The busy life can be difficult. Photo courtesy of neon.love The Essential Time-Saving Guide for Busy People
Your lives are always busy, I’m sure, but the holidays always seem to add even more craziness to everyone’s schedule. Christmas parties with family, friends and co-workers, gift shopping, decorating, Christmas pageants, caroling, bell-ringing, snow shoveling (unless you live on Guam like I do), making cookies, baking turkeys, and all the rest.
It’s enough to make you want to give up!
But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you’re a busy person (and who isn’t these days?), I’ve compiled some of my favorite time-saving tips — things I use in my daily life that I’ve found to work wonders for freeing up the schedule.
Why use these tips? First, to keep yourself sane during busy times — we all tend to stress out when schedules are packed. But second, and just as importantly, to make time for what you think is most important. For me, that’s my family, my writing, and exercise. You might have other things you want to make time for. Here’s how to do it.
Tips for Work
Most of us spend the most time at work, so let’s start there. If you have a to-do list that’s a mile long — or worse yet, no to-do list at all — here’s what you can do:
1. Do less. This is my favorite productivity tip, as long-time readers know — simplify your schedule by doing fewer things but focusing on the important things. This will greatly increase the impact of the time you do work, decreasing the time you need to work. What about the tasks you don’t do? See the tips below for more on dealing with them.
2. Delegate. If a task needs to be done but is not one of your most important tasks, and it can be done by someone else, delegate it. Sometimes you can get rid of half your to-do list by finding others who can do the task as well or even better than you can.
3. Limit your workday (or adjust your hours). If you work more than 8 hours a day, by setting a limit of 8 hours you’ll force yourself to focus on getting the must-do tasks done within that limit. If you work 8 hours a day, try limiting yourself to 6 hours. You’ll find that you’ll prioritize, work more efficiently, and waste less time, so that you can get the work done within that time frame. I try to give myself a 4- or 5-hour window on most days. What if you can’t reduce your hours (maybe you’re required to work a certain number of hours)? See if you can shift your work hours either earlier or later than the rest of the crowd. That’ll reduce commute time if you don’t commute during the busy traffic hours, and if you work when almost no one else is in the office you can get tons more done.
4. Get the important stuff done early. Pick the top 2-3 things you need or want to accomplish today, and get those done first. While on other days you might push these important things back (and possibly not get them done at all), if you do them first the rest of your day will be gravy. In fact, if you have the freedom, you can sometimes even call it a day after you get the important stuff done — the rest can wait until tomorrow.
5. Ask your boss to re-prioritize for you. If you don’t have control over your schedule or to-do list, talk to your boss. Tell him you are trying to be more effective with your time, and you only have time for X number of things today (say, 3-4 things) … so ask him to pick those things for you. Tell him if you try to do everything today you’ll be less effective and may not get as many things done or do as good a job. This prioritizing is essentially what you’d do yourself (see the first tip) if you had the freedom.
6. Batch tasks. Instead of interspersing your work day with small tasks all mixed together, try to group similar tasks and do them at once. For example, instead of responding to emails throughout the day, batch them and do all your emails once (or twice) a day. Do all your paperwork at once. Make all phone calls in one batch. Do all errands at once. This grouping of tasks saves a lot of time and allows you to focus better on the important tasks.
7. Focus on one project and get it done. Instead of juggling a large number of projects, set aside a block of time to do one project until completion. For me, this often means setting aside half a day or a day (I try to break my projects down into manageable chunks) to work on a project, and I try to complete it if at all possible. Often this means getting all the resources and information you need beforehand, so you don’t have to look for it or wait on it when you’re ready to actually work on the project. This also means clearing my schedule, so I’ll get other tasks done beforehand and I won’t schedule anything else for that block of time. Then work on that project exclusively and try very hard to get it done. This, I’ve found, is often the most effective way to work on projects.
8. Avoid meetings. Not all meetings are a waste of time, but many are. If you spend a lot of time in meetings, but would rather be doing your actual work instead of listening to other people talk about things they could have sent you in an email, see if you can get out of some of those meetings. You’ll get a lot more done. Read more.
9. Avoid long conversations at work. We’ve all had long conversations with co-workers that were very unproductive — often not related to work or anything important. Sometimes they’re long phone conversations. And while I like conversing with other human beings as much as the next guy — it’s important to maintain good relationships and friendships — at the same time you could be spending that time doing other things. I personally would rather get all my work done and go home and spend time with my family. So I try to stay focused on work rather than having lots of long conversations, although I’ll make an exception now and then.
