Self-improvement is a popular topic for entrepreneurs, especially at the start of a new year. Fresh ideas, exciting plans, and meaningful actions abound. Instead of trying to use every productivity tool available, what if the solution were to actually do less?
As a productivity coach, I’m well aware of what people face when they’re trying to improve their productivity levels. People tend to search for what I like to call productivity “silver bullets.” They’re a perceived tool or technique that will permanently solve all your productivity challenges. Find that silver bullet and you’re set for life. However, reality isn’t that quite cut and dry.
Your productivity levels are the summation of how well you manage your mindset, time, energy, tools, and resources. So how can you use what’s already available to your advantage and not jump on the latest productivity fad? The key lies in working smarter, and not harder. Follow these practical tips to break free from the dreaded cycle of self-improvement and productivity.
Stop being productive for productivity’s sake
You’re not completing tasks in your business just so you can cross them off your to-do list. The question is whether or not those tasks are moving you closer to your goals. What is your reason for doing the work you’re doing? Is there a vision, purpose, product, service, or group of people that drives you to do your work? Use this as your guiding light.
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Each of your tasks should be tied towards your business’ goals, whether that’s sales, human resources, clients, customers, or marketing. Double check your current task list and see if the items are in line with your goals. If you find yourself working on non-essential tasks, then you’re missing out on what could actually be helping both yourself and your business move forward.
Pause purchasing new things
Productivity tools can be quite helpful in your daily work. However, purchasing productivity tools without consideration of your true needs may do more harm. It’s akin to going to the store to buy a pair of shoes. If you purchase a pair that’s too small, you won’t have what you desire: a fitted pair of shoes.
Your self-improvement process starts with where you are right now. Take a quick survey of the tools available to you in your business. Apps, software, programs, notebooks, calendars, and planners all count. Which do you prefer and why? How can you better utilize items?
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The flight was good—on time and uneventful. I landed stiff, dehydrated, mentally fried, and annoyed at myself for packing last minute in too much of a hurry, eating airport food, and waiting in a security line that crawled at the pace of a snail.
The meeting itself was fine—not great—and that was the problem. Because when you travel for work, the trip isn’t the job. How you show up after it is. Seasoned business travelers figure this out eventually: travel is a cost not only of time but of mental clarity, patience, and the ability to make good decisions. Let it, and you’re going to pay.
The good news is that most travel stress is optional.
Once you streamline the process, travel isn’t so bad. Sometimes, it’s smooth. Here are seven travel habits smart business travelers use to arrive energized (and not wiped out).
When possible, fly the same airline every time. Loyalty isn’t about loving a brand. It’s about upgrades, priority boarding, and less hassle in the long run.
Stop price-checking flights the wrong way. If you’re toggling back and forth while checking prices for flights, use an incognito window or clear your cookies. Dynamic pricing is real and not your friend.
Keep a toiletries kit always ready to go. Decision fatigue starts at home. One less thing to think about is much more valuable than it seems.
Pick a carry-on that can bend the rules—literally. Soft, malleable bags fit into full overhead bins much better than hardshell rollers.
Pair travel with the right credit card. Lounge access, upgrades, and travel insurance add up quickly when you actually use them.
Eat like you have a job to do. Heavy meals and airport junk food seem convenient. They cost you hours later.
Buy your way out of security lines. TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry isn’t a luxury. It’s time, energy, and sanity. I personally depend on it, especially going through Customs!
The best travel hack isn’t a hack at all—it’s understanding your own limits.
Business travel will never be stress-free. It’s not supposed to be. The goal is to arrive clearheaded enough to think, listen, and make good decisions. That starts long before you sit down in the meeting room.
Seasoned travelers don’t just pack better. They preserve their energy, reduce friction, and stop mistaking stress for just “part of the job.” You don’t have to reinvent your process. You just need to stop making travel harder than it needs to be.
You may conduct a year-end review in your business to help you understand what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve. However, when was the last time you conducted a similar review for yourself and your personal work habits?
Unhelpful thoughts and ineffective ways of working have the power to dramatically impact your overall productivity levels. As a productivity coach, I help people transform their relationship with productivity. Hustling and grinding in your work, day in and day out, will get you only so far. The good news is that you can still get things done if you work consistently and sustainably over the long term.
If you’ve been meaning to develop more productive habits in your business life and your personal life, then it’s time to make a fresh start. Follow this framework to lighten your mental load and start the new year off with more helpful mindsets and ways of working.
Embrace ordinary workdays.
A year-end review typically highlights major accomplishments. However, for this exercise, you’re going to embrace several random days of the year. Open your digital calendar or paper planner for the past year and choose one random weekday in the period from January, February, March, and April. Do the same for May, June, July, and August. And for September, October, November, and December.
Why pick three random days? They’re more likely to represent an average day. Now, review what’s listed on each of the three days. It’s totally fine if one day is packed with events or completely blank. This is all useful information.
Resolve any resentment.
Notice what memories and thoughts pop up in your mind for each of the three days. Did you turn in a client project late? Have an exhausting day that was back-to-back with pointless meetings? Maybe one of those days represented a vacation day when you ended up working, instead of relaxing with your family.
What unhelpful thought might you have unwittingly had over the past few months? Some examples, “I don’t complete projects on time,” “I’m swamped by meetings,” or “I rarely have time for my family.” You’re now going to fully acknowledge these statements.
Most executives don’t mean to hijack meetings. They’re trying to inspire, clarify, or share that one story from 1998 they swear still applies. However, somewhere between, “You know…” and minute 17 of the monologue, the meeting quietly dies. Pontification isn’t leadership. It’s just expensive noise. I’ve been guilty of it myself. Organizations don’t suffer from a lack of ideas from the top. They suffer from a lack of space for ideas from everyone else.
When talking becomes a distraction, not direction
Executives have disproportionate gravitational pull. One comment can redirect an entire meeting’s orbit. One story can retroactively redefine priorities. One “quick thought” can consume 20 minutes and derail the agenda. The meeting becomes theater rather than collaboration. Ironically, it leaves teams less informed, less aligned, and less energized than before.
Everyone leaves thinking the same thing, “Could that have been an email?” Pontification doesn’t merely take up airtime. It takes up oxygen, quietly suffocating diverse perspectives. Here’s what really happens in those moments:
People with dissenting views self-edit.
The most thoughtful contributors withdraw.
Risk-taking evaporates because the “answer” already appears to be spoken.
Meetings morph into agreement ceremonies instead of decision engines.
Leaders often insist they value candor and dialogue. However, if their monologue fills 70% of the meeting, they’ve already signaled what’s safe to say and what isn’t. Once you’re pulled in, time ceases to exist. The meeting ends without any decisions being made, no clarity, and five follow-up meetings to fix the original meeting. Congratulations! You’ve just created a full-time job for your calendar.
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Why leaders fall into the pontification trap
Pontification is rarely ego-driven alone. Leaders often slip into it because:
They believe storytelling equals clarity (it doesn’t).
There’s confusion between sharing experience and setting direction.
They fear appearing disengaged if they aren’t speaking.
There’s a lack of facilitation and only declaration.
Their environment has rewarded commentary more than curiosity.
In many executive cultures, speaking more is subtly equated with influencing more. However, high-performing teams aren’t inspired by volume. They’re inspired by precision.
How to break the pontification cycle
The solution isn’t leader silence, but leader discipline. A leader who frames space instead of fills it signals trust, competence, and respect. They shape the conversation without dominating it. Instead of delivering soliloquies, they ask questions. They create a container for dialogue instead of consuming all available time. Great leaders don’t dominate meetings. They curate them. So instead, try this:
Most CEOs are still managing their calendars, chasing down emails, and double-checking project details they shouldn’t be touching.
I get it. For years, I did the same.
But the truth is, if you want to lead—really lead—you need an executive assistant (EA) who isn’t just supporting your day, but driving your operations.
Before I ever led a company, I was an executive assistant. So when I set out to establish my EA partnership, I drew insights from both sides of the relationship.
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What we’ve created isn’t theory. It’s a functional, proven system. And it works.
Here’s how we run it.
1. Identify what’s stealing your focus
My inbox used to be a black hole.
I treated every email like a fire drill and clung to the idea that only I could handle it.
It was draining, constant, and kept me reacting instead of leading. Eventually, I realized it was time to let go.
So my EA, Cameron, and I built a simple three-folder system to make inbox management frictionless:
Cameron folder: If an email requires action and she can take it, she moves it here. If I get to it first and want her on it, I do the same. It’s our “this is yours” signal.
