In this modern era where things are faster than ever, we are all obsessed with productivity. We want to get things done as quickly and efficiently as possible. So I want to share with you three techniques that will boost your efficiency significantly for free and instantly. The first two are well known, but should not be underestimated. The last one is the only trick trick. A brain hack if you will. Combine these 3 and you will become a superhuman. These tips are what I use when starting new projects and side gigs. They are simple, but useful. They are aimed more for people starting side projects and working on their passive income, but they can easily be applied for real jobs. Enjoy
1) Divide your project into small parts and set a Deadline!
Why do we always finish tasks right before the deadline? Because if the deadline would be a week later, it would take us one more week to do it. If you are like me, you will pospone doing things until the last moment possible. Until you have no more time to muck about and need to get down to work. And then, with the pressure of time constraints and a fast approaching deadline, your efficiency peaks and you become a superhuman working machine that can do it all. Because, in the end... you always do it. You always finish the task. We take the time we are given to do something and rarely finish early or late.
The problem comes (specially with procrastinators) when there is no deadline. When it is a personal project you are trying to take off the ground, and there is no one nor nothing pressuring your to finish it. Because we pospone it, then pospone it and then pospone it some more and time passes and you've not worked on your side project since you came up with the idea. That's only normal. We area human. We get tired, we get distracted and other things get in the way. We have a million distractions, and also it's much nicer to relax on the sofa with Netflix. A great way to make your project come alive, is to set a deadline. If you set a deadline, you hold yourself accountable.
Setting a deadline is relatively easy. You just say a date, and thats your deadline. But unless you have some planning before, this date won't mean anything and won't be met. No matter what project, task, essay, side business or homework you are doing, you must start by planning the structure. Making the "skeleton" of what this project entails, and split it into parts (or chapters or whatever).
You first divide the project into parts, and then, you must estimate how long each part will take you. Say you have 10 subtasks, and each part will take approximately 1-2 hours of work. Assuming you have other responsibilities and this is not the only thing you do, you realistically will do 1 part per day (1-2 hours after work or uni or whatever). Then this project will take you 10 days. Not all parts will take the same amount of time, so you should account for that. In reality, things usually go more like this:
Part 1: 1-2 hours.
Part 2: 0.5-1 hour
Part 3: 4-6 hours
Part 4: 2-3 hours
ect.
Then, you give each part of the project a mini deadline. After that is when you can set a proper deadline. Whatever this first result is, I always like to give myself 30% more time, because as entrepreneurs know things always take longer than expected (they also cost more than expected but more on this on another post). So, in this case, even though you estimate it will take you 10 days of work, you would give yourself 13 days. This will give you more lee way and generally feel more calm. If one day you are not "feeling it" then you'r alright.
Don't forget to account for weekends. Maybe on weekends you can do double the work, and rather than 1 part, you do 2. Maybe it's the opposite, and you like to keep your weekends to yourself and go hiking or on a mini trip and want to do 0 hours of work. Thats fine as long as you account for it on your deadline.
Other tricks to keep a deadline are to tell someone to hold you accountable. A friend or family member or ideally a mentor. You let them know you are working on something, and ask them to check up on you after X amount of time to see that you have completed up to Y amount of the project. It helps if the person is someone you don't like to let down as it will make you want to keep the deadline. It can be for each part, or for half of the project or until the end.
It's important that you don't overload yourself and be unrealistic with your work capabilities, as you'd be setting yourself up to fail. Do a little every day, and work harder when needed, but if you know you can only spare 1 hour per day for your side projects, don't expect to do a part that takes 2-3 hours in one day, that part should take 3 days. It is better to over estimate.
2. Work more efficiently: Use the Pomodoro technique
I present you the super Pomodoro technique:
A pomodoro is the literal translation for tomato from Italian. In this case it means a timer for 25 minutes followed by a short break of 5 minutes. It was invented by an Italian that used a timer shaped like a tomato to focus on his work. This technique is super efficient. Even though the image is pretty self explanatory, I will tell you a little bit more about it anyways.
First, you plan out your tasks. Say, that today you need to do a part of your side project that you estimate will take you 1-2 hours. Each pomodoro is 25 minutes with a 5 minute break. That means you will need to do 4 pomodoros. It is even better if you have mini deadlines for each pomodoro. Eg, if you are writing a blog post: 1st Pomodoro you type everything you want to say. The main idea with its intro, body and conclusion. 2nd Pomodoro, you give it style, rephrase for clarity, add any missing points, and check for any gramatical errors. 3rd Pomodoro, proof read one last time, add images and links and publish it.
