Work Smart And Play More Often

In a Facebook group, someone asked for strategies to help them start off their work week, with strong, clear, enthusiastic purpose. Like me, they liked to work smart and play more often!

 

 

 

 

The following is one, simple idea which I used in my response to their post. Several people liked it, and I figured that you might too.

At end of each Friday, write down the one thing that, if it were done by Monday night, you’d feel like you’ll be flying for the rest of the week.

Let go of it in your mind (now you’ve written them down), and allow your subconscious to simply go to work on them over the weekend.

Writing it down in good detail, with its specific actions, before leaving the workspace on Friday, supports that.

Make it a hard and fast rule for yourself that, first thing Monday you MAY NOT begin ANY other task, UNTIL that task is completed. Yes, really!

If you’re eager to do something more fun or check email, then you’ll have good incentive to get that job done (provided that you stick to your original rule).

When you tell someone else, they’ll be sure to hold you to your “personal rule”, too.

People Happen To Things Quote ImageThat neat and quick, mind-hacking trick works very well at any time during the week, and particularly evenings.

At the end of a day, I’ve often written down three things that I want completed the next day, as priorities.

Incredibly, and sometimes without consciously going to work on those tasks, most of them are magically done, by the end of the next day.

I read somewhere that a typical “office worker” does only around 90 minutes of productive work each day.

If that’s so, then it’s logical to set specific targets for the very first 90 minutes of your working day.

You’ll then have lots of free time to take care of the smaller, trifling or much more fun jobs, during the remainder of that day.

Alternatively, and this is more the way that I prefer to work, is setting up two 45 minute blocks of time each day.

Here’s how a work session of 45 minutes might look…

Choose one clear theme for the block. This allows you to work within a context and stick to it, which makes you more efficient.

Have a clear goal for the end of your block of work time. What does the finish line look like? Sometimes you’ll miss your target and that’s quite OK.

Be certain about the specific actions that you’ll take during this block of time. A short list of steps may be helpful (unless you’ll be involved in a process that’s already familiar to you).

Comfortable Inaction Quote ImageEnsure, in advance, that you’ll not be interrupted under any circumstances during your working session. Tell people in advance and lock the door if you can.

I like to pretend I’m racing the clock, and keep up a strong, fast pace for the full 45-minute session.

Then, after you complete your work block, celebrate your achievement with a complete break to restore your mental energy.

You can decide the length of your break. It might be only a short one, to squeeze another 45-minute fast work session into your morning or, have a long break and get outside.

You now get to choose, if you’d like one or two concentrated work blocks in each day. One at the beginning and one near the end or, both in the morning with a short break between.

I usually start with one early in the day, then get clear about something I want to achieve at the later end of the day or I might set an extra session during late morning. That gives me whole afternoons to “play” with the kind of work tasks that I really enjoy.

Completing a day’s work in one or two of these high action blocks of time is very energizing a super motivating for the next day, too.

Plus, in order to think creatively, your brain needs time to wander and roam. Make sure you include two fast-paced, concentrated work blocks into each day so you get that time to cruise.

Thea Westra

Thea Westra

You’ll have more fun during your working week, get more bright ideas and have a lot more time for the kind of activities that you really love to do.

Listen to Thea Westra’s FREE 50-minute audio titled 100 Forward Steps Life Power Tips. You also get a free PDF ebook of 179 Forward Steps life power tips, to accompany the MP3. In fact, you get 50 free PDF ebooks!

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About Thea Westra

Listen to Thea Westra's free 50-minute audio titled 100 Forward Steps Life Power Tips. You also get a free PDF ebook of 179 Forward Steps life power tips, to accompany the MP3. In fact, you get 50 free PDF ebooks!
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