The Ultimate Guide to Getting Sh*t Done

1. Become self-aware of when your energy is at its highest and at its lowest 

• To do this, you should set aside 2-7 days (however long you need) to be mindful of your actions. Pay particular attention to how these activities make you feel. For example, do you feel drained after being on social media? Or listening to certain music? What actions help you recharge and feel uplifted? Be sure to take note.

2. Organize your calander based on the data you collected above

• Now it’s time to do the apparent tip and start scheduling your time out. This is all individual so finding a system that will work for you requires trial and error. What a lot of people have found helpful, though, is time blocking. This is when you schedule out ranges of time for a particular activity (ex. 9 am-10 am; workout). This method makes it easier for most people because they don’t have to make as many decisions. The decision is already made ahead of time, saving a lot of mental energy by preventing decision fatigue. You want to make sure to arrange your schedule in a way that aligns with your goals rather than works against you. Schedule the activities that give you energy before the critical tasks so you can more easily get into a flow state, use your time efficiently, and save the draining activities for when all your important stuff is done. It would be even better to limit or replace those activities altogether. 

3. Adjust as needed

• Again, everything is individual, and lots of trial and error is needed to determine what works for you. It’s essential to be mindful of what works and doesn’t work for you. If you find that something in your calendar isn’t working—adjust. You don’t have to stick to something that isn’t working for you. Maybe you need some more freedom in your schedule, so minimize the amount you schedule.

4. Break things down into actionable steps

• One common problem when people start trying to be more efficient with their time is they try and schedule everything out, but when it comes down to actually doing it…they need to figure out where to start (for new projects) and end up wasting time anyway. Luckily for you, we found a way to combat this. To avoid falling down a rabbit hole of research, schedule 10 minutes to research the steps needed to take action and take notes. You just need enough information to get started. You’re already halfway there as long as you take action and get SOMETHING done. Especially compared to if you research for 3 days and end up with analysis paralysis. That is something we DON’T want, thank you very much. 
• Anyway, enough of this rant. Create a rough checklist of the steps you need to complete so you have an idea of what to do in your allotted time.

5. Redesign your environment to work FOR you rather than AGAINST you

• The environment surrounding you can heavily affect HOW and HOW MUCH you utilize your time. You really want to focus on removing distractions and moving to places that make you feel more focused. Some people like quiet places (libraries, bedrooms, etc.), while others like background noise (coffee shops, cafes, etc.) to help them stay on track. Others may be fine with nothing but lo-fi music to help them focus. Figure out what helps you concentrate and tweak your environment as needed. This also applies to the things surrounding you. It’s common knowledge that if you want to focus, you should put your phone away or turn off the tv. Out of sight, out of mind. The reverse is true in that if you can make it easier to complete the task, you’re more likely to do it. For example, if you’re trying to learn the piano but keep getting distracted by the tv. You can unplug the tv and have your sheet music ready by the piano. It’ll be easier to go ahead and practice the instrument, seeing as it’s already set up, than to walk over to plug in the tv.

6. Commit to 1 minute of the task

• Anyone can spare a minute, right? Sometimes, the task is way too intimidating. So we’ll have to start small. After completing a minute of work, your brain usually decides the task isn’t that strenuous, and you’ll continue thereby getting SOME sh*t done which is a whole lot better than none. Over time that small increment of time you put into taking action has the potential to compound tenfold, ESPECIALLY if you make this a daily habit. 
• Sometimes, you may decide 1 minute is too much and that’s okay! The main point here is at least you’ve taken SOME action towards your goals. That little action you did take is something to be proud of as it’s tangible proof to yourself that no matter how small, you did take action and did what you said you were going to do. This is powerful for building trust and confidence with yourself and even reshaping your identity as someone who is capable of the things you previously never had experience in.

7. Gamify EVERYTHING

•  It’s always easier to complete a task when it’s more fun. This makes it more enjoyable and doable to do for extended periods. The question to always ask yourself is: “How can I make this more fun or interesting.” Let your brain fill in the blanks. If you need any ideas for gamifying, check out this post.

8. Be realistic

• Humans are capable of anything they put their minds to, but they are still human. Don’t expect to learn 10 skills that typically take years to learn in 6-12 months, and become disappointed if you don’t achieve it. If you focus on one skill or project at a time, you’ll have faster and higher-quality learning. You can learn the other skills or complete the other projects at another time. 

9. Watch your words

• The words you use matter, even to yourself. You can’t expect everyone else to always cheer you on; you need to learn to cheer yourself on. To be your own best friend. When facing a task you’re not looking forward to, try looking at the bright side. Say, “I choose to…” or “I get to…”. Not everyone has the opportunity or privilege to do it. That’s not to say avoid the negative because that’s equally unhealthy. But know there’s always a bright side to look at to keep you moving forward. There’s no sense in drowning yourself in gloominess as it’d only make the task you’re facing harder. This is similar to the development of your self-image. You are capable of what you BELIEVE you are capable of.

10. Take care of your health

• How can you expect your brain, body, and spirit to cooperate with you when you don’t take proper care of them? This is an obvious tip, but too many neglect or forget it. Take care of YOUR health. Get 8 hours of sleep, bring a water bottle, pick up an active hobby, fill up on fruits and veggies, and give yourself the time to rest and heal. You owe yourself that.