Read folder: This is for nonurgent emails that I should review when I can, typically when I’m traveling or on PTO.
Done folder: If she’s handled it, it lands here. No action needed, just visibility.
Here’s the kicker: Cameron doesn’t just check my inbox. She studies it.
Every day, she spends 30 minutes not sorting emails, but learning how I think, decide, and lead.
Early on, she built a log of my common responses and phrasing. That gave her the confidence to start replying on my behalf.
Today, most people don’t realize they’re talking to her, not me.
Ultimately, inbox management isn’t the goal. Leadership is.
And the moment your EA can answer as you, you’ve unlocked the highest level of partnership: one where you finally get to lead at full capacity.
Because here’s the bottom line: When your EA can think like you and act for you, you’ve built more than support; you’ve built scale.
That’s the difference between staying busy and actually leading.
2. Own what only you should do
Let me be honest: There was a season where I was doing way too much operational work.
I was running meetings, following up on tasks, and even coleading projects. It wasn’t leadership; it was control. And it was costing me strategic vision.
I finally drew a line.
I listed what only I could do—the things that truly needed my time and voice. Everything else? Delegated. Not blindly, but with systems, documentation, and clear expectations.
That’s how I was able to release ownership without sacrificing quality.
Cameron took over entire categories of work, like managing project logistics and reviewing articles, because I gave her the tools to lead within her lane.
And I got my focus back.
The truth is, if everything is yours, nothing is. Clarity comes when you own only what only you can do—and trust your EA to lead the rest.
3. Create a weekly operating rhythm
We meet every Monday, same time, no exceptions. It’s not just a check-in; it’s a leadership alignment meeting.
Here’s the structure:
End-of-week recap: Cameron walks me through completed work.
Objective and key results (OKRs): She updates me on her metrics.
What’s ahead: We look at big priorities on her plate.
Roadblocks: She flags issues I need to unblock.
Calendar and travel: We address conflicts and changes.
Need-to-knows: Personal schedule shifts, quick FYIs.
But here’s the key: Cameron leads this meeting.
She comes prepared with the guidance she needs to move things forward, always with recommendations or solutions, not just problems. She recognizes and reroutes what can be handled without me, informs me when visibility is needed, and only escalates when my input is truly required.
This cadence removes noise from my week. More importantly, it gives Cameron the authority and confidence to lead within her lane, freeing me to focus on what only I can do.
4. Design Your ideal workweek
I revisit and rework my ideal workweek every quarter because priorities shift, and so does the business. What mattered most three months ago may not be what demands my attention today.
The process starts with one simple question: Where is my time most needed, and where is it most valuable as CEO?
From there…
I build out my ideal workweek on a Google sheet and then as a Google Calendar for accountability.
I overlay personal commitments—family, health, space to recharge—so that my calendar reflects the whole picture. That’s what keeps me grounded and fully present.
Then I audit: Where is my calendar out of alignment with my priorities? What needs to be cut, shifted, or restructured? Every quarter, I make those adjustments so that my time reflects my values, not just my meetings.
An example of this strategic calendar design is my Fridays. My Fridays used to be a graveyard for postponed meetings.
Now, they’re my strategy days for vision, reflection, and thinking time. At first, I thought it was impossible to condense everything into Monday through Thursday. But the moment I committed, it became reality.
This discipline gives me the margin to lead without reacting. When your calendar reflects your real role, your entire company feels the shift.
A force multiplier
If your EA is just handling logistics, you’re leaving leadership power on the table.
Done right, the relationship between an executive and their assistant can become a force multiplier.
It’s not just about support. It’s about scale, clarity, and shared momentum. The strongest partnerships don’t just help a leader move faster. They help a business move smarter.
A new report from online resume builder Kickresume, which surveyed nearly 2,000 employees worldwide, found that only 18% of them work the full 7-8 hours expected of them — unbeknownst to their managers.
Instead, nearly 60% of employees surveyed admitted they’re not fully honest on their timesheets. Most (44%) said they round up every now and then; 12% said they sometimes stretch the truth a little bit. A much smaller group (3%) said they regularly over-report their hours.
Disengaged employees contributed to an estimated $438 billion in lost productivity in 2024, per Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workplace report.
There’s also a generational divide when it comes to lying about hours worked, according to Kickresume’s research.
Gen Z employees were the most likely to admit to rounding up (49%) and stretching the truth (13%). Thirty-five percent of Gen Z workers claimed perfect honesty in timesheet reporting.
Gen X employees, on the other hand, were most likely (46%) to claim total honesty when filling out their timesheets; 40% admitted to rounding up occasionally.
Millennial workers came in close behind for claims of complete honesty at 43%, and 42% admitted to rounding up their hours from time to time.
Additionally, Gen X and millennial employees reported being equally likely (12%) to sometimes stretch the truth on their hours.
Across all generations, just 7% of employees said they never take any unofficial breaks during the work day, per Kickresume’s research.
Among the majority of workers who do give themselves some leeway, coffee or snack breaks emerged as the most popular way to spend time away from work (58%), the survey found.
A new report from online resume builder Kickresume, which surveyed nearly 2,000 employees worldwide, found that only 18% of them work the full 7-8 hours expected of them — unbeknownst to their managers.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
If your calendar feels like a constant game of catch-up, you’re not alone. Most founders and execs spend their days fielding questions, solving problems, and responding to whatever’s loudest. It feels productive. It looks like leadership. But it’s a trap.
Reactive mode is where strategic thinking goes to die. In my time as the founder of ButterflyMX, I’ve learned that the longer you operate like this, the more you become a bottleneck, not a builder. Your team stays dependent, your vision stalls, and worst of all, your time stops being your own. This post is about taking it back and becoming the kind of leader your company actually needs.
At some point, most leaders realize they’re stuck in a loop: They wake up, dive into a flood of Slack pings and calendar invites and end the day wondering what they actually accomplished. Sound familiar?
This isn’t just a startup thing; it’s a leadership pattern. Early on, being in the weeds makes sense. You’re hands-on, scrappy and involved in everything. But what starts as necessary involvement often calcifies into chronic reactivity.
Your team learns to escalate instead of owning outcomes.
And your most valuable asset, your time, gets spent on solving symptoms, not systems.
There’s also an emotional cost. Constant firefighting feels urgent, even heroic. But in reality, it pulls you away from the one thing only you can do: chart the course ahead.
Time is a leadership asset, not just a resource
There’s a quiet truth every seasoned leader eventually learns: Your calendar is a mirror of your priorities and your power.
When you treat time like a disposable resource, you spend it on whatever shouts the loudest. But when you treat it like an asset, you start investing it in what actually moves the business forward. That’s the difference between managing chaos and building momentum.
Strategic leadership doesn’t happen in 15-minute gaps between meetings. It requires protected time to think, plan and decide, not in theory, but in practice. That means blocking space for big decisions, pattern recognition and high-leverage conversations, just like you’d block time for a board meeting.
I’ve seen it firsthand: The leaders who scale aren’t the ones who do more. They’re the ones who do less, better. They get ruthless about what only they can do and design everything else around that filter.
The job isn’t to be everywhere. It’s to make sure the right things happen, even when you’re not in the room. And that starts by reclaiming your time.
This isn’t about downloading a new productivity app. It’s about shifting how you see your time and how you protect it.
Here’s how to start:
1. Audit your time like you audit your budget:
For one week, track where your hours go. You’ll be surprised how much time gets eaten by low-leverage work — things someone else could (or should) handle. Look for patterns: What drains your energy? What creates the most value? This isn’t busywork. It’s clarity.
2. Build “focus blocks” like your future depends on them, because it does:
Pick 2-3 hours a day (or even just a few slots a week) that are meeting-free and distraction-free. Use them to think strategically, review your org design, write out your vision or tackle the decisions only you can make. Treat these blocks like sacred ground.
3. Delegate outcomes, not tasks:
Too often, leaders delegate execution but hold onto ownership. Flip it. Give your team the “what” and the “why” and let them own the “how.” You’ll build trust, create more capacity and stop being the final answer to every question.
4. Install leverage, not just help:
If you’re drowning in scheduling, follow-ups or inbox triage, hire an executive assistant or Chief of Staff. But don’t stop at admin support. Empower them to shield your time, prioritize inputs and run point on internal processes so that you can stay focused on the big picture.
But what about the fires?
Let’s be real, urgent problems aren’t going away. Markets shift. People quit. Customers escalate. Even the best-run teams hit turbulence.
