Think Ahead: Things can sideline you mentally when you are in the moment. Your mind doesn’t know how to think about what is going on and if it is needed. When you slow down and ask yourself if that meeting is essential or if you must answer the email right now, you allow your brain to put things into perspective.
Guard Your Calendar Closely: Only you can decide what goes on your calendar and what must remain off of it. Before committing to a new project or dinner out with friends, ask to get back to that person. Then, you can take your time to decide if it is worth putting on your schedule.
Put Your Most Important Tasks First: Swallow that Frog! Decide what the most important things are that you need to accomplish and do them first. These can be items where you create the most value in your life. You won’t get stuck in the tyranny of the urgent when you do this.
Allow Yourself Time to Let Your Mind Wander: Your brain will not function well if it is always on. It needs time to wind down. When you perform a mindless chore, you might be surprised at the different solutions that start popping into your head.
Choose Not to Multitask: I am a huge believer in the fact that there is no such thing as multitasking. Each time you switch between tasks you lose focus and are falling further and further behind. Because you are trying to do too much at once, you lose out on actuall productive time. Your brain doesn’t like multitasking either, it task switches and each time it needs a moment to refocus. Instead, focus on one task without interruptions and reap the benefits of getting more done.
Enjoy more of life while accomplishing your goals by planning, guarding your calendar, and refusing to be enslaved to overwhelm.
