The weather is great as I type this. The beach is tempting, and I feel more like burying my toes in the sand. I’ll be doing that soon.

After years of (too) hard work, I have finally found a way of working that works well for me. So I have more time for myself, and I get a lot done in the meantime.

  1. Work smarter not harder.
  2. Do less
  3. The hard things first!
  4. Do it differently
  5. Do plan
  6. Take care of yourself
  7. Take a break
  8. Delegate and Automate

Work smarter, not harder  

How do you do that exactly? Let me first say that it has taken me decades to get here. And for a reason. It is a matter of trying out, persevering and determining whether this chosen way of working is something for you.

Knowing yourself well and knowing what you enjoy in your work helps determine more easily how you work smarter. But if you don’t know that (yet), you choose what appeals to you on paper, and you try it for at least 30 days. Did it help you? Great, then you integrate this new way of working into your life. If not? Then on to the next.

Do less 

And let what you do, be the most important thing. Delete many unnecessary tasks. Like reading unimportant emails. Focus on what makes you achieve your goals. That is the most important.

In South Africa, I had two jobs, and it became too much for me. I started doing fewer things. Read fewer emails, attend fewer unnecessary meetings, and more of those tasks that provided the results I (and my boss) wanted. Helped me, and my team, immensely.

 

So, what’s stopping you from doing the same?

Wanting to know your best personal approach, towards saving time and attracting more ideal clients? You can now (special deal for newsletter readers only), book a Business Scan with me.


Do the hard thing first  

Do what you find annoying, and you otherwise procrastinate on, first.

What I often did, was, being busy all day and then open at night, opening that laptop again to finish this [annoying task], which I had postponed the entire day.


Do it differently, and start doing it first thing in the day

The miracle morning club encourages you to get up at 5 in the morning, to start your day well. This leaves you with enough time and room to tackle the annoying task before “your workday” starts. Personally, I am not a morning person, but I know the miracle morning works for many people.

 

Be the CEO of your life - Get more done in less time - Business Coaching

To plan or not to plan? 

Many people like to plan on paper or in their electronic diary.

Planning can certainly help you be more productive and work smarter.

While I’m not a huge planner (something with too much need for ‘doing my own thing, when it feels right’), I do plan.

 

Let me share some of the best tips:  

– I am most productive in the morning, so then I do my writing and thinking. Coaching and meetings are done in the afternoon.

– Monday is my writing day. I write my blogs, social media posts and have reserved that day for that purpose. Which day can you dedicate to an important cause?

– I batch. Stacking “similar” tasks so that you get synergy from doing them repeatedly. I answer my emails at a specific time of the day. I ‘block’ time for that, and then I do all my inboxes. Business, personal, and LinkedIn.

– When I exercise, I feel better, and I am more productive. Exercising at night doesn’t work for me. So I start every day with a workout. That can be effective in just 7 minutes.

– I block time in my calendar for things that are important to me. Like Wednesday, that day is blocked, my day off. Monday night, I don’t accept appointments. I’ll follow training.


Always plan your calendar first with the most important things: time for yourself and your loved ones


How much do you like to plan?

If everyone always fills your agenda with meeting requests, it is all the more important to block time so that you can also get to “work” and not sit in meetings all day to catch up on ‘actual’ work in the evening.

What I also like to do is to make meetings shorter – 45 minutes instead of an hour. This way, I still have time to complete the actions from that meeting before I start something new.


Take care of yourself
 

You work best when you feel nourished, are rested, feel good about yourself, and are relaxed. Therefore, take good care of yourself.

Drink enough water (at least 1.5 – 2 liters per day) because dehydration causes a reduced concentration.

Did you know that by starting your day with 0.5 liters of water instead of caffeine, you stay much more productive?

Eat healthily, don’t skip meals, and don’t eat at your desk. As you then eat mindlessly, and you have no real break.

 

Another one that is important take regular breaks

Do you do that?

Since I started doing that more consciously, taking afternoon breaks outside and regularly walking away from my desk during the day, I’ve gained so much.

I put the water cooler in another room, so I have to get up and allow myself to take a break.

 

Finally, don’t think YOU have to do it all  

If you’re busy, chances are you’re doing too much on your own. Take a look at what you think you need to be doing.

Then ask yourself: does all that work need to be done by you?

Or can you automate and delegate things?

Too often, we are busy with things we shouldn’t be doing at all. That is a shame and means that you can’t go to the beach earlier on sunny days.


So delegate, automate and enjoy more free time!

Want to understand how YOU can do that? Reach out to me! Click here to chat.

Amaze Yourself,

Yvonne
“BE THE CEO OF YOUR LIFE”

Performance Coaching _ Online Life Coach _Succes and Focus _ Be the CEO of YOUR Life - Yvonne DamYvonne Dam is a life coach who helps ambitious and successful people to create time. Looking at how you can personally make a bigger impact without working longer. People to create time. Looking at how you can personally make a bigger impact without working longer. Resulting in better results, more free time, and overall more fun in life. Freedom- by living your life on your own terms. Yvonne is passionate about coaching and sharing her expertise with you to be liberated to embrace life fully. Ready to have more time and enjoy life? >> Get More time Done in Less Time – download now<<

Yvonne Dam

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