The goal isn’t to eliminate all fires. The goal is to stop being the only one holding the hose. Reactivity isn’t always bad; it’s just dangerous when it becomes your default. As a leader, you’ll still need to step in sometimes. But if every problem reaches your desk, that’s a system failure, not a leadership virtue.
This is where systems and culture matter. Build escalation paths. Set clear decision rights. Empower teams to solve at the level where problems occur. That’s how you create a company that doesn’t crumble every time you take a day off. Reclaiming your time means building the structure to handle itself without you.
You can’t build the future while stuck reacting to the present.
The shift from reactive to strategic leadership isn’t just about time management; it’s about identity. It’s choosing to lead with intention instead of interruption. To focus on systems, not symptoms. And to spend your time where it creates the most value, not the most noise.
So, here’s the challenge: Look at your calendar this week. Is it a reflection of the leader you are, or the leader you want to be?
Take back your time. Your team, and your vision, are counting on it.
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Do you find yourself
constantly rushing to get important tasks done at the last minute? Have you ever
missed important deadlines? Do you have a reputation for being constantly late
for meetings, classes, or other important events?
At work, you probably
find it a challenge to keep on top of all the tasks you need to finish. Your
productivity may have taken a nosedive, and you’re not the only one who has
noticed.
If you’re a student, you
might be having difficulties meeting the demands of academics and
extracurricular commitments. Perhaps you are even dissatisfied with your
academic performance.
At home, you are probably
faced with a seemingly endless parade of chores, and no longer have quality
time for your family and yourself.
If any of the above scenarios resonate with you, it could be that you need some help managing your time.
How Can I Effectively Manage My Time?
Effective time
management requires two things: planning and organizing.
Time management involves
a three-step process:
Step 1: Assessing how you currently use your time.
Step 2: Creating a schedule.
Step 3: Following the schedule.
It is important that you
establish your daily schedule around your activities and commitments.
Make sure that you
identify which activities are flexible and which are fixed. For instance, work
hours are usually set to eight hours each day, so that’s a fixed schedule.
Meanwhile, sleep and recreational activities are usually flexible.
As much as possible, be specific in your schedule-making. For example, if you just write “do chores” for Saturday morning, that could mean anything from a few minutes spent washing the dishes to half a day’s work of organizing the hallway closet.
Estimate the time you need for the activity and block that time out in your timetable.
In addition, you can use
some time-management tools and techniques to become more organized.
The Pomodoro Technique helps increase your productivity. Meanwhile, the Pareto Principle teaches you how to get maximum results in the least amount of time.
Finally, the Eisenhower Matrix helps you identify which activities are urgent and important so you can act on them appropriately.
Applying all these strategies
can help you manage your time more effectively.
To get you started on the habit of managing your time well, we have listed 12 time management worksheet examples. These worksheets are all downloadable and printable.
Let’s check them out.
12 Time Management Worksheet Examples
1. 3 Time Audit Printable Worksheets and Templates
Are you hard-pressed to finish several daily tasks and not sure where to start? Our time management log can help keep you from becoming overwhelmed by everything you need to accomplish.
This template features a section for specifying your top three goals for the day. Then, a large section of the template is dedicated to supporting activities and to-dos that help achieve the top three goals. A column in the template lets you tag an activity’s level of importance (0 = Not Important to 3 = Urgent!).
Most importantly, through colored dots, this log allows you to track how productive you are by identifying your energy level while doing an activity.
You can indicate whether you’re very energized (green), moderately energized (yellow), or low on energy (blue) while doing any of the activities you’ve logged for the day into the template.
Looking for an appropriate time management log for all your weekly activities? We designed this template just for that purpose. Near the header is space for writing your top three goals of the week.
An eight-column table offers enough space to record your schedule for the week and plot out how to manage your time well.
You can use colored highlighters to highlight specific activities and indicate your energy level while doing this activity.
As a suggestion, green can mean highly energized and very productive; orange can represent moderately energized and moderately productive; and blue can mean low energy or did nothing.
College life can be
hectic, especially when it comes to your schedule.
It takes some strategic
planning to stay on top of everything. That’s why it’s essential to find the
right time-management tool.
A time manager like this
one ensures that students don’t miss classes and important events. It also
helps keep track of priority tasks.
This worksheet also has
space where you can write down to-do items that you need to accomplish for the
week.
The worksheet features a time block with one-hour intervals for the weekdays. There isn’t any time blocking for the weekend schedule, which is meant to encourage students to take time off from academic work and focus more on self-care.
5. Time Tracking Worksheet
This worksheet helps you
track your activities. It features a column for the estimated duration of your
task, and another column for recording the actual time you spent on the
activity.
Furthermore, it has
space for recording the frequency of the activity, which is useful for tracking
your weekly schedule.
Finally, there is a column for identifying whether the task is important or not. This way, you can pinpoint which of your activities are significant or merely time sinks.
6. Where Does My Time Go?
Need support for your
new time-management habit? This worksheet applies several strategies and
principles for effectively managing your time.
The worksheet has 30-minute intervals to keep track of the precise time you spend on every activity.
With this template, you also have the opportunity to reflect on how your schedule for the day went.
The template has space where you can list “activities that deserve more time,” as well as those that deserve less. Lastly, a space is also provided where you can write initial plans for the following day.
7. Weekly Time Management Tracker
This time tracker has been designed to work with your schedule. Once printed out, it gives you a clear view of your daily schedule so you can identify which activities are consuming most of your time.
To maximize this tracker’s potential to help manage your time better, you can use categories to track how you spend your day. Examples of categories include:
Work-related activities (including meetings, special assignments, etc.)
Health and fitness activities (time at the gym, meal preparation, etc.)
8. Daily Time Blocking Worksheet
Schedules can be hectic, so we need a system to help us stay on top of things. This time-blocking worksheet helps keep the stress at bay when you need to get a lot of things done.
Although effective time management is a serious matter, we can still infuse it with fun elements. One way to do this is by using colorful pens when filling in your timetable.
Moreover, stickers and printables can add visual interest and give you an amusing way of categorizing and tracking your schedules.
9. Bullet Journal Time Tracker Printable
This time tracker serves you well as a daily or weekly time log.
The heart at the beginning of each line represents the category of the activity you list down. This tracker’s creator suggests color coding the hearts to represent each category of activity.
Space for the color code “key” is also provided at the top right part of the tracker page to help you navigate this worksheet.
There is also a space where you can write down notes, reminders, and other information you want to keep a record of about your day.
10. 31-Day Time Tracker
This time tracker lets you track how you spend your 24 hours every day for 31 days. You can use a color-coded system to identify the activities that you do throughout the day.
Mildliners and Stabilo highlighters work well for this type of time tracker.
11. Your Time Buttoned Up
This worksheet has a
time-blocking feature with 30-minute intervals. The template lets you track
your schedule for the whole week, from 7 am to 2 am.
However, the standout feature here is color-coded dots that correspond to how productive your activity is.
Green is very productive; orange is moderately productive; and red is wasted time (perhaps it’s time to admit that Facebook addiction and kick the habit).
12. Daily Time Log
Logging all of your activities trains your mind to consider time a valuable commodity. It encourages you to engage in activities that are of value to you.
The advantage of having a tracker like this is that, over a certain period, you will be able to see a pattern of how you use your time.
Is it for something that enriches you? Or do you spend a huge chunk of the day on time-sink activities like excessive social media use?
With this information, you can adjust your priorities and manage your time more effectively.
Final Thoughts on Time Management Worksheet for Students & Adults
There you have it—time
management worksheet examples to inspire you as you work your way toward
improved productivity and better health and well-being.
When you use a time-management tool such as the worksheets featured today, avoid dwelling on the things you fail to achieve. You always have the option of rescheduling them. Instead, focus on celebrating the tasks you do accomplish.
Furthermore, remember to
take a break after accomplishing important activities. Allow yourself to
decompress.
Always take your health and well-being into consideration when implementing time-management strategies for productivity. Make sure that you do not sacrifice sleep in an effort to get things done.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Over the past 10 days, I have been experimenting with TikTok videos.
Why am I bothering with a platform that might be banned in the US?
Well, I’m using TikTok as an opportunity to learn more about what works (or doesn’t work) with short-form video content.
I don’t have any sort of plan.
Instead, I’m just having fun with…tinkering.
This experiment reminds me of the 20% rule that Google has for their employees.
So in today’s featured article, I’ll talk about this rule and how to apply it to your life.
Let’s get to it.
An Overview of Google’s 20% Rule
The 20% rule was introduced by Google for all their employees and simply states that employees spend 20 percent of their working hours on projects that they think will benefit Google the most.
