I am a born organizer and naturally efficient. Please don’t hate me. (If you’re naturally slim and can eat everything you want, I’ll try to return the favor.) In the past, I thought the strategies I used every day were just common sense, but now I know better. Years in the work force have taught me that a lot of people, including management, go about their jobs in a rather haphazard way.
Perhaps that’s one reason I began reading books and listening to podcasts about organization and productivity. Lately I’ve been sharing some of my strategies with a colleague I mentor. When discussing them with her, I realized that these strategies fit quite neatly into the minimalist mindset.
So how does a minimalist work? Just 4 hours a week, right? No, sorry, though if you’re interested in that, check out the work of Tim Ferriss. Working like a minimalist doesn’t necessarily mean working part time, just as living as a minimalist doesn’t necessarily mean getting rid of half your stuff.
A minimalist lifestyle means that what you own is meaningful and valuable to you (i.e., minimize the superfluous). A minimalist workstyle means that how you work should be deliberate and essential (i.e., minimize the unnecessary). If you know about productivity, these tips may not be new to you. If you don’t, then I hope these strategies help you minimalize wasted time and energy on the job and at home.
- Plan ahead. Sounds obvious, right? How many of us plan our days the evening before? Or even in the morning of the day? Or do you let the day somehow get ahead of you and before you know it, it’s mid-afternoon and your day hasn’t gone quite right. I’m a big proponent of planning your tasks for the next day before stopping work. At the end of the day, I’m in the thick of it and know exactly what needs to get done the next day. If I wait until morning, it takes more time to get back into all the nuts and bolts of whatever I’m working on.
- Manage energy, not time. The term “time management” is so old school, at least according to some productivity experts. It’s more effective to figure out when you have your energy highs and lows and plan your tasks accordingly. Most people have high energy at some times during the morning and low energy after lunch, in the early afternoon. Know yourself and do the difficult tasks when your energy is high.
- Focus on 2-3 tasks only. I’m as guilty as the next person who loves to-do lists, but writing down and crossing out a dozen tasks only proves that you don’t know how to prioritize. Don’t include all those little tasks you do daily, like checking emails. Would you really forget to do that if it weren’t on your list? Seriously. Just don’t. Write down 2-3 important tasks. Then do them.
- Eat the frog. This phrase has been attributed to many, including Mark Twain, but it’s been going around productivity circles since Brian Tracy popularized the saying in his book, Eat That Frog! There are many strategies in his book, but he’s basically telling us to do the task you dislike most first. Stop procrastinating. Get it over with! Cross it off your list! The rest of the day will go a whole lot better.
- Multi-task, don’t Multi-focus. Lots of articles have come out the past few years about the myth of multi-tasking, but the problem isn’t doing two things at once. The problem is that people cannot focus on two things at once. Walk and listen to music or podcasts—sure! Tidy up and carry on a conversation—why not? But you can’t do quality work on a couple of tasks that require the same skills (concentration). When you’re on a meeting call, you’re better off getting up and moving around than trying to work on something that needs real focus. You’ll feel refreshed, too.
- Keep your workspace free of clutter. Ah, here comes the minimalist push! Again, minimalism is relative. One person’s clutter is another person’s absolutely must-have items. Some people work best with nothing but a laptop in front of them; others work better with all their favorite personal stuff around them. If you’re not sure, clean off your desk and then every few days, add something back. If you’re stressed out, try changing your environment and see if that helps. Experiment and figure out what works best for you.
No one likes wasting time and accomplishing little despite a busy day at work or at home. If you can minimalize the unimportant and unnecessary tasks, you’ll have more time for the activities that make your job and life meaningful. That’s the minimalist way.
RESOURCES
Tracy, Brian Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
Ferriss, Timothy The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
Bailey, Chris The Productivity Project: Accomplishing More by Managing Your Time, Attention, and Energy
McKeown, Greg Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
Sanders, Jeff The 5 A.M. Miracle: Dominate Your Day Before Breakfast
Millburn, Joshua Fields and Ryan Nicodemus Essential: Essays by The Minimalists
For more resources, go to this page: Resources
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