely to get done?  
• What should I delegate/outsource or  
• Hire someone else for? 

Now that you've gone through two rounds of prioritization, here's one more exercise to help get things done.  

Take a look at your to-do list and think about what needs doing most urgently.  

• What are some personal goals that might be difficult but worth pursuing in the long run?  
• Is there anything I'd like to complete today?  

Now go through each item on your list and decide whether they're worth pursuing based on their importance, urgency, and effort. 

Break things down into smaller steps 

Break the task into smaller, more manageable chunks. Break your project down into smaller tasks that can each be completed in one sitting.  

For example, if you have ten hours of work to do on a report, break it up into 10 one-hour sessions—but don't stop there! Even better is breaking these hours down even further: perhaps you'll spend an hour researching before lunch and an hour editing maybe after your lunch break. 

This step is key because it allows you to take on a large task without being overwhelmed by its size and scope; rather than thinking about all the work ahead of you at once, you’ll be able to focus and complete the step you are in. 

Set a schedule for your day 

This way, you know when it's time to start and stop working on each task. Plan out your day based on the number of tasks you have.  

 Be realistic, you only have the same 24 hours as anyone else,  

• If you try to cram too much in one day, you will feel overwhelmed and unable to complete them all 
• If there are too few, then you may struggle with motivation since there isn't much to do!  
• Decide what kinds of tasks make sense for each block of time during your day: You may be a super focused in the morning but less so in the afternoon. 
• Some types of tasks require more thinking or creativity than others so, separate them from those that may require less thought 
• Don't underestimate the time things will take to get something done; this can happen when each person's skill levels are different 

Practice self-compassion  

When you're working to achieve a goal, it's easy to become self-critical and feel that everything you do is a failure. Life is beautiful, it will throw you some curveballs, things will go wrong and challenge you 

• when things go wrong 
• are running behind 
• or you just need more time. 

Self-compassion is about being kind and understanding of yourself when things don't go as planned, when that happens 

• It's not about indulging in self-pity;  
• It's not about beating yourself up for past mistakes or failures;  
• Nor does it mean criticizing yourself for what you could have done better. 

Self-compassion is simply the ability to be kind toward yourself when life throws you curveballs and other challenges get in the way of your goals. When this happens, ask yourself  

• How much time has passed since the setback?  
• What can I do differently now?  
• What lessons can I learn from this setback?  
• What will help me move forward with my goal more quickly? 

This attitude will allow you to approach future setbacks with renewed confidence instead of dreading them as opportunities for failure—and who knows maybe this setback will turn out even better than what would've happened if everything had gone according to plan! 

Surround yourself with people who support you 

To get more done and feel less overwhelmed, start by making sure you're not burning out. If you feel like you've been working too hard for too long without any breaks, it's time to take some steps to prevent burnout. 

 We all need support or at the very least talk to someone. 

• Talk to a trusted friend or family member  
• If not, find a coach or mentor who can keep you accountable and help you create specific goals that are right for your situation. 
• Or join a group either in person or online 

Reward yourself for progress and achievements 

Here's a great tip for getting things done reward yourself for progress and achievements. Not only does this provide a sense of accomplishment, but it also keeps you motivated to do more.  

 Rewards don't have to be expensive or fancy; they can be something simple like taking a walk outside or indulging in your favourite (healthy-ish) snack. 

Concluding thoughts 

Remember that productivity is a skill, and one that can be learned with time and practice, the feelings of guilt or overwhelm will start to ease. 

Do not worry, if you don’t have an amazing system in place right away; it takes time to build up the habits to get things done on a consistent basis.  

 And if you find yourself struggling with procrastination, don’t beat yourself up about it! Instead, focus on what steps you can take today (or tomorrow).  

The way to start making progress towards your goals may means setting aside some extra time at work so that you can give your project its due diligence; or putting off some non-essential tasks so they won’t interfere with progress. Doing little things towards completing something more pressing will help.  

 Don’t worry too much about perfectionism either—the key is to keep going even if you make mistakes along the way (because we all make them). Taking action will add up over time and you will build momentum towards your destination! 

 Being productive means getting things done, it is a skill you can learn—it's not just a measure of your personality, or fate. Productivity is a state of mind: It's not just something that happens to you; it's something you do. It's also a matter of choice to be productive. 

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