10. Learn to say no. This is crucial if you want to have a simplified schedule. We all receive numerous requests each day, and all of them are demands on our time. If we say “yes” to those requests, we are giving up our time and committing to doing something for someone else. But if those requests aren’t in line with our priorities, then we are usually biting off more than we want to chew. So learn to say “no” instead. Often this is uncomfortable, because we fear it means disappointing others. But learn to tell people that you just don’t have the time to commit to this right now, and often they’ll understand.
Time-saving Computer Tips
1. Disconnect when possible. This is my favorite computer tip. When I really want to focus on a task, and really get it done, I will disconnect from the Internet. Sometimes this means just closing my browser, other times it will mean disconnecting from my wireless network, and still other times I unplug the cord. However you do it, disconnecting from the Internet is a great way to get things done. Of course, you’ll eventually want to re-connect, but having blocks of time when you’re disconnected can be extremely productive.
2. Quicksilver or AutoHotkey. Quicksilver for Mac users, Autohotkey for PCs. I’ve used both an find them to be indispensable tools for getting things done efficiently. For example, we all have documents, programs, folders and websites we go to frequently — set up a hotkey to open them with a keystroke. It takes a little learning to figure out how to set these up (but you can Google tutorials), and to set up each hotkey might take a couple minutes. But once they’re set up, you’re lightning fast. You can go beyond these hotkeys for more powerful combinations, such as a hotkey to email something or resize a photo or do a thousand other things — I have probably a dozen or so I use regularly that save me hours when you add them all up over the course of a month.
3. Keyboard shortcuts for email. Similarly, your email program almost certainly has keyboard shortcuts, and if you’re not using them you should learn them. By using shortcuts for opening, sending, filing, searching and navigating through emails, you can work through a batch of emails in no time. And if you add shortcuts (via Quicksilver or AutoHotkey) for commonly used text or signatures, you can zip through your replies faster than I can go through a batch of Oreos.
4. Email filters. Let your email program do your work for you. I use Gmail filters, but programs such as Outlook or Mail.app, or what have you, all have similar filtering features. Learn to use them and set up filters for your most common emails. This will usually happen over time as you notice that you’re getting a lot of a certain type of email. For example, I get certain stats and financial reports relating to my work that I have labeled and filed by a filter, so that they never see the light of my inbox. Then I can always go and look in that label (or folder) to read those reports if I need to, but don’t need to read them when I go through my inbox. I also use filters to automatically delete emails from people who send me chain and joke emails (harsh, I know, but I get tired of those), and to file notifications from services like Facebook, Twitter, Paypal and other services.
5. Limit IM, Twitter, forums, other social stuff. You can spend all day chatting with others, or Twittering or going on online forums or social media. And while all of these tools have good uses, they can take up too much of your time if you let them. Set limits for yourself — say one hour a day to do all of these things, at a certain block of time in your schedule. You’ll have lots more time for the important tasks.
6. Stop worrying about filing. I’ve written about this before, of course, but I don’t really believe in filing anymore. Everything I do is digital these days, both online and on my computer’s hard drive. And I learned from Gmail that you can just archive something and search for it later without any problems (I’ve been doing this for two years with no problems finding things at all). So I do this with everything: files on my hard drive, documents in Google Docs and Spreadsheets, other types of online files. And my filing time has been reduced to almost zero — while I used to spend lots of time filing each day.
Tips for Home
1. Keep things clutter-free. I’m a big fan of clutter-free homes and workspaces, not only for their nicer aesthetics but because 1) it helps you to focus on what you’re doing instead of being distracted by visual clutter; 2) it’s more serene and relaxing; and 3) it saves time. How does it save time? It makes things easier to find, easier to clean, easier to navigate, and reduces wasted time reshuffling, sorting, looking through, and clearing away piles of clutter. Read more.
2. Keep things in their place. Similarly, having a “home” for everything saves time. You can have an uncluttered home but not know where anything belongs … instead, have a place for everything, and put things back in that place when you’re not using them. Make this a key habit in your life — when you’re done with something, put it back where it belongs. It takes a few seconds to do that, and saves time cleaning up later, looking for things (how many times have you lost something and searched long and hard for it?), and generally keeps things neater and uncluttered.
