It could be scary at times to think of all the work you’re obliged to do and the deadlines staring at you in the face.
You might need a little or a lot of willpower to get started on work, but what if your workflow could offer you much convenience alongside completion of tasks?
During the early days of working from home, I had been feeling a consistent surge of reluctance to get stuff done.
I would find myself seeking refuge in sleep in order to shrink from my responsibilities.
I didn’t necessarily think my way out of this pattern, I simply got inspired by a video I watched by Thomas Frank that explains ways to trick your brain into hard work.
I decided to do some research afterwards on simple ways to make work easy.
Here are some useful tips I came across:
1. Setting Small Expectations
Forbes magazine recommends writing nothing more than three items on your daily to-do list.
This comes off as underwhelming at first, but it helps you prioritize what needs to be done that day, and gives you the sense of achievement needed to motivate you to tackle another day’s work.
I recommend having between 3 and 5 items- but you could go as far as your adrenaline takes you (7 is the cap!).
2. The Two-Minute Rule
This rule helps you get started on the tasks you would normally procrastinate on.
James Clear introduced this point in his book, Atomic Habits. He says that all you need to do to get started on a task is to time it for two minutes.
You’ll find that it’s easy to continue beyond the time cap because “objects in motion tend to stay in motion” ( I wish I could attribute this quote to myself but Isaac Newton would probably turn in his grave).
3. Shortcuts Would Cut You Some Slack
If you’re a fan of the Netflix series, Nadiya’s Time to Eat, you would know that Nadiya attaches no shame to taking shortcuts in the kitchen.
From making salad with parboiled potatoes (store-bought!) to baking pancakes to avoid standing, Nadiya is not afraid to use creative shortcuts as long as they’re reasonable.
There’s something to take from this; shortcuts are there to make your life easier, use them.
4. Determine What System Works for You
People set themselves up for failure by copying the systems and habits others use in achieving their goals.
Two goals may be similar but the paths to attaining them will certainly differ in a number of ways. You have got to personalize your path.
When you feel like doing what everyone else is doing, remember The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost; a poem that celebrates eccentricity.
Top tip: Be deliberate in your choice of wind-down activities after work. This gives you something to look forward to, and prevents you from indulging in “relaxing” habits that are actually harmful. I recommend staying away from screens for 30–120 minutes afterwards, and using that time to nap, connect with loved ones or engage in a therapeutic activity.
As someone who prefers the easy way of getting things done, the above tips have steered me towards a path of intentional commitment to my work.
Having a positive approach to work has increased my overall sense of well-being, fueling my drive to do more and contribute value to myself and the people around me.
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Previously published on medium
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Photo credit: by Matt Ragland on Unsplash