In essence, this rule allows employees to become more creative and innovative and has given Google tremendous long-term success (including significant advances like Adsense and Google News).
However, this rule can be applied anywhere, for anything, and not just in business.
The core idea here is to spend a small portion of your time to either learn a skill or experiment with an unproven idea.
It’s also unnecessary to focus too much on “20%” other time chunks work just as well – including 5%, 10%, and more.
Here’s how to apply this rule to your life.
Step 1: Pick One Thing
Start by choosing something important to you, this could be any skill that you think gives you an edge in your career, or a technology that you’ve always wanted to learn more about.
However, it’s absolutely vital to limit yourself to just one thing at a time.
Leonardo Da Vinci once said:
“As every divided kingdom falls, so every mind divided between many studies confounds and saps itself.”
If you try to learn multiple new skills at once you will be frustrated and won’t make any meaningful progress on any of them.
The video below explain how you can use just-in time learning to master any skill.
Step 2: Evaluate Your Time
Google’s rule states that 20 percent of all working hours should be used in a 40-hour work. This amounts to around 8 hours working on new projects.
But for someone trying to learn a new skill in their spare time, this might not be practical or even realistic.
If you take a chunk of your leisure time and devote that to the 20% rule you will have a much more realistic amount of time to play with.
For example, if you had 10 hours of leisure time each week you could devote 2 hours of that to learning the “thing” you picked.
All that said, if you’re strapped for time, consider changing the 20% rule to 5% or 10% instead.
The main point:
Just spend a little bit of your free time on learning something new.
Step 3: Lower Expectations
Whatever skill you’ve picked, don’t expect to become an expert overnight.
Google doesn’t demand that the 20% rule delivers super successful projects (even if some have been).
The main point is to practice new skills and be innovative and self-directed.
One way to think about your learning is to think about the long-term benefits of your skill.
Is it something that is helping you face a fear (like public speaking) or is it a more social hobby that allows you to make more friends (like a team sport or other venture)?
Just have fun…tinkering.
Step 4: Be Flexible
If you’ve allocated a certain amount of time every week and on a given day you can’t do what you need to do, don’t beat yourself up.
If you have 2 or 3 hours each week and simply don’t have an hour on the day you planned, either do half an hour spread across two days or maybe spend 2 hours on one day.
Even if you can’t get all 2 or 3 hours done every week, don’t sweat it, or else you’ll turn what should be something good into a tedious chore.
The main point is that every week you should spend some time that gets you to around your 20% (or 10%).
Step 5: Have Fun
You must make this something that you enjoy and not something that you dread – you can make it enjoyable by focusing on different benefits and not being too results-oriented.
For example – let’s say you took up jogging.
You could think like an athlete and try to constantly improve run times, and think solely about improving your aerobic base, and this will get you fitter faster, but it also might turn jogging into something you hate.
Another way to look at this would be to consider the other benefits:
Time with nature
Endorphins from finishing a run
Time alone to think
Breaking out of your comfort zone
Instead of thinking solely about improvement (which will happen anyway) look at all the ways you can enjoy what you’re doing.
Step 6: Think Long Term
Thinking too short-term here can be a recipe for burnout.
Think about how the skill you’ve picked to learn will benefit you far into the future and can help keep you grounded and realistic.
It also helps keep you excited about what you’re doing and connects what you’re learning with what you hope to achieve in the future.
You can do this by visualizing what you’ll gain by sticking with something for a year or a few years.
The 20% Rule in Action
John decides that he wants to learn computer programming in some of his off time.
He figures that if he follows the 20% rule he’ll have about 3 hours a week to dedicate to learning this new skill.
He realizes that he is not going to be a coding wizz in a few weeks or months, it’s going to be longer before he starts to become competent at this skill.
Some weeks he doesn’t always get the chance to do the full 3 hours but he gets at least a couple of hours in.
He views his coding practice as something to experiment and have fun with, he takes his time on exercises and coding that he enjoys the most.
John understands that if he keeps up his practice he will become competent in a skill that he never believed he was smart enough to even attempt, and that it opens some potentially massive doors for him in the future.
Final Thoughts on the Google’s 20% Rule
It’s clear that Google’s 20% rule isn’t just a quirky company policy—it’s a testament to the power of investing in creativity and innovation.
By allowing employees to dedicate a day a week to explore new ideas, Google has not only sparked the creation of products like Gmail and AdSense, but it has also cultivated an environment where thinking outside the box isn’t just encouraged, it’s expected.
So, what’s stopping us from applying a similar principle in our own professional lives?
Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or part of a larger team, consider carving out a slice of your week to pursue a project that fuels your passion or solves a problem in an innovative way.
Who knows?
That 20% could lead to your next big breakthrough.
And if you want more resources about work habits, be sure to check out these blog posts:
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Being successful as a solopreneur has some straightforward rules that will net results if you stick with them. The simple stuff is identifying your most important tasks and allocating blocks of time to work on them.
Unfortunately, life rarely follows the plan.
When your responsibilities have crept up on you, it can cause you to push your goals to the wayside, and then before you know it, weeks or months go by, and you have no progress on your goals.
This stunted progress can cause severe disappointment that causes you to give up quickly.
Making The Most of Your Minutes
Making the most of small slivers of time is exactly how it sounds.
Take the time you spend in a day scrolling through your phone and turn it into pebblestone steps that get you closer to accomplishing what you want.
These idle time chunks are usually 5 to 15-minute periods that you can leverage to either knock off small tasks on your list or help you plan and prepare in some way for a big, more important project.
Here are some examples of how you can use this time:
If you don’t have time for a full workout then take a brisk walk or do a small exercise session.
If you’re struggling to complete everything on your to-do list, pick the most important task and get as much done as you can.
Don’t have the time to do a big, complicated report? Create an outline and think of some points you want to discuss.
Don’t have time for your full morning routine? Pick one or two essential things that set you up best for the day.
A Small-Time Action Plan For Big-Time Results
Making the most of these small moments is not difficult, and just requires a simple shift in mindset and a willingness to get the maximum you can out of your waking hours. It can be surprising how fast these smaller blocks of time can add up to impactful results in your daily life.
Making the most of these small moments is not difficult, and just requires a simple shift in mindset.
Using these smaller chunks of time is also a good way to make progress on things that you might be too stressed or tired to get a grip on during the day.
Step 1: Identify Unused Time
First, start by figuring out what blocks of time you have that are used on unproductive activities like scrolling through TikTok. This might be as simple as looking for time spent mindlessly on your phone:
During commutes (especially if you’re using public transport).
Spending an excessive amount of time answering emails.
Waiting for a meeting to start.
During days when you don’t have as much work on.
Time spent waiting for the next class.
The key is seeing where you have 5 or 10-minute blocks that you think won’t be of any use.
Step 2: List Quick Tasks
The idea behind using these small time slots isn’t to chip away at big tasks and projects. That would be discombobulating and most likely turn your mind into a confused mess after a few days.
Make a list of any small tasks that you can complete – here’s some ideas:
Organize your workspace to improve productivity.
Write down your top 3 goals for the day.
Clear out your email inbox or respond to a few pending messages.
Stretch or do a quick workout to boost energy.
Meditate or practice deep breathing for relaxation.
Review and update your to-do list.
Read an article related to your field to stay informed.
Network by sending a LinkedIn connection request or message.
Learn a new word or phrase in a foreign language.
Jot down ideas for a project or brainstorm solutions to a problem.
Plan your meals for the week or write a grocery list.
Listen to a motivational podcast or TED talk.
Tidy up your immediate area, like your desk or kitchen counter.
Reflect on what you’ve accomplished so far and what’s next.
Take a refreshing break, as suggested by Fast Company, to recharge mentally.
Research a topic you’re curious about.
Schedule appointments or set reminders for important tasks.
Send a thank-you note or message to someone.
Review your finances or budget.
Do a quick digital detox: step away from screens and enjoy the moment.
Step 3: Prioritize
This step depends more on your needs as an individual. The examples we’ve mentioned aren’t all about squeezing as much as you can out of every single minute in a day (which is almost guaranteed to lead to burnout).
If you’re feeling frazzled, prioritize taking moments to consciously recharge and slow down. Pay attention to your surroundings, watch the birds, or take steady, deep breaths.
Or, think about some task or project that is bothering you or that you want to get done. Can you use your slivers of time to prepare for that project or complete that task in some way?
Step 4: Be Proactive
It’s better to think proactively rather than reactively when it comes to using your dead time. Using these minutes in the day reactively can cause you to become stressed or overwhelmed.