3. Teach kids to clean up after themselves. If you’re a parent, you know that keeping an uncluttered household isn’t easy when you have little rugrats running around making a mess every minute of the live-long day. Start your kids, from an early age, with the habit of cleaning up after themselves when they’re done playing. So let’s say they take out a bucket of building blocks and make a huge mess — that’s OK, but when they’re done, help them to pick everything up, put them in the bucket, and put the bucket back in its “home”. My younger kids like to sing a “Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere” song as they clean. Make it a game! With six kids, this has saved us countless hours of cleaning up after our kids.
4. Prep the night before. Whether you’re single or have a household full of kids, mornings might be a rush for you. Instead, create an evening routine where you get everything ready the night before, so you can start your day off right. This might not technically save time, but it gives you more time in the morning to focus on getting important things done rather than rushing through your routine.
5. Don’t watch too much TV. I personally have wasted entire days watching TV, so I know what a big time-hole television can be. Instead, limit your TV viewing time — maybe an hour a day? — and use the time you otherwise would have been watching TV on more important things — spending time with your loved ones, exercising, writing that novel you’ve been dreaming about.
6. Plan your weekly menu. If you plan out what you’re going to have for dinner (and even lunch) each day of the week, you can save a lot of time. First, you can go grocery shopping and get everything you need all at once — in fact, if you repeat the weekly menu the next week, you can do two weeks of shopping in one trip. Second, you can prepare food ahead of time (see next item), and pack your lunch easily for work. Third, you don’t have to worry about what’s for dinner each evening — it’s right there on the menu you posted on the fridge.
7. Cook big batches. I like to make large batches of food, which is especially helpful when you have a big family. I’ll cook up a big batch of chili, veggie soup, spaghetti, or other dish, and eat the leftovers for lunch or dinner (sometimes it can be several lunches and dinners).
8. Do all your errands at once. This is the same as the “batching” tip from the work section above (as is the previous tip, and the next tip). Write your errands on an errands list throughout the week, and do them all on one day. Plan your route so you do the least amount of driving possible, and get it all done quickly. Compared to running multiple errand trips, this method saves a lot of time.
9. Do your banking online, all at once. I like to do this once every week or even two weeks … I have all my bills ready to pay (actually, most of them are set up to be paid automatically by my bank’s bill-pay system), I reconcile my online bank statement, pay the bills, check my automatic savings transfers and so on.
10. Clean in one big rush. While I like to keep things clean by cleaning as I go, there’s also the sweeping and mopping and cleaning the bathrooms and things like that … and it’s a big time-saver to do it all in one big rush. My whole family will take different parts of the house, and we’ll do the cleaning all at once as fast as we can. We’re done in 30-45 minutes, and we can relax the rest of the day. Ahhh!
11. Get your workouts done in no time. If you don’t have a lot of time but want to stay (or get) in shape, try bodyweight exercises in circuits, but make the workout more intense by trying to do as many circuits as you can in a short amount of time. For example, do circuits of pullups, pushups, and bodyweight squats (5, 10, and 15 respectively) … and do as many as possible in 10 minutes (or 20 if you’re fit). Create your own circuits with different exercises, or look for similar challenges online to mix things up. Don’t do these intense exercises if you’re just starting out — just try to do a few circuits but not quickly if you’re still a beginner.
12. Keep a great big calendar. My family stays organized with a big calendar on our fridge (which I also manually sync with Gcal because I like Gcal). Everything goes on our calendar: parties, meetings, school events, soccer games, music lessons, birthdays, volunteering dates, and so on. This ensures that we don’t overschedule, that we’re all in sync with each other, and that we don’t miss appointments or events. And one big calendar saves time because we don’t have to keep checking with each other or looking at various schedules.
13. Get a babysitter or swap babysitting. If you are a parent and don’t have time to do things, hire a babysitter so you can find the time, or swap babysitting with another parent. My sister and I do this, for example — we’ll watch her kids some days and she’ll watch ours on others. It’s great because we have more time to do things, and our kids get to play together.
14. Consider hiring someone. Sometimes it makes more sense to hire someone to do something, especially if your time is worth more money than you’re paying that person. For example, if I have a large yard that would take me five hours to maintain (it’s pretty big), it makes more sense for me to pay someone as I can earn more during those 5 hours by working. Other things you might pay someone for: other home maintenance projects, washing your car, doing errands or laundry, doing your taxes … just about anything where doing it yourself isn’t cost-effective.
What are your time-saving tips? Share in the comments!
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- Spewed into the world on 7 December 2008 in Productivity & Organization, Simplicity |
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Brilliant comments (65)
Success Professor - Danny Gamache Says:
December 7th, 2008, 19:45 pm
Leo,
Wonderful list. My favorites from each category are:
Work - #3 - Limit your workday - this way you can use the type of efficiency you have the day before you leave on vacation all day long.
