HOW TO GET THINGS DONE

In a world full of hectic and demands, we tend to rather "perform" instead of really enjoying what we do. Sometimes, we are so caught up in all the tasks we have to finish (all of them as soon as possible and with utmost care, of course), that we forget what we would actually like to spend our time with. It is high time to apply the emergency brake and to take back control...

The despair grows along with the document piles on your desk. To make matters worse, the kindergarten is calling to tell you that your son got sick and that you have to come pick him up immediately. Not to mention the birthday gift for your best friend that you still have to take care of, the bike that needs to be repaired and the weekly groceries you wanted to do after work. And when to find time for the workout in all this chaos? Because you "have to" live a healthy lifestyle after all.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH!

You are not the only one who gets overwhelmed by all the duties and demands that others (and ourselves!!) put on us. Sometimes, we just feel like hiding under our blanket with a huge cookie jar and wait for the things to fall into place themselves. Well, this might even work every once in a while. In most cases however, we have to deal with our tasks sooner or later. Here are some useful tips on how to make them seem less threatening:

1) Write it down

The first step towards more efficiency is visualization. Believe it or not, but the good old to-do list is still one of the most reliable tools here. So grab a pencil and a sheet of paper and start writing down everything that comes to your mind - from small things such as "make a hair dressing appointment" up to bigger tasks, for instance "rearrange bank accounts". If you like, you can make categories and use different colors, that's completely up to you. You can of course also use one of the many apps that are available to support you. All that matters is that you get all the tiny tasks and long-term goals out of your head. On the one hand, this helps you see everything more clearly so that it becomes easier to develop a ranking and to set priorities. On the other hand, writing things down also clears your mind so that you can stop remembering the tasks and start focusing on their actual execution.

2) Find the right technique

There are countless approaches to master the challenge of becoming more productive. Planning your day the night before is one of my favorites. Like that, you never wonder what of the 1,000 things on your list you should do first - you simply stick to the sophisticated plan where the time needed for each task has been calculated and urgencies have been taken into account. Another advice I can give you is to begin with the most unpleasant task. Like that it's done, the pressure is gone and you can use the energy of relief for the following, easier tasks. Also, duties that take less than 2 minutes should be carried out right away. Otherwise it takes more energy remembering them than actually doing them...

You can always come up with your own ideas how to tackle your to-do list! How about for each new task coming up, you have to complete two that are already on the list? Simply try different methods and find the one that's best for you.

3) Take a break!

This may sound counterproductive, but it is actually a crucial thing to include in your schedule! Calm and relaxation are the source of creativity. Your brain needs some time to recharge its batteries, otherwise your performance will inevitably decrease. Sometimes, you may even find the solution of a problem that you have been stuck with because you were taking a break!

Simply give it a try and let the results convince you. If leaving your desk is a bit hard for you at the beginning, set an alarm on your phone to remind you of taking a break. There are different recommendations on how often you should take one and how long it should be. This depends mostly on your own preferences and possibilities. What you do during your break is another topic. DO NOT make "a quick phone call" or buy stamps at the post office! This would only be taking care of another task. Simply go for a walk, meditate or take a power nap - anything that makes your mind calm down and gives your brain time to rest.

4) Make it a pleasure

"I don't have to do anything!" This is a sentence my father used to say when we were asking him a favor. It usually resulted in rolling eyes on our part and a different version of the sentence: "I'm sure you would love to help me do..." Today I know that this was an important lesson. We only have this one life and it was given to us as a gift. We should remember this whenever a situation becomes too overwhelming. Of course there are certain obligations that we have to fulfill regarding society (taxes, manners etc.), but we should always look at the bright side. You don't have to buy a bouquet of flowers for your grandma's birthday - you do it because you want to make her happy. Next to all the compulsory tasks, reserve some time for the things you love doing, things that make you happy and are not related to any kind of pressure or "having to" whatsoever. And for all the unpleasant tasks that are not avoidable: try to find something positive about them to make them a bit more fun.

5) Don't aim for completion

This may be the last point of this article, but it is actually the most important one. We need to get used to the idea that our to-do list will never be completely empty. Sometimes fuller, sometimes less full, but there will never be a time without new demands and tasks coming up. Which is a good thing overall, because otherwise we could risk to get bored. If you start taking all those "obligations" a bit less seriously, replace your "have to" with a little bit more "want to" and add some "quality time" to your daily schedule, you will not only find peace, you will most likely even get more things done, simply because you stop worrying about them!

To put it in Richard Carlson's words (author of the fabulous book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff): "In reality, almost everything can wait. Very little [...] truly falls into the 'emergency' category."

If you still have the feeling to drown due to all the tasks that have to be taken care of: here is some advice on how to gain time...