It’s best to have a list of “evergreen” things you can do in these chunks of time – whether that’s a brisk walk, an outline for projects, taking ten minutes to plan your day, or making time to disconnect and recharge.
Review these tasks now and again to align with your goals and schedule.
Final Thoughts on Using Small Slivers of Time
Taking advantage of the small patches of time you have in your day can help you make small but significant steps forward in your goals and is useful for anyone on any life path, solopreneur or not.
Take advantage of these moments throughout the day and see if using some of your idle minutes allows you to get a leg up on your goals and projects.
And if you want more resources on how to maximize your small slivers of time, be sure to check out these blog posts:
You cram facts and figures into your notebook. But later, when you’re prepping for test time, it’s all a blurry mess. Scribbles here. Illegible writing there. Wait—how did a “I heart Taylor Swift” doodle get on the corner of the pad?
There’s got to be a better way to do this. Mastering how to take notes—good notes—so that you don’t find yourself guessing what that squiggly line means.
“If you take notes, you’re going to remember more,” points out Jim Kwik, a brain performance expert and trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain Quest.
With just a paper and a pen (or laptop, whichever you prefer), you’ll be able to absorb all that knowledge in—snap—no time.
What’s the #1 Way to Take Notes?
The crown jewel of note-taking methods is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Rather, it’s about finding a technique that resonates with your unique learning style.
Regardless of how you take notes, Jim recommends handwriting over digital note-taking. He explains, “Studies show that when you handwrite something, you take better notes than when you type it.”
In fact, the results of a 2021 study suggest that writing words by hand, compared to typing them, might help you remember them better.
Of course, with that being said, when it comes to typing and not taking notes, Jim says to “type it digitally.” The reason? “The worst way of taking notes is not taking notes at all.”
3 Types of Note-Taking
Understanding the three primary styles of note-taking—linear, non-linear, and digital—can significantly enhance how to take good notes. Each style has its own unique strengths and caters to different needs and preferences.
So by familiarizing yourself with these types, you can tailor your note-taking strategy to fit your personal learning style more effectively.
1. Linear note-taking
Out of all the styles, linear note-taking is the most common. It’s straightforward, and it’s perfect if you prefer simplicity and order.
It involves summarizing information in an outline in the order it’s presented. For instance, if you’re attending a lecture on the importance of healthy eating, your notes might look like this:
Main Topic: The Importance of Healthy Eating
Key Point 1: Benefits of Healthy Eating
Improves overall health
Boosts energy levels
Supports weight management
Key Point 2: Components of a Healthy Diet
Fruits and vegetables
Whole grains
Lean proteins
Key Point 3: Tips for Adopting a Healthy Eating Habit
Planning meals ahead
Choosing whole foods over processed foods
Drinking plenty of water
This method keeps your notes super organized. It allows you to read it faster and study later.
2. Non-linear note-taking
Non-linear note-taking is where creativity meets clarity. It allows for a more flexible approach to organizing information.
Here are a few examples:
Mind mapping is a visual note-taking technique where you draw information around a central idea. You start with the main idea in the center of the page and branch out to subtopics, which further branch into more specific points.
Concept mapping is similar to mind mapping, but instead of focusing on one idea, it connects many ideas or concepts, kind of like a spider’s web. It’s useful for complex topics that require understanding how different concepts relate to each other.
The Cornell Method divides the paper into three sections: a narrow column on the left for keywords or questions, a larger note-taking area on the right to jot down main ideas or notes, and a summary section at the bottom. This method encourages you to think critically about your notes by summarizing and asking questions.
These are just some non-linear methods that you can benefit from in terms of visual learning and the ability to see how ideas interconnect.
3. Digital note-taking
There’s no doubt that the digital revolution has transformed how to take notes effectively. It offers productivity tools that cater to every learner’s needs.
Here are a few you can check out:
Evernote is a versatile app that allows you to take notes in various formats, including text, images, and voice notes.
Obsidian is a unique note-taking app with the ability to create concept maps between your notes through backlinks and graph views.
Google Keep is a straightforward, easy-to-use app that allows you to create color-coded notes and lists, in addition to adding images and voice notes.
From apps that sync across devices to software that can convert handwritten notes to digital text, the possibilities are endless. What’s more, digital note-taking is particularly advantageous if you value accessibility and efficiency.
So whether you’re jotting down ideas on an iPad or summarizing a meeting, digital tools can make the process seamless and interactive.
5 Best Note-Taking Methods
Did you know that when you learn something new, you’ll forget approximately 75% of it within 48 hours? It’s what’s known as the forgetting curve.
And a great way to increase brainpower in this aspect? Knowing how to take notes, according to Jim.
Here are five methods that you can use:
1. The Capture-Create Method
This method is one that Jim truly advocates. It involves dividing your note page into two parts where you’re “note-taking and note-making.”
How to use it: On the left side, capture key points in bulleted lists. On the right, jot down your thoughts, questions, and connections to existing knowledge.
Advantages: It encourages active engagement and transforms note-taking into an interactive brainstorming session.
Disadvantages: It might be less effective for those who prefer linear or very structured note-taking styles.
When to use it: It’s great during lectures or meetings when you want to actively engage with the material and brainstorm ideas.
2. The Boxing Method
Boxing your notes is a visual way to organize them, grouping similar ideas into compartments.
How to use it: As you learn, draw boxes for each new topic. Within each box, write down key points and relevant details.
Advantages: It sorts complex information visually so that it’s easier to understand and remember.
Disadvantages: It may not be suitable for linear topics or fast-paced lectures.
When to use it: This method is great for subjects that have clear chapters or sections. It helps make studying for tests easier.
3. The Charting Method
This method uses columns to structure information into categories, making it ideal for lectures rich in facts or figures.
How to use it: Create columns for different categories and fill them with details as you learn.
Advantages: It provides a clear structure for notes, especially helpful for data-heavy subjects.
Disadvantages: This method works best if you have an idea of the lecture’s main points, so you can create your chart with the relevant headings in advance.
When to use it: It’s best for subjects like history, science, or economics, where you can categorize information easily.
4. The Sentence Method
This method keeps things simple by capturing each new piece of information as a separate sentence.
How to use it: Write down key points in clear, concise sentences as you learn.
Advantages: It’s fast and straightforward, making it ideal for learning how to take meeting notes efficiently and for capturing a broad overview in fast-paced lectures.
Disadvantages: It might lead to disorganized notes that are harder to review later.
When to use it: It’s ideal for situations where capturing the gist of the information is more important than intricate details.
5. The Sketchnoting Method
Sketchnoting combines traditional note-taking with doodles, symbols, and visuals, catering to visual learners and creative thinkers.
How to use it: You integrate drawings, charts, and visuals with brief notes to create engaging and visually stimulating summaries.
Advantages: If you’re a visual learner, this could be an appealing method. Additionally, it enhances your memory by incorporating visual elements.
Disadvantages: It might not be as effective if you’re less inclined towards visual learning or drawing. Plus, it can be time-consuming compared to simpler methods.
When to use it: This method is great for subjects or lectures that benefit from visual representation or for those who enjoy creative note-taking.
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even the most enthusiastic note-takers can fall prey to these pitfalls:
Not taking notes at all. This might seem obvious. However, as Jim points out, skipping this process altogether robs you of the opportunity to actively engage with the material and solidify your understanding.
Copying down everything. Remember, verbatim note-taking is the enemy of retention. Instead, focus on capturing key ideas and paraphrasing them in your own words.
Poor organization. Scramble to find that crucial piece of information later? Develop a system for organizing your notes. Use headings, bullet points, and visual cues to create a clear hierarchy and enhance searchability.
Neglecting review and reflection. Taking notes is just the first step. Schedule regular review sessions to revisit your notes, reinforce your understanding, and identify areas that require further exploration.
Choosing the wrong tool. Pen and paper may do wonders for you. Or perhaps you know how to take notes on an iPad or laptop. Experiment and find a tool that complements your workflow and learning style.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll transform your notes from a passive record into a powerful learning tool.
BONUS: 3 AI Tools for Note-Taking
Technology offers some impressive tools to enhance your note-taking experience. Here are a few that can help you:
Otter.ai is a lifesaver for lectures, meetings, or interviews. Simply record the audio, and Otter.ai will transcribe it in real time, complete with timestamps and speaker identification. No more frantically scribbling everything down; instead, you have the capacity to focus on actively listening and capturing key points.
Muse goes beyond simple text capture. It allows you to record audio or video lectures and then transcribe them with speaker identification and timestamps. Additionally, it can help with summarizing key points, generating flashcards for review, and creating mind maps for better visual organization.
