How to Get Results without Stressing Yourself Out

How to Get Results without Stressing Yourself Out

It’s extremely common for people to falsely believe that just because they spend more time at work, they’re doing more. The truth of the matter is that only results matter.

If you can get the job done in 30 minutes, spending 2 hours on it is pointless. You’ll be fatigued and less focused. It’s all about productivity and getting the best results while being as economical as possible with your time and actions.

In this article, you’ll discover 5 tips to get the job done, see positive results and avoid getting stressed out by all the noise and pressures that arise from your tasks at work.

• Put it on paper

This is the most important step of the lot. It immediately takes thinking out of the equation. Write down all the tasks that you need to do to complete the job at hand. This will give you a good idea of just how much work is required.

If you try to do it mentally, you’ll spend much of your energy focusing on trying to remember what else is left to do. You might forget something or another and this could lead to more stress.

Furthermore, the task always seems a lot more laborious when it’s in your mind than when it’s on paper. Write it all down.

• Learn to say no

Once you have all your tasks down on paper, do NOT take on more than you can handle. Others may come to you for assistance, etc. It may be tough to turn your colleagues/friends down, but you need to learn to say no. It’s of paramount importance.

If you’re already drowning in work, adding more weight on your shoulders will make you sink to the seabed. Once all your tasks are over, you can offer to help… but NOT before that.

• Prioritize, NOT procrastinate

Once all your tasks are on paper, number them in order of importance. The most important task is #1 and so on. It’s human nature to focus on the rest of the tasks and procrastinate the more difficult and pressing tasks.

This will lead to unnecessary stress later. Not only may you be short on time to complete the important tasks, but these tasks will be at the back of your mind all the time… stressing you out.

So, get the biggest and most pressing tasks completed and out of the way. You’ll experience immense relief and be able to breeze through the rest of the to-do list once you’re done with the major issues.

• Plan more, do less

Assess your task list and look for ways to get more effective. You might be able to batch certain tasks together. Some of the things you need to do may be redundant and you can just cancel them and so on.

This is similar to preparing a plan that you can execute effectively. By trimming off the unnecessary jobs and being more productive, you’ll get more done by doing less.

Like Abraham Lincoln said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”

• Delegate where possible

Here’s the truth – you don’t need to do everything. If you can delegate some of the less important tasks to a subordinate or partner, you’ll free up more time to focus on what’s important.

Focus on your strengths and delegate whenever possible. If you’re tired after work, don’t spend your time mowing the lawn when you get home. Pay a gardener or a kid on school vacation to do it for you.

Delegate the menial and energy draining tasks to someone who has more free time than you and focus on what matters.

If you follow the 5 pointers above, you’ll be much more effective at work and see positive results without facing as much stress as you normally would. Success doesn’t just happen; it is planned for.

 

Here's to your success😉

Shane Griffin CNP, ROHP