So here is the list of the things to do your tasks effectively and NOT waste time.
No better example is the movie of Denzel Washington, The Equalizer. If you don’t know the movie, you can find that on Netflix. Don’t worry it’s not a paid ad.
It’s a very violent movie, and although Washington plays a good guy who’s very helpful to those around him, he kills lots of bad guys in brutal, bloody ways (including guns, knives, a corkscrew, a shot glass, barbed wire, and a power drill). To make it short, what affects me was not how he kills people, but what he does before he kills the enemies.
What he does is he touches his clock and starts the timer. He kills them with precision and was brilliant with movements. He is so used to not wasting time, it was like magic. I know it’s just a movie, imagine what if you can do that to your daily life?
10 Things to do your tasks effectively
- Identify which tasks are important and focus on it
- Set a time schedule for the tasks
- Keep away from SNS websites. (UNLESS the tasks require you to do.)
- Breakdown the tasks for better time management
- Take a break!
- Use proper tools to get your work done easily
- Always think of a plan B, C, or D
- Never multitask
- Upgrade your skills
- Learn how to say ‘NO’!
1. Identify which tasks are important
Identifying tasks to do first depends on urgency, risks, and benefits. It’s like making a TO-DO list but identifying the tasks hierarchy.
You have to evaluate first the urgency of the tasks. How much time do we have to accomplish it? The more urgency it has the most likely it should be important.
Next, evaluate the risks! Ask yourself, will I lose my job if I don’t finish this on time? Will my wife get angry if I don’t accomplish this? It all goes down to your priorities.
Lastly, benefits. You will have more money if you accomplish the tasks. Or, your kid will love you for the whole summer. Or, you will get a bigger contract after this.
With a renewed focus on what’s important, it’s easier to create a meaningful to-do list.
2. Set a deadline for the tasks
Set a deadline on all the tasks to evaluate when you can finish, so you can manage your time.
People are more focused when they are on a deadline. When your teacher or boss said you have to finish this by the end of the week. You are so focused on accomplishing it. The need to accomplish something is a normal human trait. IF YOU LACK THIS, YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR LIFE RIGHT!
But always set a realistic timetable. Let say you have to type 1 million words for your papers and set it in 30 minutes. Unless you are a superhuman being, it’s just impossible.
3. Stay away from SNS websites
A moment of procrastination may end a lifetime of hard work.
Procrastination is the worst enemy of productivity. You can not just be focused on your tasks when you see your friend posting the highlights of your weekend together, congratulating your best friend’s anniversary, or saying birthday to your buddy in high school.
Staying away from SNS websites will save you a lot of time. But unless the work requires you to post on SNS, then don’t check on your DM’s and stay focus on the work on hand.
4. Breakdown the tasks for better management
If you have large tasks, feel free to break them down into smaller tasks. Then reset a time schedule for those tasks.
In this manner, you wouldn’t feel pressured or intimidated by the tasks at hand. Set a realistic timeline and accomplish the tasks not stressed out.
5. Take a break
For me taking a break, is not procrastination. It allows you to take a step back and think things through. But if you use this time to check your SNS then your not getting the point. I used to be in a Catholic School and once a year, we will have a retreat and send you to literally the top of the mountain. They will confiscate your phone and stay in the retreat house with no knowledge of what is happening in the outside world. I always feel focused when I go back to the real world. Same effect to doing your tasks.
Get a cigarette. Drink some wine. Get some water. But try to keep your eye on the tasks at hand. Then recover much focused and more determined to finish the task at hand.
6. Get the proper tools to get your work done faster
Getting the proper tools also needs some research as well. Before doing your tasks you should do some research on the most common tools to make your job easier.
For example, if you working on writing a blog, will be a great tool to be using plugins like Grammarly, or other websites. For designing websites, maybe instead of using photoshop, why not use Adobe XD.
Tools only help us to make jobs easier but it’s up to us still, on how we would do the task at hand. Don’t waste your time on using tools if you’re not maximizing their use. Sometimes using the tools, makes the job longer and much more complicated. Use tools that don’t complicate the work and you feel comfortable using. Then and only then you would maximize the tools and make your job easier and much more productive!
7. Always think of PLAN B, C, or even until Z
People get angry and stressing out, usually happens if you expected something and it didn’t materialize or happen. The reason they got angry is actually they didn’t anticipate what’s gonna happen and they don’t know how to react. So instead of being calm, we explode and get angry or stressed out.
Expectations will make your life stressed out. It will be much better if you anticipate that everything may not go your way. If you have time, facilitate another plan or what we call PLAN B.
This way, it won’t be a task in the future, but it will also make you more professional and make your work easier in the long run.
8. Never multitask
My wife usually loves multitasking, as she is successful in doing it. Taking care of my baby while doing some work. There are some things that are always left out and she always feels both emotionally and physically tired. We are told that multitasking is a trait we should have especially these times. But I say, that is bullshit!
Even if you are a trader like me who always looking at multiple screens, you need to focus on looking at the screen and looking at the news. It’s still one job that is connected to one another.
But if you’re doing some applications or paperwork, multitasking will only make your productivity decrease and will make your time to finish the task longer.
9. Upgrade skills
Even if you are a beginner or an expert in your field. It will never hurt to empty your basket and learn new stuff that could make your productivity increase. Probably joining even a forum, could give you more information and knowledge.
Getting up a lesson from Shareskill or Udemy, could actually provide you more knowledge from other sources that may improve your skill and increase your productivity.
10. Learn How to say NO!
I believe saying NO, needs guts. It always ends up, losing a friend or losing an opportunity. But if you have a goal, you should also evaluate which event you should go to or not.
If it’s an invitation from a friend you met at the bar last week. If there will be no benefit or improving relations, or make pile up more to your debt, why Go?
You could always say No! AND USE THAT TIME TO BUILD YOUR EMPIRE.
mikemalitao
I'm a Fitness Trainer, who happens to own an online business as well. Experience in starting up a business and was able to manage brands from zero clients to hundreds in a few months. I write anything about Health, Lifestyle and some new easy ways to make money.
