3 Ways to Get More Done

Things can be either simple and easy or not! Often times we make things bigger than then are or have to be which stops us from getting done what we need to. So how do you make most things simple and easy? Simple, by eliminating the self talk, chunking tasks to smaller tasks, and making a decision.

1. Eliminate the self talk. Many times you make things bigger than they are. You over think them. I know that’s hard to believe that you would over think something and make it 100 times bigger than it is but would you admit that it’s happened at some point?

Often times, it’s the simplest things that we exert so much energy thinking about and how much we don’t want to do it that it becomes this big enormous thing that we just don’t want to take on. Then when we finally have to do, it takes about 30 minutes and it’s done. Let me give you an example. I was switching task planners where I keep my projects and to dos. I was dreading the switch. I’d have to go through and figure out which projects are still relevant, are the tasks associated with them still correct, then I would have to copy and paste all of them into the new system and probably have 50 more steps in order to complete the move. I put it off and off and finally just did it. I took me about 2 hours and it was done. It was simple and easy, but did I ever make it much bigger than it needed to be.

2. Chunk larger tasks to smaller, manageable tasks. Tony Robbins tells this story of two people he was talking with about going to the gym to work out. One person tells him that for her to go to the gym, she would need to set the alarm, get out of bed, go to the closet to get her clothes, get dressed, find her car keys, drive to the gym, find her gym pass, get a piece of equipment, exercise, then wipe down the machine, walk to her car, drive home, take a shower, and get dressed for work. The second person he asked, said, for me to go to the gym, I just go. What a difference. She made it simple and easy.

Brian Tracy wrote a book called ‘Eat the Frog’. He advocates, as do many others, that you take the biggest most intimidating piece of work you have and do it first thing. Get it over with. That way your mind is freed up for the rest of the day to work on other important tasks.

Most time management experts would agree with the idea of chunking big tasks into manageable tasks. In other words, simple and easy. Chunking involves taking bigger tasks or projects and breaking them down into smaller manageable tasks. Think of this as the next action you can take and then the next next action and so on. In the gym example, this may look like, set the alarm, get dressed, workout.

3. Make a decision to move the item forward. Once you stop the self talk, chunk the task into smaller tasks then make a decision you are going to do it. Decision means to solve, to cut off from or come to a resolution. Once you make the decision, then just do it. Work on it until it’s done. Most times, it won’t be as big or scary as you made it out to be. It will be simple and easy!

What have you worked on that you thought was going to be bigger than it was? Leave your comment, I’d love to hear it.