Bear uses powerful search functionality that can search across your notes, including handwritten notes, thanks to OCR technology. It also offers a unique tagging system that allows for flexible organization and easy retrieval of information.
Remember, AI tools are there to supplement, not replace, your active engagement with the material. With that being said, they can significantly boost your efficiency and free up cognitive space for things like focusing on homework.
Unleash Your Limitless
These note-taking methods are just one way to equip yourself for success. But for an even bigger learning boost, explore Jim Kwik’s free 10 Brain Hacks to Learn Fast masterclass.
Based on his renowned Superbrain Quest, you’ll learn powerful hacks to supercharge your memory, clear mental fog, and skyrocket your focus.
So say goodbye to “I forgot” and say hello to a sharper, more energized you.
It’s likely you’ve experienced this—you have a to-do list planned for your day. You start one task… Then, one or two more… And the next thing you know, it’s quitting time, and you’ve only gotten halfway through.
Let’s face it: humans are busy people. And in the span of 24 hours, we have plenty to do. Between work and family life, we’re lucky if we can snag a simple 15 minutes of downtime at the end of the day to decompress.
So, what can help with the chaos? Productivity tools.
The thing is, too much of our time is wasted on ineffective efforts. We are able to focus more, do more in less time if we’re better organized. It’s all about adhering to the task at hand, staying focused, and knowing in what direction we’re headed.
Productivity tools are exactly what they sound like: tools that help you be productive, a.k.a., organize and structure your time, stay on top of what needs to be done, and be as effective as you can be. You can find this in the form of software apps, services, or even physical methods, all of which help with:
Streamlining workflows
Automating repetitive tasks
Organizing information
Improving collaboration
Managing time
These tools offer quite a number of benefits, according to research. For instance, almost all workers (over 90%) in a 2023 survey by the Harvard Business Review said that using automation tools helped them get more work done. Plus, most of them (85%) also said these tools made it easier for their teams to work together.
The unfortunate thing is, we all complain about being too distracted, as Nir Eyal, a habit-forming expert and trainer of Mindvalley’s Becoming Focused and Indistractable Quest, points out. “But 99% of people can’t tell you what they’re being distracted from.”
But by changing the way you approach the things you’d like to get done, you’ll find it much easier to be more productive.
Undoubtedly, there are plenty of productivity tools out there to choose from. The question is, where do you start?
Here’s a list of the ones that have, so far, lasted the test of time:
1. Pomodoro Technique
This approach helps you tackle tasks in manageable chunks, breaking down work into 25-minute intervals of focused work with short breaks in between. Each interval is called a “pomodoro,” named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer the creator of the technique used.
This method can help maintain concentration and prevent mental fatigue. Moreover, it can improve time management as well as boost motivation so that you don’t feel so burned out.
Here’s how you do it:
Choose a task.
Set a timer for 25 minutes.
Work on the task without distractions until the timer rings.
Take a short, five-minute break.
Repeat steps 1-4 for four cycles.
Take a longer, 15-20-minute break.
2. The Eisenhower Matrix
This is a simple decision-making tool that categorizes tasks based on what’s urgent and important. By doing so, you can reduce your decision fatigue, ensure you dedicate time to high-impact tasks, and prevent getting overwhelmed by trivial things.
Here’s how to use it:
Draw a matrix with two axes.
Put “Urgent” and “Not Urgent” on the x-axis, and “Important” and “Not Important” on the y-axis.
Place your tasks in the quadrants:
Urgent & Important: Do immediately.
Not Urgent & Important: Schedule for later.
Urgent & Not Important: Delegate or eliminate.
Not Urgent & Not Important: Eliminate.
Categorize tasks and schedule them based on their placement in the matrix.
3. The Ivy Lee Method
This simple yet powerful task management technique was developed by a renowned productivity expert, Ivy Lee. It helps you with “how to overcome tasks that pile up in your regular workday,” according to Vishen, the founder of Mindvalley and trainer of the Super Productivity Quest.
So let’s say you have six things you need to do for tomorrow. Using this method, you’d write down those six things in the order of the most important to the least. And what it does is help reduce overwhelm, promote laser-like focus, and boost your motivation.
Here’s how you use it:
Log whatever tasks come to you, whether it’s something you need to deliver or an idea that you want to turn into a proposal.
Give each task a ranking. It can be from 1–5 or 1–10, whichever works best for you.
Budget time in your calendar to accomplish your task.
Eliminate the most difficult task first.
Five minutes before the end of your workday, organize your tasks for the next day in terms of importance.
At the end of each week, check up on your progress and see how well you did (or not do).
4. Time blocking
Time blocking is a way to help you manage your time. It requires you to divide your day into specific blocks dedicated to specific tasks or projects.
For example, you block off one hour in the morning for focused writing. The next block would be for emails. And the next one would be for meetings.
This allows you to reduce distractions and use your time more effectively. And by having such control over your schedule, your anxiety can decrease and your overall well-being can improve.
“In order to live our values in each of these domains, we must reserve time in our schedules to do so,” Nir explains. “Without planning ahead, it’s impossible to even tell the difference between traction and distraction.”
Here’s how you can implement it:
List all your tasks for the day.
Allocate realistic time slots for each task.
Block out dedicated time slots in your calendar for each task.
5. Make a pact
According to Nir, there are three basic kinds of pacts: effort, price, and identity.
An effort pact prevents distraction by making unwanted behaviors more difficult to do. For example, installing an add-on that prevents you from browsing certain sites.
A price pact adds a cost to getting distracted. For example, “If I don’t go to the gym, I will burn this $100 bill.”
An identity pact is a precommitment to a self-image. For example, “I am indistractible.”
They’re essentially pre-commitments to help you overcome distractions and achieve your goals.
How to make a pact:
Identify your goals and distractions.
Choose the best pact type: effort, price, or identity.
Create a specific and clear pre-commitment.
Share your pact with others for accountability (optional).
6. Productivity journal
Few productivity planner tools are as effective as the productivity journal. There are countless calendars and planners out there, but purchasing a journal dedicated to keeping you organized and productive puts you a step ahead of the game.
By dedicating a few minutes each day to jotting down completed tasks, challenges faced, and areas for improvement, you gain valuable insights into your work patterns.
Here’s how you can use it:
Choose a notebook or app dedicated to journaling.
After each workday, dedicate 5–10 minutes for reflection.
Briefly list completed tasks and projects, highlighting any significant achievements.
Note any challenges faced and potential solutions for future encounters.
Identify areas where you felt most productive and focused.
7. Dry-erase calendar
This method requires a reusable whiteboard or surface specifically designed to write and erase plans and events. When you have a calendar up that’s clearly visible, it’ll help you remember what needs to be done and when—it’s the whole idea of “in sight, in mind.”
It provides you with a clear overview of your schedule, deadlines, and appointments. What’s more, because it’s dry-erase, you can easily add, modify, or erase information as your plans change.
Here’s how you can use it:
Place the calendar in a visible location in your workspace or home, preferably in a high-traffic area.
Write down significant events, deadlines, and appointments. Use different colors to categorize events for easier organization.
Add new information and erase outdated entries as needed.
8. Mind mapping
Chances are, you’ve heard of mind mapping, the visual brainstorming technique that resembles a web or a branching tree. In the center is the main topic, with radiating branches to connect ideas and sub-ideas.
For instance, imagine you’re planning a party. The topic in the center might be “Party Planning.” Then, the branches could connect to sub-ideas like “food,” “guests,” “decorations,” and so on. Each of these sub-branches could further expand with more specific details.
Having a visual layout can encourage free-flowing connections between one idea and another. What’s more, it helps you see the bigger picture and spark new ideas and connections you might’ve missed with linear note-taking.
Here’s how you can do it:
Start with a central idea. Write or draw it in the center of a blank page.
Draw branches to connect the central idea to related topics or sub-ideas.
Write keywords or phrases on each branch to further elaborate.
Get creative and use colors, images, and symbols to enhance visual engagement.
9. Kanban boards
Falling under the category of visual workflow management tools, Kanban boards represent different stages of a task. This can be something like “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done,” where each task is represented by a card, and as you progress, you move the card across the columns.
With this method, you’ll be able to quickly see the status of all your tasks as well as track their progress. Then, you can prioritize what you need to work on and avoid multitasking, making your work more efficient.
Here’s how to use kanban boards:
Use a physical whiteboard, an online tool, or even sticky notes on a wall.
List the different stages your tasks go through.
Briefly describe each task on a sticky note or card.
As tasks progress, move them through the corresponding columns.
