May 2019 – Productivity Success Cake

Streamlining tasks more effectively: Are you working way too hard?

In our last blog, we looked at how easy it is to streamline your way to more fulfilling life. However, don’t make the mistake of spending so much time seemingly streamlining your life, when what you’re actually doing is wasting more time…

The secret to streamlining tasks can be easier than you think.

Here’s how:

Step by Step. Those jobs you hate and that you regard as chores are likely the ones that suck the time (and joy) out of your day. Instead of procrastinating and leaving them to another day, break each of these tasks down into individual elements. Then consider, is there an easier way of accomplishing the end result? (HINT: Just because something has ALWAYS been done like that, doesn’t mean it has to be like that in the future.) Are there any elements of the tasks that you could outsource? For example, take bookkeeping. So many people loathe this, myself included. My bookkeeper does a “first pass” for me, then I need to review and fine tune it. This process actually gets the bookkeeping done! Prioritize the various elements of any task – what really needs to be done now and what tasks could you combine to make an improved workflow?
Understand the power of the template – repetitive, mundane tasks are ideal candidates for the template treatment! Those routine emails you send at work can be cut down to a millisecond if you create a template of your most commonly sent ones. Create templates of standard work procedures. This way, the work process can be followed by anyone, allowing you to potentially delegate work and also providing contingency should you be off work for any reason. Take some time to look at your projects or tasks and identify those that you perform over and over. Are there any common steps for which you could create a template? Once you start looking, you’ll be surprised where you see commonality!
Everyday life made simple

Eating. Streamlining doesn’t have to mean boring. It certainly does not mean conforming to a “Monday is fish, Tuesday is pasta” rigidity. Instead, plan your meals for the coming week and shop for the ingredients in one trip. Not only will this result in your grocery bill becoming leaner, you’ll also avoid food waste, eat more healthily avoiding last-minute takeout and save time and money on multiple grocery store runs. Prepare your meals in advance and freeze them down. Not only can you create a delectable freezer full of menu choices, you’ll also save a heap of time in daily cooking and after-prep. cleaning.
Travelling. We all know the frustration of arriving on vacation, only to find, in our haste, we left an essential item at home. Mistakes like this can be costly. Instead, create packing lists; one for a weekend getaway, one for a business trip and one for a family vacation. Pack clothes items that can be worn a multitude of different ways and that are made of non-crease material. Ensure you are travel-ready the night before and that you have a clear idea of the route to your destination. Done beforehand, this adds to the general travel excitement. Done last-minute, this is the cause of so much friction! If you’re flying, save yourself some time at the airport and instead, check in online.
Household Errands. Invest in a planner, instead of relying on envelope backs and sticky notes. This way, you can see common areas between errands – for example errands needed to run in the same part of town – and group them together. Schedule time slots for your personal to-dos – that way, you may be able to cross several off at once – now wouldn’t that feel good?

Taking time to streamline your processes might seem counter-intuitive at first. After all, it’s going to take time to get the processes in place, right? But instead of counting this time as taking you away from more enjoyable aspects, consider it as an investment in that future workflow. Imagine the feeling of being super-organized and actually enjoying time out, time when you would normally be tied up with routine chores, now wouldn’t that feel good?

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Why Task Management is not bad for you

Imagine a day where every single aspect is planned. Every task mapped out to the second. Every moment maxed out, and spontaneity? Well, that’s just a dirty word!

Of course, a life like this would be no life at all. Isn’t it the off-the-cuff, reactionary moments that make life so pleasurable?

But, how about a life where there was more time for spontaneity, for enjoyable and unplanned activities? The key to these is in making space for them and the solution to that lies in streamlining those areas of your life that are repetitive; the chores, the “also ran” tasks that we all have to undertake (but loathe nonetheless).

Streamlining can mean different things to different people. Take the office worker, who sends countless routine emails every day. The content doesn’t change, but the practice of retyping each takes valuable minutes of the day. Or the executive with meetings across town, constantly running backwards and forwards between appointments. With simple streamlining of tasks, templates created, perhaps commute times used productively, these two can free up a significant amount of time, and more importantly free themselves from the feeling of overwhelm which accompanies the sentiment of “too much to do, too little time”.

That’s easy to say, but exactly how difficult in reality is this to achieve?

Are you addicted to your busy? So what? Sometimes it’s great to be busy. That feeling of ticking off the final task on a long checklist. That feeling of achievement. But what if you’re addicted to the adrenalin-rush that comes from rushing from one task to the next, never taking a breath to review what you’ve achieved, because you’re so busy looking at what still needs to be done? Constantly working to deadline after deadline? Sound familiar? Well, a little bit of excitement never hurt anyone, but this hectic pattern doesn’t leave any time or space for spontaneity and the excitement that that can bring. If you wear your busy-ness as a badge of honor, it’s time to stop. Instead, realize that you count just as much during rest and relaxed times as you do during frantic ones. It’s not about your to-do list! Sometimes we adopt diversion tactics, using our busyness as a foil for real issues in our life. Unfortunately, they’re just a diversion and the harsh reality is that those darn problems will still be there when the busy, busy, busy stops. Instead, focus on relaxation techniques and exercises that will provide some respite for your mind, body and soul. You may even find that you have time in these moments to address those problems and find a solution to them.

Free up more time for the stuff you love. We all have ideas of our own “dream life”. The way we think life should be. But by streamlining the routine tasks, you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Ensure you reward yourself for your hard work by pencilling in some ‘me-time’. That way, you’ll be encouraged to streamline more. Your rest, recharge and relax time allows your brain to reset and be ready for the next period of activity.

Have you ever forgotten to follow through? With so much going on, it can be so easy to drop any of the balls we are constantly juggling. This just leads to feelings of anxiety and, ultimately of failure. Of course, the whole “work smarter, not harder” concept has to be underpinned by efficient notes and systems. To aid this, why not make use of the plentiful online apps and management programs available? Failing that, employ good old pencil and paper or a calendar and get to work organizing to create a harmonious life.

It’s true that life definitely isn’t like the movies. We all have those boring tasks and we all have to grit our teeth and just buckle down to getting them done. But, the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants moments are the ones that generally make us the memories. The unexpected times, the exciting moments that really make our life, so why would you not want to make more of those? Life can be exciting…if you also do a little bit of planning, too.