How to Reclaim Your Time and Stop Feeling Overwhelmed

How do some people get more done in a day than the rest of us? Why do some people seem to be stress-free? We all have the same 24 hours, but highly productive people manage their energy differently. Here are some simple, practical strategies you can use to increase your output and lower your stress every day.

Limit the Menu

Decisions are costly. Making decisions costs you time and energy. The more decisions you make throughout your day, the longer they take and the more mentally fatigued you get.

To combat this, save making decisions for important things and reduce the number of choices you make. Routine tasks that you repeat daily should be put on autopilot. The more things you can do without thinking, the more efficient you will be.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg wears the same outfit every day so he doesn't have to waste time or energy deciding what to wear. That frees him to worry about bigger, more important decisions.

What you wear, what you eat, and how you get to work are easy things to automate. By making fewer decisions, you will free up your mind to focus on the things you care more about. Find a routine that works and save your mental energy for the stuff that really counts.

Go On A Diet

The simplest way to reduce mental stress and fatigue is to cut back on multitasking.

Your brain is not made to multitask. In fact, only two percent of the population can actually do it effectively. Besides autonomous tasks like breathing and making your heart beat, your brain is very linear and likes to work on one thing at a time. Just walking down the street can be quite the endeavor as you add more and more tasks.

Odds are that you are multitasking more often than you should be, and it is killing your productivity. Trying to focus on too many tasks at once causes enormous amounts of stress. Cut down on the number of tasks you try to accomplish at once.

You can write them down as a simple checklist, or if you want to get fancy, prioritize them using the ABCDE method:

• A: Tasks you must do - serious consequences if they do not get done.
• B: Tasks you should do - mild consequences if they do not get done.
• C: Tasks you could do - no consequences if they do not get done.
• D: Tasks you delegate.
• E: Tasks you never do.

Work your way from top to bottom. Do not start any tasks in a category until the one above it is finished.

Unplug the Cord

Another way to help you focus and reduce mental fatigue is to unplug from everything. It sounds so simple, and yet it is the hardest thing for most of us to do. Many of the world’s most successful people are able to achieve so much precisely because they are better at unplugging than the rest of us. Mute your cellphone, log out of Facebook, and avoid browsing the internet. You would be surprised how much time is spent worrying about other people’s lives instead of focusing on your own. That is a whole article by itself.

Unplugging entirely may not be practical if your company relies heavily on the internet. But that does not mean you have to constantly check email, Twitter, and Facebook all at the same time - all while trying to get real work done. Instead, schedule designated times to allow yourself mental distractions and be disciplined about keeping your browser tabs closed otherwise.

Say No Often

Your job, your family, and your friends are all going to request your time. It can be tempting to say yes to everyone, whether you find the request interesting or you just want to please them. You likely tell yourself you can fit it all in, but overcommitment is the enemy of productivity. You can have anything, but you cannot do everything.

Instead of being pressured into overbooking, have the courage to say no. If you are being bombarded with requests, make a list and prioritize them. Do not be afraid to say no to anything that does not fit into your priorities or time. If you need help prioritizing, look at your tasks and requests and choose the top 20 percent that will accomplish 80 percent of the work. Say no to anything else and do not feel guilty about it. Your health and time are more important.

Clear the Calendar

When was the last time you did nothing? Swinging on a hammock seems like an utter waste of time unless you are on vacation. But giving your mind time to wander aimlessly can actually be great for productivity. Just like when you are out of breath after a long run, your brain gets tired too. Decision-making and multitasking cause a lot of mental fatigue and stress. That is why the more you do it, the faster you lose focus.

Your brain needs time to relax and catch up. So, next time you are feeling overwhelmed, take a break - go for a walk, listen to music, take a nap, or have a beer. Do something that will allow you to truly relax. You might be surprised by how much more you are able to accomplish with a fresh mind.

Conclusion

To get more done, automate your daily choices, focus on one task at a time, limit your screen time, and give your mind time to rest. What is one small daily task you can automate today to free up your mental energy?