A few years back, Alex embarked on a new journey by pursuing a second degree in computer science, launching a YouTube channel, and balancing a demanding role as a data science consultant. Juggling these responsibilities has been quite the feat, offering insights into time and energy management. Here are seven guiding principles that have enabled Alex to navigate these endeavors without feeling overwhelmed.
1. Embrace the Unpredictability
Striving for perfection is an illusion. While setting objectives and planning out each half-hour segment may seem effective initially, life often throws curveballs. Whether it’s attending to pets, projects running behind schedule, or technical glitches like a malfunctioning microphone, rigid scheduling can lead to frustration.
Welcoming chaos can sometimes yield the best outcomes. Some of Alex’s video concepts have surfaced during hectic work or study periods. When struck by inspiration, taking a pause to jot down ideas and rough sketches can prove beneficial. This disorderly approach taps into the brain’s inclination for creativity and making connections—especially when distracted by intriguing stimuli.
2. Learn to Differentiate Between Meaningful Tasks and Busywork
Spending hours searching for the perfect machine learning course or meticulously crafting a study plan without taking any real action is simply a waste of time. Similarly, striving to achieve inbox zero often leads to an influx of emails.
It’s crucial to focus on tasks that have an impact. Following the Pareto Principle, which states that 80% of results come from 20% of efforts, can be highly beneficial. When it comes to creating content for YouTube, Alex prioritizes research and scripting while streamlining, eliminating, or assigning tasks to others.
3. Align Tasks with Your Energy Levels
Tailoring work to match your energy patterns is key. For Alex, the day is structured as follows:
• Mornings: Engaging in light work like planning, emailing, and meetings
• Afternoons: Diving into deep work such as coding, writing, and filming
• Evenings: Focusing on light work like reading, scripting, and studying
This structured approach helps optimize productivity while allowing for flexibility when needed. Some days may involve late-night video shoots or lengthy meetings. Though deep work may sometimes feel challenging and perplexing, it also brings moments of clarity and creative flow.
4. Break Down Ambitious Goals
Breaking down ambitious long-term goals into short-term tasks, through goal chaining, can significantly boost effectiveness in achieving them.
Alex’s Approach to Setting Goals:
• Monthly Objectives: Setting goals for the month
• Weekly Tasks: Listing activities for the upcoming week
• Daily To-Do List: Creating a checklist with five tasks, highlighting one main task
This method helps in making progress without feeling overwhelmed.
5. Understand and Tackle Procrastination
Dealing with procrastination is a hurdle. The book “The Procrastination Equation” discusses motivation based on four elements: expectancy, value, impulsiveness, and delay.
Motivation Formula:
Motivation= Expectancy×Value / Impulsiveness×Delay
To overcome procrastination, it’s important to identify the reasons behind avoidance. Is the task too challenging (low expectancy) or has a distant deadline (high delay)? Addressing these factors directly can help. For instance, if the task seems dull, listening to music could help. If the deadline feels far away, setting shorter goals can be useful. In case of fear of failure, gathering more information can boost preparedness.
At times, procrastination stems from exhaustion. Taking breaks in such situations can prove beneficial as great ideas often emerge during moments of relaxation.
6. Learn to Say No
Learning to decline requests is important for focusing on tasks that matter. Alex, who tends to please others, found this challenging. However, turning down meetings, assigning tasks to others, and steering clear of uninteresting projects helps preserve time and energy for meaningful endeavors.
7. Prioritize Well-being
Prioritizing one’s well-being is now a priority for Alex. Previously, pushing for non-stop productivity during commutes resulted in exhaustion and almost reaching burnout. Now, valuing self-care is crucial as the body is our greatest possession. Treating oneself kindly often leads to enhanced productivity.
In conclusion, these principles may not work universally. Discovering what suits each person takes time. Sharing experiences can be enlightening. Until we meet again, stay focused on your tasks and take care of yourself!