“Three working rules: Find simplicity out of the clutter; From discord seek harmony; In the midst of difficulties lies opportunity.”
Albert Einstein
“Think simply,” as my old master used to say – that is, reduce the whole of the parts to the simplest terms, go back to the basic principles.
Frank Lloyd Wright
The day-to-day work we do – at school, at work or in a business – can easily become overwhelming and ineffective, draining the energy and joy from what you do.
So how can you work in a lighter, simpler way, so you can do more of what really matters, in less time and with less stress?
Let me share twelve habits I’ve discovered over the years that help me get there.
1. Prepare your day the night before.
Pack your bag or suitcase. Pack the leftovers from your dinner in a container and put it in the refrigerator. Put your keys, wallet, etc. in a place where you can easily find them when you go out.
This preparation will help you have a less stressful morning.
2. Be 5-10 minutes early for appointments.
This makes your daytime travel time a time of relaxation and recharge. Instead of a time of stress and anxiety.
Moreover, people like it when other people are on time.
3. Work on only one thing at a time.
It will be easier to concentrate and do good work.
And to do it in less time compared to trying to multitask (at least if you’re anything like me).
4. Work in a cone of silence.
Just before you start working on that one thing, shut down your email and instant messaging programs.
Close the door to your office. Put your cell phone on silent mode and put it in a drawer.
If possible, close your internet connection. Or use an extension for your browser, such as Stay focused.
5. Ask yourself questions regularly throughout the day for simplicity and focus.
During a normal workday it can be easy to get off track.
To stay on track or get back if you’re lost, use questions like:
- What is the most important thing I can do right now?
- Does this bring me closer to my goal?
- Am I keeping things extremely simple right now?
6. Let your lunchtime be a time of relaxation.
Eat slowly. Put the fork down between bites to make this easier. Eat consciously and enjoy every bite.
Eating lunch this way can help you relax and release a good dose of stress in the middle of the workday.
Plus, it can help you avoid overeating because it takes your brain twenty minutes to register that you’re full. By eating more slowly, your brain can stop you from overeating.
7. Spend 80% of your time focusing on a solution.
And only 20% of your time is spent dwelling on your issue, challenge or problem. Instead of doing it the other way around.
This makes it easier to live a lighter and more action-packed life and not fall into a pit of self-pity or get stuck in a mental habit of perceived powerlessness.
8. Ask for help.
You don’t always have to do it alone. You can ask for help.
You may not always understand it, but you may also be surprised at how helpful and kind people can be to help you lighten your burdens and solve a challenge.
Just remember to do the same for them as best you can if they ask.
9. Check your email once a day.
Checking email or social media accounts many times a day often takes up a lot of time and energy and can leave you unfocused and stressed.
Instead, try to check and process all of these things just once a day. I do it at the end of my work day.
If that’s not possible for you, try to postpone it for at least a few hours. And put your morning energy and focus into your most important task of the day.
10. Write shorter emails.
If possible, limit your emails to 1-5 sentences. You can also save some canned answers for frequently asked questions in a folder in your email program.
This allows you to spend less time and energy on your daily email processing.
11. Consciously set and maintain firm boundaries between your work and personal time.
Have a set stop time for your daily work (mine is 7am). Don’t work on weekends.
Consciously control your boundaries and you will have less stress and more energy and focus, both to do better work and to have a higher quality personal life.
This is one of the most important and often overlooked habits in this article.
12. Be smart about the three basics of energy.
By that I mean getting enough sleep, exercising a few times a week and eating healthy.
This may seem very obvious in theory. But in practice it makes a world of difference to your optimism and… self-talkenergy levels, ability to handle stress and think clearly.
