Before becoming a minimalist, I’ve had problems on doing things that needed to be done.
I’m not referring to Urgent things, those things
other people “urgently” need from me because of their lack of planning, but the
Important things: my office responsibilities and tasks for my personal and
spiritual growth.
Back then, my mind was disorganized. Because of
that, what I do throughout the day was also not organized and out of focus. I
was easily swayed to and fro by different demands of different people.
Without a clear focus and direction, I always fall
into the trap of other people’s interruptions and urgent requests.
The pressure I felt from the deadline
imposed by others made me look for easy, little, and not so important tasks for a
breather, making me leave the important work that I have to do unaccomplished.
Since finding focus in minimalism, I’m slowly
learning to say “No” and to not confuse activity with productivity.
Don’t
confuse activity with productivity
If you will look at the most successful and the
least successful persons you know, they most likely appear to be both working
very hard. You may hardly notice the difference.
But doing something doesn't mean one is being
productive. In fact, I know many people who appear to be always busy, walking
around the office and carrying lots of paper documents, looking lost and
confused and tired, but don’t exactly accomplish anything.
Tips
on Doing Things that Need to be Done
- Prepare a list of the
5 things you want to get done. Leo Babauta suggests 3 MITs (Most Important Things) to do each day. But I find myself usually
having 5. More than 5 will give you a higher probability of not completing
them.
- Do the hardest thing
first. Examine your list and look for the most
difficult task to do, the one you most want to “do later.” Usually it’s
the most important thing. Better to start off with that and let the rest
of the day become easier.
- Stop procrastinating. This article from Live Bold and Bloom can help you a lot. Don’t be
pressured by the expectation of success. Try to keep your mind off
succeeding. The most important thing right now is to just do it. Success
may naturally follow later.
- Learn to say “No.” Our own health and wellness is more important than what others may
say about us. When we can’t say No, we are not being true to ourselves,
and that saps joy out of our life. There are simple ways to say No without
feeling guilty.
If you want to get the important things in your life
done – such as eating right, having consistent exercise, daily quiet time, completing
a primary job description – practice these simple tips and experience the
difference.
For more tips and suggestions, kindly share them in
the comments. It will be very helpful.