Computer - #6 - Stop worrying about filing - one of the best things I’ve done this year is switch to Gmail and use the archiving technology you talk about.
Home - #4 - Prep the night before - by preparing your day the night before you can hit the ground running and avoid being stressed in the morning.
My favorite new tip is applicable for home or the office. It suggests to start your day with a power hour. This is an hour of focused activity on an important project to start the day. You can read full details here:
http://successprofessor.ca/2008/08/29/start-your-day-with-a-power-hour/
Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy Says:
December 7th, 2008, 19:54 pm
Wow, nice list of your greatest hits, if you will!
This is going to be one of the more hectic holiday seasons I’ve seen in a while. More responsibilities, more friends, and more time-consuming activities mean managing everything is going to be a real challenge.
But on the other hand, these things mean I have grown as a person, I have great relationships with my friends and family, and I’m keeping productive and will NEVER be bored. So I guess being too busy is really a blessing in disguise!
Valeria | TimelessLessons Says:
December 7th, 2008, 20:07 pm
This is pretty much why I read Zen Habits: clarity and intelligence. These tips are all ones which can actually work, if applied.
For me, setting a defined number of things to do each day amnd sticking to them really works, as does finding out what the important stuff is and ensuring they get done to make you happy.
Tabitha (From Single to Married) Says:
December 7th, 2008, 20:26 pm
The husband and I were just sitting here talking about how we didn’t get a, b, and c done no our list this weekend. I will definitely look at your tips and see what I can do better because I need help!! :)
Peter Efland Says:
December 7th, 2008, 20:29 pm
This is the first comment I have ever made on your blog Leo, and it is long overdue. Zenhabits have been among my absolute favorite blogs for a long time now, and I read all your posts with great interest… exactly because of posts like these. Great work! always thoughtful ideas.
Btw. The no archive idea is of course not only with Gmails… Google desktop makes that as possible on your entire computer as well, an amazing tool.
Trevor Says:
December 7th, 2008, 20:34 pm
Wow, longgggggggg list filled with lots of awesome ideas.
I use a lot of these like keyboard shortcuts but my family is skeptical of doing their banking online. Who knows when you’ll be phished.
A Dawn Says:
December 7th, 2008, 20:41 pm
That’s a long but jam-packed with lots of tips article. I am on vacation for almost a month and one thing I am noticing that I am even busier than ever. I planned before that I would be spending time at coffee shops reading books or just writing articles. But now - my Internet entrepreneurship is keeping me busy at home more than before.
Cheers,
A Dawn Journal
http://www.adawnjournal.com
Vered - MomGrind Says:
December 7th, 2008, 20:43 pm
My best tip for the home would be to make sure your goal is never “perfect”. Running your home on a daily basis or hosting a party, it won’t be - and shouldn’t be - perfect. Once I was able to let go of trying to host the perfect dinner party, I started actually enjoying them. Who knew.
Christina (from Northern Cheapskate) Says:
December 7th, 2008, 20:46 pm
This is one of the best time management articles I’ve seen! It is right on!
When I was pregnant with my twins, my doctor made me cut my hours to half-time. I was amazed at how much I could get done in that amount of time.
Now that I am a stay-at-home mom, a lot of my “work” time has to happen when the kids are napping or in bed, so I am glad I learned how to do more in less time!
Thanks for a great post!
Maria | Never the Same River Twice Says:
December 7th, 2008, 21:00 pm
This isn’t a time saving tip so much as an energy management tip, but it’s one I’ve found vital:
If you’re an introvert, reserve at least half a day per week for “me time.” For me, this means time to relax, read, and generally enjoy the quiet. It’s very important for recharging my batteries and keeping me effective during the rest of the week.
Oh, and avoid Harry Potter movie marathons. I lost all of yesterday to one!
kathy Says:
December 7th, 2008, 21:41 pm
Time savers that work best for me are on-line banking and automatic payments. I’ve used online banking for more that 12 years now and have had no issues. The on-line banking also makes it easy to keep up with the expenditures of my college-age children. We share bank accounts and a credit card that I pay each month from all of our accounts. I can also deposit money in their accounts if needed and it makes it much easier (and faster) to manage then sending a check. I love auto-pay and use it for everything! When days get lost in chaos or I’m traveling, I don’t have to worry about bills getting paid on time. This is great for credit scores too.