10. Two-minute rule
Baby steps is the name of this game. This technique, developed by productivity expert David Allen, suggests tackling any task that can be completed in two minutes or less immediately.
“When I really do not want to do something, I tell myself I’m only going to do it for two minutes, whatever that is,” says Florencia Andres, a mindset coach and trainer of Mindvalley’s The Champion Mindset Quest. “It could be like doing pushups; it could be working on an edit; it could be working on a script, whatever that is.”
By eliminating the mental hurdle of starting these small tasks, you’re more likely to get them done and dusted, avoiding a massive pile-up later on. Additionally, it can feel rewarding to check off something on your list, getting you to stop procrastinating when it comes to larger projects.
Here’s how to use this technique:
When you encounter a task, estimate what its completion time will be.
If it takes less than two minutes, do it immediately.
Nowadays, artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. And undeniably, it’s changing the way we work, from individual efficiency to business operations.
Using AI-powered tools can truly help revolutionize your workflow. Here’s a list of 10 that you can explore:
11. Airtable
If you’re looking for an all-in-one organizer, Airtable’s your go-to. Up front, it looks like any typical spreadsheet. However, it’s got the power of a database.
So imagine organizing information in familiar rows and columns. Now, add in the ability to link data, add attachments, and create unique views, and you’ve got Airtable.
You can use it to:
Organize anything. Manage projects, track expenses, or plan events—Airtable adapts to your needs.
Boost collaboration. Share your Airtable bases (workspaces) with your team and work together in real-time.
Simplify complex workflows. Automate tasks, set reminders, and gain valuable insights from your data.
Cost: Free with basic features. There’s also the option of paid plans with additional storage and functionality.
12. ChatGPT
There’s no doubt that ChatGPT is an innovative tool. It can generate human-like text, translate languages, write all sorts of creative content, and answer your questions in an informative way. It’s as close to Iron Man’s J.A.R.V.I.S. as we’re at right now.
You can use it to:
Boost productivity. Generate content ideas, translate documents, and answer questions, freeing up your time for other tasks.
Spark creativity. Overcome writer’s block, brainstorm ideas, and explore new writing styles with ChatGPT’s assistance.
Gain insights. Ask questions and receive informative answers, gaining a deeper understanding of various topics.
Cost: Free with limited features. You can upgrade to premium plans to unlock advanced capabilities and priority access.
13. Conturata
Granted, using ChatGPT for the first time can be daunting. But even veteran users don’t fully know its full capabilities.
How do you prompt it so that it gives you what you’re looking for? Conturata has made this process so much easier for all of us.
You can use it to:
Be specific in your prompts. The clearer and more specific your prompts, the better ChatGPT will understand your request and generate the desired output.
Break down lengthy content into manageable parts with Conturata’s splitting feature. This makes feeding information into ChatGPT smoother and avoids overwhelming the system.
Unlock diverse content creation. Conturata provides pre-built prompts for diverse content types, empowering you to generate scripts, post descriptions, and more, all within the realm of ChatGPT.
Cost: Free
14. QuillBot
If you’re looking to refine your content, QuillBot’s a great tool to use. It uses AI technology to suggest different ways to express your ideas while maintaining their original meaning.
You can use it to:
Improve your clarity. It suggests alternative phrasing, synonyms, and sentence structures, making your writing clearer and more concise.
Enhance your creativity. Overcome writer’s block and explore new ways to express yourself by using the tool’s different rephrasing modes (e.g., formal, creative, etc.).
Boost your grammar and vocabulary. Identify and correct grammatical errors while discovering new vocabulary options to enrich your writing.
Cost: Free with limited features. However, the premium plans unlock additional modes, longer text processing, and more.
15. Calendly
Imagine this: You’re a busy professional. You’ve got things to do. Endless back-and-forth emails and finding a time to meet with someone shouldn’t be one of them.
With Calendly, all you have to do is share a link with the other person. They can see your available slots and choose a time that works for them, automatically adding it to your calendars.
You can use it to:
Save time and effort by automating scheduling tasks.
Provide a centralized platform for managing your calendar and appointments.
Offer flexibility. It provides options for different meeting types, like video calls or in-person meetings.
Costs: Calendly offers a free plan with limited features, while premium plans unlock additional functionalities like integrations and group scheduling.
16. Vocable
Vocable.ai is an AI-powered content management platform designed to streamline your workflow and boost productivity. It uses AI to assist with various content creation tasks, like generating content ideas, conducting research, gathering information, paraphrasing, and summarizing text, to name a few.
You can use it to:
Generate creative content ideas, overcoming your writer’s block.
Save time and effort by automating repetitive tasks.
Improve the quality and efficiency of your content creation process.
Costs: Freemium model, with a basic free plan and paid plans with additional features.
17. Jasper.ai
Shelling out content is a real big chore. But with an AI writing assistant like Jasper.ai, you can create all sorts of copy, like for social media posts, emails, and product descriptions.
You can use it to:
Generate creative text formats, helping you break through creative roadblocks and produce content efficiently.
Craft compelling marketing materials that resonate with your audience and improve your overall marketing strategy.
Save time and resources. You focus on core tasks while Jasper handles the content creation, saving you valuable time and resources.
Cost: Depends on the plan and features chosen.
18. Otter.ai
No need for a secretary to take down the minutes. Otter.ai uses AI-powered software to transcribe meetings, interviews, and lectures in real time.
You can use it to:
Capture every word, freeing you to actively participate and focus on the conversation.
Easily review key points and highlights later, thanks to automatic timestamps and speaker identification.
Share transcripts and recordings with colleagues to ensure everyone stays on the same page.
Cost: Free with basic features. However, the premium plans come with additional features like speaker identification and cloud storage.
19. Midjourney
If you’re looking to unleash your creative spark, try out Midjourney. It creates stunning and unique visuals that’ll spark your creative exploration.
What’s more, it can help make your work more artistic, should it need such appeal. For example, if you need visuals for a presentation or a social media post and you don’t want to spend hours scouring for the perfect stock photo, you can simply describe your vision in Midjourney (e.g., “a futuristic cityscape at sunset”), and it’ll generate stunning options for you to use.
So while it doesn’t boost task completion, you can use it to:
Generate visual ideas to overcome creative roadblocks.
Create visuals quickly and efficiently, saving time compared to traditional methods.
Use visuals to convey ideas and concepts.
Cost: Paid plans that offer varying levels of access and functionality.
20. Google Meet
Online calls use AI, too. Google Meet, in particular, uses this type of intelligence to enhance the user experience, contributing to a more productive, inclusive, and engaging meeting.
You can use it to:
Blur distracting backgrounds and minimize background noise, ensuring a professional and focused environment for your meetings.
Live captioning. This can be particularly helpful for deaf and hard-of-hearing users as well as those following along in different languages.
Adjust lighting and layouts for optimal video quality and group visibility.
Cost: Free, but some advanced features may require a paid Google Workspace subscription.
10 Best Productivity Apps
Your smartphone might seem like something that would be against your productivity. But what if it could actually become your performance powerhouse?
“Everything is a distraction when we don’t decide for ourselves what we want to do with our time,” Nir explains. And these top 10 productivity apps can help with just that.
21. Google Calendar
A great way to schedule events, set reminders, and stay organized is by putting them on your calendar. That’s where Google Calendar comes in.
It allows you to centralize your schedule in one place, accessible from any device. So even if you’ve used your desktop to put in an entry, you’ll be able to access it from your phone.
You can use it to:
Stay organized with the ability to view your schedule in various formats (day, week, month).
Boost productivity by scheduling tasks, setting reminders, and avoiding missed deadlines.
Collaborate effortlessly with colleagues and friends for seamless coordination.
Cost: Free
22. Cloud storage
Let’s say you’re working on a presentation on your laptop at the office. Then, you continue the dits on your phone during your commute home. That’s the beauty of cloud storage—it keeps your documents, photos, music, and whatnot accessible and synced across all your devices.
Whether you opt for Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive, or anything of the like, you best believe this digital locker eliminates the need for bulky USD drives or external hard drives.
You can use it to:
Access your files from any device with an internet connection, increasing flexibility and collaboration.
Automatically back up your files, keeping them safe and secure.
Share files and folders easily with colleagues or friends, streamlining teamwork and project management.
23. Slack
Slack is a cloud-based platform designed to centralize team communication. It replaces emails with channels for specific topics or projects, allowing for organized discussions and file sharing.
You can use it to:
Improve communication by fostering transparency and information flow.
Share ideas, documents, and project updates.
Increase productivity by streamlining workflows and reducing reliance on emails.
