How to Work Smart & Accomplish Bigger Goals Without Working Hard.

1. Start everyday by Choosing the Most Important Tasks

I thought keeping a schedule, clearing my desk, meditating, reading, and taking cold showers were productive.

Doing these tasks daily made me feel productive, but it was a dopamine rush.

I misjudged these activities’ importance.

Why?

You’re not productive if your actions don’t advance your goals.

Meditation isn’t useless.

Meditation reduces stress and anxiety. But it is not enough.

I’m saying choose activities with the highest ROI (Return On Investment). This is the day’s top priority. Choose tasks that affect your performance and outcomes the most.

I can’t overstate the importance of prioritizing tasks.

Here is how you can do it:

Choose 3 daily tasks to do. Everyday, finish them — no excuses!

2. Hard Tasks First

With your 3 most important tasks chosen, start with the hardest.

See how you feel afterward.

Hitting Done, or Publish has a huge impact. Do you in believe it?

3. Complete Focus on One at a Time

Daily distractions abound. Coworkers telling jokes, advertising blasting into your eyes and ears, and daily phone notifications. Everything distracts you.

Interruptions kill productivity.

Open Chrome tabs or music while you work. Or maybe you check your phone every 5 minutes to see the latest news or tweets is a huge distraction.

Stick to your plan.

Finish it.

Forget music, Twitter, social media, and coworkers.

Work smarter, not harder, remember that.

Start with small increments of time if you have trouble focusing.

Start by setting your phone’s stopwatch for 5 minutes.

Five minutes, to start, you can increase it later.

Stop working when the alarm sounds. If you want, continue.

Next time, try 6 minutes. Six becomes seven. Seven turns eight. Etc. What’s the timer’s maximum?

Starting is always hard.

Once you begin, you’ll want to finish it.

4. You need a “Not-To-Do” list.

Simple life rules will give you clarity and reduce mental stress.

People rarely consider stopping bad habits.

Here comes your not-to-do list.

Your Not-to-do list contains actions you must reject to be productive.

Your Not-to-do list uses the world’s strongest word.

No.

You might constantly check your phone. Don’t do this.

You might check social media at work. Don’t do this.

Perhaps you’re overthinking a decision. Do you waste time organizing your desk whenever it gets messy? Yes? Don’t do this.

Consider your Not-to-do list simple LIFE RULES. Knowing what to avoid will help you prioritize your goals.

5. You Need a “Done” List

Ever feel like you accomplished nothing?

Definitely.

I’ve always felt like I wasn’t working enough. I often thought about the day’s events, but it never helped me relax.

A change was needed. I listed my day’s accomplishments. This list helped me sleep better.

How it works:

Add completed tasks to your Done list instead of crossing them off.

Imagine this list growing as you complete tasks.

This simple hack will boost your confidence.

6. Create a Flow

You may not know what it is…

Not to worry now.

Here is an example, of something I do, you will love this. 

You may know I have a Weekly newsletter. (yes I do. now you are reading it)

You may know I have a Blog.

You may know I have been writing more than two threads per week on Twitter. (it is okay if you don’t :p)

You may know I have been posting medium (at least 4 stories per week)

Do you know I am also working 9–5?

I don’t think so.

Here is what I am about to say, actually to prove to you.

I bet you can’t find it easy to do all these if you don’t have a flow.

So, what the hack is the flow?

Here is my Flow of Weekly Newsletter:

I Choose a Topic for Weekly Newsletter on Monday. (I have all my ideas, which I want to write listed already whenever I get an idea I listed it) so, on Monday I just need to choose one.

During the Content Creating Process, I do research about the topic I choose, and provide links.

Do you think I can do this process in one day?

So, that is why I have allocated days and time for specific tasks of creating the Newsletter.

That is the process of creating the newsletter, but I dont finish from here.

I also repurpose my newsletter, and I have allocated tasks before publishing the newsletter and after publishing the newsletter.

Before Publishing the Newsletter:

The first attempts are terrible.

Each iteration improves your work.

I am sure things will improve.

Be humble. Do it poorly, then revise until you’re satisfied.

Self-discipline is what separates high-performers, I’ve discovered while building my business and improving my lifestyle.

Success doesn’t require spectacular methods.

Self-discipline leads to success, even when you don’t want to.

While self-discipline can help you generate more money, actualize your dreams faster, sustain your momentum, and continuously produce value, you may be tired of failing to complete your duties and goals.

You can have the most amazing life, but without self-discipline, it won’t change.

Taking Action will. 

Summary

1. Start everyday by Choosing the Most Important Tasks
2. Hard Tasks First
3. Complete Focus one at a time
4. You need a “Not-to-do” list
5. You need a “Done” list
6. Create a Flow
7. Creating a Bad Draft is Okay