The night before routine is a life saver. I adopted this practice when I had a job that required me to get up at 3:00 AM to get to work on time. Since I was never really awake when I left for work, it helped a lot to have my clothes ready in the closet, my briefcase packed by the door, and my lunch packed in the fridge. Thank goodness I don’t have that schedule (or commute) any longer, but I still prepare the night before. I set aside ingredients for a quick healthy breakfast, make sure my chosen outfit is pressed and ready, my lunch box is packed, and the coffee maker is ready to wake me to that delectable aroma. This leaves me time in the morning when I’m at my best to meditate and write.
At this time of year, one of the biggest time savers is on-line shopping. My daughters are great, they send me links to items on their wish lists and I can shop in my PJ’s. Beats a trip to the mall any day!
Heidi Reimer-Epp Says:
December 7th, 2008, 22:02 pm
This tip is a little embarrassing, but when I want to wear nail polish for a special night out, I first tie on my runners, then apply nail polish, then go for a 45 min walk on the treadmill while the nail polish dries. That way, I’ve killed two birds - put on nail polish AND had a work out.
Liara Covert Says:
December 7th, 2008, 22:35 pm
You remind people that they have the ability to simplify their own lives and write lists that guide their own progress. Thanks for taking the time to share more of your personal experience. People can always choose to learn from each other.
Goal Geek Says:
December 7th, 2008, 22:42 pm
Great list! Another holiday time-saver I’m developing this year: lists! A big part of my stress every year is figuring out who to buy gifts for, how much to spend, when things need to be ordered and shipped by, etc. This year I’m going to turn it all into a project plan that can be implemented every year (preferably in November!).
Danny Brown Says:
December 7th, 2008, 22:46 pm
Thank you for such a comprehensive list. We often get caught too much in the hustle and bustle of life we forget how to stand back and make our time effective. These tips should be a “101 Guide” for everyone.
I have Zen Fever! Says:
December 7th, 2008, 22:47 pm
Leo - great tips. Now do some Christmas articles. Should we buy gifts? or Should we just spend time with others?
Curtis Penner (BeFitandStrong.com) Says:
December 7th, 2008, 22:48 pm
Before adding to the list, I’d like to say that batch cooking has been a lifesaver. Between diving practice and piano lessons, we don’t have a moment to cook dinner 3 out of 5 weekdays. We cook several big batches of food on Sunday and portion it all out so all we have to do is grab a container and go.
Having just moved to a one car family, I would recommend keeping some sort of reading material with you or on a PDA. I’ve read so many great books since taking public transit to work. And now that my library offers audio downloads for many popular books, I can kick back, relax and listen to my favorite authors impart their wisdom.
Dave Smay Says:
December 7th, 2008, 22:59 pm
Again, you nailed it. My favorites that I’d have to certainly second are:
• 1. Do less.
• 10. Learn to say no.
These two help me in corporate life more than just about anything else.
So many of us say and feel that we can’t say, “No;” that we can’t afford to do less. Instead, I’ve found doing less actually allows me to accomplish *MORE* So much of corporate life is about the fires - meetings, perceived needs, garbage projects, busy work, routines, traditions, etc.
Instead, as Leo has said before, think of the big boulders first–those will be the important items you accomplished when you (and your superiors/clients) look back one day and think of your successes. -DS
Thomas Says:
December 7th, 2008, 23:00 pm
The work ones have been around as a majority, for a long time, but I do like your approach for the personal and home tips… good show.
James Thomas Says:
December 7th, 2008, 23:08 pm
That’s a really useful list you’ve put together there. I like the idea of having a ‘to do’ list for each day where my goal is to tackle the most important tasks first.
I also find that if I have 1 or 2 big tasks to do (which I may be procrastinating over because they feel daunting) as well as several smaller tasks, I’ll almost always do the smaller tasks first.
This is because I know I can complete them quickly which feels like I’m making great progress. I then carry this ‘momentum’ into my bigger tasks and often find that I can get them done faster and more efficiently.
Anyway, great post!
Eden Says:
December 7th, 2008, 23:14 pm
I love the task batching and avoiding meetings tips. I work hard at doing both every day at the office!
Ravi Says:
December 8th, 2008, 1:03 am
My favorite way to save time, is to limit the amount of incoming information. This means cutting back on newspapers, magazines, e-mail lists (yes even the number of blogs I read!!!).
When I but out all the extraneous junk, I have a lot more time for the important things…and less temptation to distract myself.
I also go low-tech when possible, often opting to read a book instead of browse web sites for information…since using the computer at all makes it tempting to go online and get randomized.
