Get [Some] Things Done, Feel Great
November 13th, 2007 by Jeb Foster
Productivity blog Zen Habits has an inspired post on reducing stress. The key? Get one important thing done per day:
[Do] less but do more important things. When I say important, I mean things that will have a huge impact on your life (personally or career wise) over the long run. Not things that need to be done today or else. Here’s why: If you get something important done, something that will help you in the long run (even if it’s only a step towards a major accomplishment, it’s important), you will feel great! You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment. That makes any day a great day.
Is your daily to-do list of Manhattan Project proportions? Is it chock-full of soul-sapping minutiae? Cut that sucker in half!
“If you cut your list down and do only half the things you want to do for today, you’ll have a much better day,” says Zen Habits author Leo Babauta. “You’ll thank me.”
Let that message soak in, Agent Blog reader. This is subversive stuff, but it’s the most important thing you’ll read this week.
When it comes right down to it, much of our stress can be eliminated through simple accounting and proper perspective. If you’re perpetually not getting things done that you set out to do, you’re probably trying to do too much. Or you’re stressing over little things that won’t matter in the long run.
This isn’t rocket science here, folks. Sometimes increased productivity isn’t the answer. (We can only be so productive.) Sometimes doing less is the answer.
So do less, do it better and be happier.
Link: 10 Simple, Sure-fire Ways to Make Today Your Best Day Ever
Via: Lifehacker
