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How to become ridiculously good at managing your time this year:
Happiness and meaning are what we all strive for.
The first step there is accepting that life is short—4000 weeks, in fact.
Instead of striving for mindless productivity, strive for excellence in time management.
Award-winning author Oliver Burkeman shows us how:
The first step there is accepting that life is short—4000 weeks, in fact.
Instead of striving for mindless productivity, strive for excellence in time management.
Award-winning author Oliver Burkeman shows us how:
1. Fixed Volume
Adopt a “fixed volume” approach to productivity.
To do this, he suggests having two to-do lists.
One has everything you need to do.
The other has 10 or fewer things you're working on.
Finish the first 10 before doing any other tasks.
Adopt a “fixed volume” approach to productivity.
To do this, he suggests having two to-do lists.
One has everything you need to do.
The other has 10 or fewer things you're working on.
Finish the first 10 before doing any other tasks.
2. Arrange Your Tasks
Don't work on too many things at once.
As a rule of thumb, you should only be working on one big project at a time.
The sooner you realize multitasking isn't possible, the better.
Order your tasks and then tackle them one by one.
Don't work on too many things at once.
As a rule of thumb, you should only be working on one big project at a time.
The sooner you realize multitasking isn't possible, the better.
Order your tasks and then tackle them one by one.
3. Decide To Fail
Having it all and doing it all is not possible.
Inevitably, you will underperform.
As a result, you need to decide in advance what you’re willing to fail at.
Doing so allows you to double-down on the areas you want to achieve.
Having it all and doing it all is not possible.
Inevitably, you will underperform.
As a result, you need to decide in advance what you’re willing to fail at.
Doing so allows you to double-down on the areas you want to achieve.
4. Completed And To-Do List
Our focus is so often on moving forward that we don't stop to consider how far we've come.
This applies to life in general as well as our daily tasks.
Keep a "done list" to remind yourself of what you’ve achieved and retain momentum.
Our focus is so often on moving forward that we don't stop to consider how far we've come.
This applies to life in general as well as our daily tasks.
Keep a "done list" to remind yourself of what you’ve achieved and retain momentum.
5. Care About The Right Things
Between the news and social media there’s a lot to care about.
It's impossible to care about everything.
Imagine if you gave your money to every person or organization that asked.
You'd be broke.
The same principle applies to your time.
Between the news and social media there’s a lot to care about.
It's impossible to care about everything.
Imagine if you gave your money to every person or organization that asked.
You'd be broke.
The same principle applies to your time.
6. Embrace Boring
Today, it's nearly impossible to be bored.
Your phone is filled with endless possibilities.
But idly scrolling isn't a good use of your 4000 weeks.
Consider deleting distracting apps so you can spend more time on what actually matters.
Today, it's nearly impossible to be bored.
Your phone is filled with endless possibilities.
But idly scrolling isn't a good use of your 4000 weeks.
Consider deleting distracting apps so you can spend more time on what actually matters.
7. Seek Novelty
Novel experiences create memories.
Memories create the perception of time meaningfully spent.
As we grow older and life becomes more routine, our novel experiences decrease.
Fight this powerful force by seeking novelty—your time ‘feels’ more meaningful.
Novel experiences create memories.
Memories create the perception of time meaningfully spent.
As we grow older and life becomes more routine, our novel experiences decrease.
Fight this powerful force by seeking novelty—your time ‘feels’ more meaningful.
8. Be A Detective In Relationships
People are not boring.
If you're bored with a friend or spouse it's because you're not seeking out what's interesting or exciting about them.
A little bit of curiosity and asking the right questions open your eyes in a whole new way.
People are not boring.
If you're bored with a friend or spouse it's because you're not seeking out what's interesting or exciting about them.
A little bit of curiosity and asking the right questions open your eyes in a whole new way.
9. Be Generous
Give into your generous urges.
Maybe you want to give someone money or offer to help them do X, Y or Z.
Maybe you have just the solution for their problem but are hesitant to share.
Do it.
Helping others is a reward in and of itself, you won't regret it.
Give into your generous urges.
Maybe you want to give someone money or offer to help them do X, Y or Z.
Maybe you have just the solution for their problem but are hesitant to share.
Do it.
Helping others is a reward in and of itself, you won't regret it.
10. Do Nothing
Since life is short, there might be a desire to make it into something it's not.
To control others so that you can live the life you want.
Doing nothing means resisting the urge to manipulate your experience or others and letting things be as they are.
Since life is short, there might be a desire to make it into something it's not.
To control others so that you can live the life you want.
Doing nothing means resisting the urge to manipulate your experience or others and letting things be as they are.
Your time on this earth is short.
It's easier than ever to waste time on things that don't really matter.
In 2023, make time management your chief priority and start focusing on the things that really matter.
You can't get back time, so spend it wisely.
It's easier than ever to waste time on things that don't really matter.
In 2023, make time management your chief priority and start focusing on the things that really matter.
You can't get back time, so spend it wisely.
Follow me @_alexbrogan for more thought-provoking content to help you get better at the game of life.
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Matt Gray @matt_gray_
·
Jan 27, 2023
Solid thread. People need this