LifeMadeGreat | Juliet Says:
December 8th, 2008, 1:04 am
Hi
Thanks for the computer tips - I need those!
I also find that procrastinating can be a wast of time. One can spend an awful lot of energy thinking about why you should be doing something or when it will be better to do it etc. instead of more productive thoughts.
Juliet
J.D. Meier Says:
December 8th, 2008, 1:15 am
Beautiful tips.
I think a lot of time saving is about mindset, plate management, and technique. Here’s a few tips I use:
* 3 outcomes for today. Each day, pick 3 things that really matter and bubble them to the top of your laundry list of to dos.
* Turn some *have tos* into *want tos.* You improve your mindset by reframing from victim to choice.
* Manage energy, not time. It’s not how many hours are in your week, it’s how many power hours you use effectively.
* Carve out time for what’s important. Budget time for it. Making time for what matters let’s you drive. Drive or be driven.
* Manage your plate. Think of your plate. If it’s overflowing, finish what’s on your plate before getting more.
* Bite off what you can chew. Time’s a limited resource.
* Have a buffer. Allocating extra time for things can help you deal with the random and unexpected events.
* Let stuff slough off. What was important on your list yesterday may not be important today.
* Increase your frustration tolerance. Don’t let people or events push your buttons. This is the secret to increased happiness.
* Reset your expectations. Don’t get mad at traffic. Expect it.
* One pitch at a time. Focus on the ball, not the scoreboard. Master your craft.
Zoe Says:
December 8th, 2008, 1:58 am
The idea of limiting your work hours to push yourself to be more efficient — so simple, so effective. If I sit down to complete a freelance project and give myself open-ended time, I’ll inevitably take longer than I need to.
Great, simple advice here!
Andrew R Says:
December 8th, 2008, 2:34 am
Hey Leo,
Really good tips here. I think the one that will help me the most is the one about being clutter-free. I just basically need to clean my room!!
Thanks for the suggestions!
All the Best,
Andrew R
Chris - Zen to Fitness Says:
December 8th, 2008, 2:43 am
Pretty amazing post, reminded me of when I was reading 4 hour work week. Which I need to read again, but in the mean time this post will serve as a great reference guide!
etavitom Says:
December 8th, 2008, 3:43 am
time is such an important issue and your post is fantastic. thanks again for all the profound wisdom…
prodjunkie Says:
December 8th, 2008, 3:52 am
how about reading less productivity articles?
Michael | Go Success Now Says:
December 8th, 2008, 5:10 am
The most important time-saving tip is to prioritize. It is a general tip, but without it, you won’t get things done, you will have a mess at home, work etc., you can follow as many tips as you like, but you will always feel stress and feel like you always lack time for all the other stuff.
Plan your day or week and get the things done today, don’t leave them for tomorrow.
Chris (from Lifestyle Project) Says:
December 8th, 2008, 5:42 am
Leo - the great thing about this post is that is captures all of your concepts (almost) in a great guide.
Reading through the list I see how I try to do pretty much all of these anyway, HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean I always do them! Maybe I set up some reminders to check I am doing them.
As for a festive tip: we are not giving presents in our wider family this year. This saves time and money. The most important thing is seeing each other not getting more present clutter.
As for presents for other family members, my fiancée and I have made ‘homemade hampers’ for our parents and enjoyed shopping for foods and drink in delis locally and sticking them in a jute bag.
ram Says:
December 8th, 2008, 6:27 am
Hi,
I think it’s a wonderful list of keeping a person quite involved.
If the person schedule his day according to the above list,
it’s going to save a lost of time.
Glen Allsopp Says:
December 8th, 2008, 6:46 am
I’m going to be a full-time blogger shortly (on two blogs) so things like this are great for me.
Thanks for the comprehensive list Leo
Stumbled!
Cheers,
Glen
Reginald Newburne Says:
December 8th, 2008, 8:00 am
Balderdash and poppycock, old chap! You should throw this article in the rubbish bin, Leo. Quite insufferable advice, bloke.
Pip-pip! Tallyho!
Jor Says:
December 8th, 2008, 8:00 am
@Leo thanks for posting your great list.
@J.D.Meier, I like your tips, very insightful. Few people have so broad vision to see the trap they are in.
One of my favorite tips ever is “sharpen the saw” by Covey.
Daphne Says:
December 8th, 2008, 8:36 am
Wow, three lists in one post! Well worth the read, as usual.
Using email filters is great. I also use Gmail which allows me to archive all emails in the relevant folders - when I’m busy I just file without reading, knowing they are there if I ever need them. Strangely, I never need them!