Why 25 minutes? because that's how long our concentration span lasts without deteriorating work quality. Actually, our concentration span has decreased significantly over the years (because of mobile phones & instagram etc.). It used to be around 22 minutes in the 1950s and it is down to 11 minutes since 2010. Don't quote me on those facts either. I read them on some book some time ago, but I can't remember where. If you do a quick google search you'll find that our concentration span is definitely deteriorating, but thats alight, it's another subject we aren't dealing with today. We will stick with 25 min.
In those 25 minutes you must focus solely on the task at hand. Have no distractions. Phones away, facebook and email closed. What you want to do is focus only on the most important parts to get the task done. Knowing you will only work a short time, and have a break after, makes your brain go into superdrive. You will find that you achieve way more in those quick 25 minutes with a mini deadline than a whole hour without one. You will find that many times you finish earlier than you expected, and can take a longer break.
It is just as important to take the breaks without doing any more work. Even if you are behind schedule, take those 5 minutes to yourself and then work harder on the following pomodoro. Every 4 pomodoros, you take a long break. 10 minutes or even 15 (instead of the usual 5). This techinique is a fantastic way to make your efficiency peak. You will feel the difference from moment 0. You can use it not only for your side projects at home, but also at work.
An easy way to do this, is use https://tomato-timer.com/ Check it out.
3. Discipline. Do a little every day.
Many think that you should only work on your side project when you are "motivated" or "inspired" or "feel like it". Yes, true, if you want complete it in 10 years... In reality, discipline beats motivation every time! Doing a little every day, even when you don't feel like it and you are not so productive, beats the s*hit out of working super hard when you are motivated every once in a while.
Let's put this in hypothetical numerical terms.
If when you are inspired, you work at an output of 20 per hour. You feel motivated and do 2.5 hours non stop, you have achieved 50 that day. But, that motivation only comes around 1 time per week (if that, as usually it is even less). In a week working when you are inspired you would have done 50 of output towards your goal.
On the other hand, discipline, doing a little every day even when you are not motivated, your production rate per hour is 10. Because you are not motivated you force yourself to do only 1 hour per day. But you commit yourself to doing 1 hour every day, thats an output of 70 per week. That's already 20 more output doing the bare minimum you've set yourself to do. However, what tends to happen is that when you see progress, you get more motivated and want to work more. So maybe 2 days per week, rather than do the minimum 1 hour, you do 1,5 hours (because you really want to finish a certain part) or 1 day per week you feel motivated and your output raises to 20 per hour (as in case 1). Working a little every day at low productivity you will achieve tons more than working when you feel like it at high productivity.
-The numbers used above are examples to explain my point more clearly. You can use your own productivity outputs for motivated and non motivated work as well as the hours you put in each day-
Lastly, discipline and consistent small efforts create something called "positive reenforcement loop". When you start to work more, you see progress, you will feel more motivated, and will want to work more, and will make even more progress which in turn will motivate you more. Similar to compounded interest in finance, when you invest, you receive money that is reinvested and gives you more money (invest invest invest! topic for another day too).
This image I thought was pretty cool:
Only by putting 1% effort every day, for one year you will achieve a lot more than if you don't do anything. Remember that life is a marathon, not a sprint. I say 1 hour a day as an example, but even 15 minutes per day is better than nothing.
Discipline is hard. I struggle with it more than most. But I understand the power it has. Just like working out, the hardest part is to start. Every day it will become slightly easier. Once you incorporate it into your routine doing 1 hour every day towards your side project (which will bring you more money, or make you happier, or make the world a better place - more on this on another post) will become a breeze. It feels good to know you are on track to achieving your goals.
Conclusion
Let's recap. First, separate your project into small parts and give yourself a deadline. Whatever that deadline is, add 30% more time. Secondly, use the pomodoro technique to concentrate and focus solely on what you are doing to boost your efficiency. Lastly, it is important to do a little every day. No matter how small, even just writing 1 paragraph or doing 15 minutes of research. Life is long and a little bit every day will be bring more results than a lot of work every once in a while.
These tips may sound basic, but easy simple things are the ones we adhere to the most. Follow these tips and you will see how fast and well your projects come alive!
What other tricks do you use to be more efficient with your work?
Last thing for today, and completely not related... People have started calling me "the hippy capitalist". Because of my entrepreneurial spirit, but also my chilled out, not caring about having "things" way of being. I value experience, travel and friendship, but I understand that to have cool experiences and being able to travel you need money. And the more you have the more relaxed you can be. This is me doing my daily 1%. I like being called the hippy capitalist.
Comments