5 Ways To Get More Things Done

How much do you have in your to-do list in a day? Do you think it’s too much? Too little? While a lot of our tasks rely on the actual “doing” part, truth be told, it’s also heavily influenced by the manner in which we plan our day. How we set up our day—the environment we work in, even our mindset—can have a great impact on whether or not we’ll get as much as we can done from our list.

So what things do we need to take note of so that we can make sure we’re at our 100% to get as much as we want done in a day? In today’s post, we look at five things you can try to set yourself up for success!

1. Plan ahead.

Want to stay ahead? Then make a plan. You can do it a week in advance or the night before, maybe before you get started every morning—this will depend on your preferences and what you know will work best for you. The point is to do it before the official start of your day.

It’s important to take the time to sit down and outline the things you have to do because not only will this help you begin with a clearer vision of the tasks that need doing, it also allows you to focus on each one and figure out which you need to prioritize. Otherwise, without a plan, you’re bound to begin the day flustered and scattered, wasting your time and energy instead of getting started on what needs doing right away.

2. Prioritize!

Planning is just the first step to making sure you get as much as you want done from your to-do list. The next step is to prioritize—with your tasks listed down, make sure to categorize them appropriately. In general, urgent and important tasks should be on top of your list. Need different ways to start prioritizing? Here are a few methods you can try for yourself.

Being able to get more things done means maximizing our time, and there’s no better way to do this than sorting our tasks and getting what matters done first.

3. Build a routine.

What does this have to do with getting more done, you ask? Routines allow you to breeze through certain things on auto-pilot. When you have a routine, then you’ll most likely have certain processes in place that will make it easy and comfortable for you to execute actions needed to do and complete your tasks. This allows for consistency and a little more than that.

For example: do you allot a specific section of your day going through emails and replying to them, only to go back to more challenging work after? If you do this often enough and consistently as part of a routine, then over time, you will be able to do them faster. But not only that—the shift will also be automatic. You won’t need to exert too much effort switching from a simple task to a harder one because you already know. You’re used to it. 

4. Learn to say no.

While it’s admirable to want to help others or take on new projects—especially if you work with a team—overcommitting can be harmful and lead to not just burn out but, naturally, getting less done from your own to-do list. Where you can, practice the art of saying no when tasks or opportunities don’t align with your goals or current priorities. This enables you to focus your time and energy on what truly matters.

If you find saying no to be a challenge, here’s a blog post that can help you out so get practicing. It’s for your own good!

5. Establish a reward system.

Self-rewards work and help with motivation! As humans, our brains are hardwired to keep doing things that give us “pleasure” or make us feel good. Associating finishing tasks with a reward can help give us the boost needed to see them through. Before we know it, we’re at the end of our list and able to do more. Achieve more.

They don’t have to be big or expensive rewards either. Looking forward to a quick snack break after powering through a challenging task still helps. In this way, your approach to getting things done is more positive and you get the push needed to exert more effort to earn whatever rewards you decide on.

Getting things done is more than just action!

A lot goes with barrelling through our tasks and finishing them. As much as actually doing the tasks themselves, planning and setting up our day also plays an important role so we’re in the right mood, mindset, and environment to be successful on the daily.

What other ways can help you get more done in a day? If you already do certain things to ensure you’re successful in completing your tasks, what are they? Share them in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you!