The other thing I do to protect my time is to decide which things I’m going to leave undone - my “not to do” list as it were. This includes not watching TV, not reading emails not addressed directly to me etc.
ankur kakkar Says:
December 8th, 2008, 9:42 am
hi sir, your blog is always a nice read .. i am new to it and have become an instant fan.. maybe u didnt read my earlier comments as they were too flattering to be ignored :P
Nicolas Soergel Says:
December 8th, 2008, 9:50 am
Hi,
What a wonderful collection of tips. I could make a few additions
1) Shorten meeting time
If a meeting is necessary, shorten it to 30 minutes. People will prepare better and directly come to the point.
2) get up early
Do a first working session early in the morning. You will not be disturbed and you can work without interruptions. This fit very well to the tip on getting the most important things done early.
3) Send less emails
For each 5 emails you send you will in average send 3 emails in return. You can significantly reduce your inbox if you selective on the mails you send.
These is an extract of more than 200 concrete time saving tips on how to gain an extra hour every day from my Time Management Master blog. The tips apply at work, at home and on the road.
Daniel Richard Says:
December 8th, 2008, 9:56 am
And the cool part is that I’m actually very blessed now to have people coming up on their own initiative to help me out with the work - no delegation needed, totally automated.
No need for any re-prioritizing for me now. Haha.
Great post here Leo. :)
Takumi86 Says:
December 8th, 2008, 11:45 am
Aww man, this is the best article i’ve seen so far from this site, i can’t really agree with you more when i read point no 1, 3, 7 - 10 damn, that was really hit on me, i shouldn’t have done that in my office
Rebecca Says:
December 8th, 2008, 12:08 pm
Thanks for the tips. I do find that the cleaning in one big rush works great for me. With two little ones around I do find it hard to tackle the decluttering though. As soon as I get rid of some toys the grandparents are right there giving them more! It’s a vicious cycle.
The Bold Life/Tess Says:
December 8th, 2008, 12:10 pm
I commit to doing five of these things by Dec. 31. You’re a great example of making the right choices and having your life run smoothly and effectively because of them.
Thanks,
Tess
rizzy Says:
December 8th, 2008, 13:40 pm
I do the ” Do Less” thing, but I seriously do not get your delegate tip. I think you should give an example of the delegate tip, because in my world it doesn’t exist.
And doing the important things at first never seem to work for me, for some reason. I would do the most important things, but then I would get so lazy I will completely forget about the other tasks I need to complete.
The Online Tips are the most useful tools I have ever found on how to save time when addicted to computer. Just disconnect. WOW
Regards: rizzy
http://twitter.com/rizzy81
Joe | A New Band A Day Says:
December 8th, 2008, 15:48 pm
I’m a big fan of saying ‘no’ - it’s so easy to say ‘yes’ to everything, especially if it’s something fun - but quite often you end up cramming too much in. Then, not only do you end up having lost control of your own life, because you’re ruled by all the things you’ve committed to doing, but because of that you can’t enjoy those things as much anyway.
Oh, and meetings are almost always a waste of time!
MizFit Says:
December 8th, 2008, 17:45 pm
so true. my life has been far less complicated now that I delegate AND say no AND am trying to teach my Toddler Tornado to clean up after herself.
and for me its also attitude.
avoiding the *sigh* and replacing with a smile.
cheesy but true.
Beth Partin Says:
December 8th, 2008, 17:48 pm
Leo,
a while ago I asked you about doing short workouts, so thanks for the tip “Get Your Workouts Done in No Time.” I especially like burpees, but I always have trouble doing pushups–I keep tensing up my neck.
Hot Approach Coach Says:
December 8th, 2008, 20:35 pm
Hey Leo,
These are some grat tips aswell. I think the worse thing about being busy all the time is that you are NEVER in that moment.
You are either living in the past or caught up in the future and you have no time to enjoy the now.
If you are doing on task then you are concerned about the next one.
Then you are forever stresses because there will ALWAYS be something else to do.
Your tips are practical but also allow people to look in the now see exactly what is in front of them and then move forward in that.
Thanks!
Hot Approach Coach
Approach Anywoman, Anywhere, Anytime
Gunner Says:
December 8th, 2008, 20:44 pm
Nice list Leo, Thnax.
