Make the Most of your Valuable Time and Life

Are you working harder and longer hours during this time of isolation?

When social isolation was announced nearly two months ago, most of us wondered how we would cope working from home, away from our colleagues and structures. Initially, companies were concerned whether work would not get done. Within a short period of time, most people had adjusted to their new make shift environments and could focus on the work at hand. Instead of doing less work, most are working harder, with longer hours, not fewer. It is almost as if we are trying to prove we are dedicated, productive and trustworthy

The question that haunts me is, are we working smarter, or just harder? Are we using our precious energy and time well?

The most valuable tasks you can do each day are often the hardest and most complex. The payoff and rewards for completing these tasks can be tremendous. It would be best if you adamantly refused to work on activities in the bottom 80 percent while you still have responsibilities in the top 20 percent that remain undone. To accomplish this is more difficult than it might seem because

there is often pressure or relentless demands to get those tasks in the 80 percent category done.

Before you begin work, always ask yourself, "Is this task in the top 20 per cent of my activities or the bottom 80 percent?"

Sometimes I feel conflicted between doing the 80 percent tasks because they look easy and are beckoning me, so I put aside the top 20 percent tasks, such as writing this article, which is one of my business development strategies to connect with others. As a result, I often work late into the evening when I no longer have calls to make or receive, when many of the 80% tasks have been completed, and most importantly, it is quiet enough for me to concentrate.

Carving out uninterrupted time during the day can be challenging. When I want to make substantial progress on a project, I stop other activities. However, later I often pay a price catching up on unattended activities.

I have learned the hardest part of any important task is just getting started. Similarly, I have discovered that when I do start a task, such as writing a few lines, this gets me into action, making it easier to continue at another time. Once you begin work on a valuable task, you will be naturally motivated to keep going.

A part of your mind loves to be busy working on significant tasks that can make a difference. Your job is to feed this part of your mind continually.

During this period of working primarily alone on a daily and weekly basis, pause to reflect and identify those significant tasks in the top 20 percent, recognize the difference you want to make and then allow yourself to set aside the 80 percent less important tasks waiting for your attention.

A few times every day, stop to check that you are giving attention to the 20 percent that is worthy of your time and energy.

You will be glad you decided to do the things that make the biggest difference with your life. 

One of many things we learned through this pandemic period is that our lives are precious and we are responsible for making the most of every day to live our life purpose.

If you’re ready to make every day count and would like to receive my FREE Report – Results Beyond Your Wildest Dreams, Click here

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Author: Marcelene Anderson, Marcelene@ravenstrategic.com www.ravenstrategic.com Creator of strategies for purposeful living that achieve results.