Alex Says:
December 9th, 2008, 5:43 am
I have 2 quick tips to share:
1. The first tip comes from my friend John Assaraf (johnassaraf.com) - have you noticed before in your life what happens a day before you go for a vacation? You get things done! Like a pro…you become a “master of productivity”.
why not think (imagine) every morning that you’re about to go for a vacation? It also may help you “attract” a real vacation into your life.You can place a suitcase nears your door or your desk to remind yourself about the upcoming vacation…it will make you do the important things first and faster, and it may put a smile on your face : )
2. One day on / one day off - I am a self employed and in one point I felt that I’m working to hard (12-15 hours a day) and not enjoyed anything…so I had an ides and decided to give it a go ….the idea was to work one day and relaxed on the following one.
Since I made this change, my productivity level went up and my stress level went down. By the way, today is my day off…
In this way I am more productive, and I’m more relaxed because I know that tomorrow is my “fun day” I’m going to enjoy doing things without a special purpose…like playing guitar, reading this blog : ) or just read books or take a walk on the beach…in this way I’m much more productive and happy…I got all the time in the world….try it for yourself.
Alex Ziv
http://alexziv.com
Vincent Says:
December 9th, 2008, 6:11 am
Hi Leo,
Learning to say no is important. If we are not able to say no, we might end up taking up tasks that we should not be doing and thus causing it to take up our precious time. Knowing when to say no can definitely help us to choose our task wisely.
Cheers
Vincent
Personal Development Blogger
Vivek Says:
December 9th, 2008, 13:50 pm
Leo,
Timely!
I just realised i was doing the work of two people. Half ot it, just ‘helping’ others out.
This way I am doing nothing well.
V
Grace Kleppin Says:
December 13th, 2008, 0:10 am
I go back to basics: exercise, sunshine, simple food, and rest. If I have energy, I can got a lot done in a shorter amount of time or I can figure out what I DON’T really need to do.
I delay as many projects as I can. And I put up a PERT schedule. What absolutely positively has to be done by which deadlines? Save wear and tear on my psyche and brain time because I don’t have to keep reminding myself not to forget them.
Finally, I try to be easier on myself. I am working as hard as I can, doing as much as I can, and I need to give myself accolades not critical put-downs.
G.
Miss Attica Says:
December 13th, 2008, 9:48 am
Great list of time-savers. I believe in giving what you do your full attention. Get it done properly, then the same for your next task, etc.
Amy Says:
December 13th, 2008, 15:26 pm
FANTASTIC post. I couldn’t have said it better so I’ve put it on my blog & credited it to you and linked back here in hopes that folks might come check out zenhabits.net.
Ellen Says:
December 15th, 2008, 3:25 am
I love this list and feel so overwhelmed by it at the same time. I know these are all tips that will help me enormously but don’t know where to start…I’ll be reading your post multiple times to find a starting point and I know…baby steps. Thanks for offering this great guide!
Outlet Says:
December 15th, 2008, 17:30 pm
“Keep a great big calendar” is it ok for you? I think you like strict rules and strict life. No suprise. You have your own cal…
KJ* Says:
December 23rd, 2008, 16:33 pm
These tips are much welcomed. I have a computer tip I’d like to share, and although it takes a little getting used to combined with deliberate patience, it has saved me hundreds of “mouse miles”. Go you your mouse/pointer options in the control panel and check the “Automatically move pointer to the default button in a dialog box” option. Each time a dialog box opens, your mouse cursor will be waiting on you there to make a choice. Keeping your hand still takes some practice, but I wouldn’t have it any other way now!
Oh oh, one more. I have dual 24″ monitors with many programs open at once. I checked the “Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key” and it will flash a circle around the cursor so I can find it easily.
Happy Holidays!
Blogodate Says:
January 3rd, 2009, 15:41 pm
WOW, thank you for your second computer tip (AutoHotkey)!!!
Taylor at Household-Management-101 Says:
January 12th, 2009, 23:26 pm
My tip is to do laundry on a weekly schedule. This saves time because the laundry gets done regularly so no one runs out of clean clothes. It also saves time by doing just a little every day, where it does not become overwhelming.
I have found, as I am sure you have Leo, that the larger the family, the more important this tip is.
Charnchai Lersbantornkul Says:
January 15th, 2009, 11:22 am
I love to follow the tips that Zenhabits always suggests….I believe that these tips will work.
So far, I have done some of them already. It is true!
g.geethamalika Says:
February 27th, 2009, 10:12 am
START YOUR DAY EARLY.LOVE WHAT YOU DO.WORK WITH INVOLVEMENT.WORK EFFICIENTLY.YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH WONDERS
Incoming (36)
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