Cost: Free with limited features. The paid tiers come with additional functionalities.
24. Evernote
Evernote offers a central hub for all your notes, to-dos, and multimedia content. So, essentially, you can jot down a grocery list at home, add a research note at the library, and then seamlessly access both on your phone at the store.
You can use it to:
Organize your thoughts. Your notes, web clippings, images, and audio recordings are in one place, easily searchable for future reference.
Boost productivity. Create to-do lists, set reminders, and collaborate with others on projects, streamlining your workflow.
Access information anywhere. Sync your notes across devices, ensuring you have everything you need at your fingertips.
Cost: Free with basic features. The premium plans include additional storage and collaboration options.
25. Obsidian
There’s the form of note-taking we’re all familiar with. And then there’s Obsidian—a unique note-taking app that lets you connect your ideas freely.
Why would you want to do that, you may ask? Well, it creates a web of interconnected thoughts. So let’s say you’re researching a historical event. In Obsidian, you can create separate notes for different aspects (such as key figures, causes, timelines, etc.) and link them together.
You can use it to:
Organize knowledge. You can create notes on any topic, link them to related concepts, and build a comprehensive knowledge base.
Connect ideas and explore diverse perspectives, fostering deeper understanding.
Improve your writing by leveraging the interconnected nature of your notes to craft well-structured documents.
Cost: Free
26. Forest
If you’re the kind to get distracted by the constant happenings on your phone, then Forest might be the tool for you. It’s a gamified productivity app that uses positive reinforcement to help you stay focused.
Here’s how it works: Let’s say you want to write for an hour without checking your phone. Plant a virtual tree in the app. As you stay focused and avoid temptation, your tree grows. However, if you do pick up your device, the tree dies.
You can use it to:
Boost your focus and motivation and prevent distractions from hindering your progress.
Increase your self-awareness. Watching your virtual tree wither due to phone use creates a tangible reminder of the consequences of distraction.
Minimize distractions, so you can complete tasks more efficiently and achieve your goals faster.
Cost: Free with basic features. The premium plans include additional functionalities.
27. Freedom
“Why can’t I focus?” That’s what we often ask ourselves when we’ve got too many things taking up our attention.
Silence distractions on your phone, creating a distraction-free zone and allowing you to work uninterrupted.
Reduce procrastination, allowing you to stay on track with your tasks.
Increase productivity, so you can work more efficiently and achieve your goals faster.
Cost: Free on a trial basis. Then, paid plans are available.
28. Todoist
Juggling errands, work deadlines, and personal projects—so many things, so little time. Good thing Todoist can help you organize and manage your tasks.
Cleverly combining “to do” and “list,” this tool lets you create lists for groceries, set a reminder to pay bills, and even collaborate with your family on a vacation itinerary.
You can use it to:
Categorize and prioritize tasks, promoting clear focus and streamlined workflow.
Set reminders, track progress, and stay motivated, enabling you to achieve more in less time.
Share lists and collaborate with others, fostering teamwork and project transparency.
Cost: Free with limited features. The premium plans, however, unlock advanced functionalities like recurring tasks and labels.
29. Pocket
“In your pocket”—that’s the analogy that the Pocket app is named after. It’s essentially putting interesting articles, videos, and webpages you find online “in your pocket” so you can access them easily later, just like you would with physical material you save.
You can use it to:
Declutter your reading list, removing content you find interesting from your browser tabs or to-do lists.
Access saved content even without an internet connection, making it perfect for commutes or travel
Organize your content, making it easier to find what you’re looking for later.
Cost: Free with limited storage and features. A premium plan provides additional features like permanent storage and full-text search.
30. Canva
Need social media graphics for your next marketing campaign? A quick infographic for your meeting? A presentation deck?
Canva’s one of the best productivity tools out there that’s got all of it. There are templates and intuitive tools you can use to design eye-catching, professional-looking visuals in minutes, from your phone or computer.
You can use it to:
Create professional graphics like social media posts, presentations, posters, and more, even without design experience.
Save time and resources by using pre-made templates and avoiding the need for expensive design software.
Share your designs with team members for real-time collaboration and feedback.
Cost: Free with basic features. The premium plans, however, include additional features like stock photos and unlimited storage.
Fuel Your Future
Productivity tools can be a great asset in helping you achieve your goals. However, they can only take you so far.
The thing is, being efficient, organized, and productive is all about working smarter, not harder. And you can learn how in Mindvalley’s free Becoming Focused and Indistractable masterclass with Nir Eyal.
“The fact is, you can’t call something a distraction unless you know what it distracted you from,” he says. And in the 73-minute session, you’ll discover the secrets to becoming “indistractable,” learning powerful techniques to overcome distractions, boost productivity, and unlock your true potential.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Boosting productivity is an art form, and the more tools you have to help you, the faster you’ll see results.
One of the simplest and easiest ways to make the most of your waking hours is to measure the time you spend unengaged on your most important tasks (MITs) and then create processes to put yourself back on the right path.
When you understand where your time is occupied, you’ll be able to see why you’re getting the results you are (positive or negative).
Understanding the Power of a Time Audit
One process that can help you get the most out of your work hours is something called a time audit. This involves tracking what activities you do and where you spend most of your time over a given period.
This period can be a few days, a week, or even a month. We recommend a week, as it gives you a good amount of data to work with.
A time audit is simple to perform, and there are tons of ways you can make it work for you.
Step 1: Choose Your Method
Start by researching your options. There are plenty to choose from:
Pen and paper
Apps
Spreadsheets
Journals
Think about what works best for you, whether for ease of use, privacy, or what you want to do with your time audit. In some cases, you can generate reports to help make the information easier to use.
If in doubt, pick an option and try it for a day to see if it fits you or not.
Step 2: Record Your Activities
Get used to jotting down your activities and the time you spend on them. Set reminders or alarms that remind you throughout the day. It can be easy to log tasks at first, but as the day goes on, this can often get pushed from your mind.
Create a detailed log for each day to record the start and end time of each activity. For example:
Activity
Start – End
Meeting with team
9:30 – 10:15
Work on project
10:15 – 13:20
Lunch
13:20 – 13:50
Emails
13:55 – 14:55
Meeting
15:00 – 15:45
Try to be as detailed as possible for your activity entries, as this helps the information you’re getting from the audit have the best utility for you.
For example, instead of “Emails,” you could put “Email Marketing Team and Team Leaders.”
If you do a block of three hours of work, record exactly what tasks you did.
Step 3: Include Small Details
The more detailed you can be, the better.
Pay attention to every aspect of your day, noting the minor tasks, the interruptions, and any breaks you have. Thoroughly note down not just the main activities, but also any incidental tasks you complete, as well as distractions that capture your attention.
You can even comment on situations or pin additional notes to your daily log to explain the context that you might forget.
Be mindful of every facet of your day, including the minor tasks, interruptions, and breaks.
Step 4: Review
Set aside time at the end of each day or week to review your daily logs.
Evaluate the areas where you spend the most time, look for any patterns that stick out to you, and note these down if applicable. When you’ve completed this, look for areas where your planned tasks and the time you’ve spent on them don’t match up.
Look for any reasons why this might be so.
For example:
If you allocated three hours to work on a specific task or project, but you’re consistently finding that you only worked for an hour or two on most days, identify why this is.
Perhaps distractions are adding up and diverting your attention away from a task.
Maybe there is a lot of unaccounted time around that specific task.
Other tasks or projects might be getting in the way of you getting enough time for that specific task.
Step 5: Look for Areas of Improvement
Once you’ve identified data trends and patterns showing where your time is being spent, and any discrepancies in planned time, it’s time to snip out the time wasters.
Start by identifying tasks that are sucking a lot of time away and not providing much in the way of results.
Look for strategies you can use to claw back your time. Set boundaries with snooping coworkers, friends, and family, and look at productivity techniques or tools you can use to stop distractions from hijacking your attention.
Step 6: Adjust Your Schedule
Take your analysis and look for ways you can alter your schedule to match your plans.
One way you can do this is by ranking your tasks. If low-priority tasks are taking up too much time, then change your schedule so that the high-priority tasks go first in the day.
Another way is to look at your goals and objectives, and then check to see if the tasks you’re completing every week line up with those goals.
Anything that is low-priority or doesn’t align with your goals should be given less priority in your schedule.
Step 7: Implement and Monitor
Take what you’ve learned from the previous steps and keep track of how the changes you’ve made impact your schedule.
It can take a few times before you get your schedule to the point where you’re happy with it.
You might switch some tasks around, only to find out that you need to reprioritize other things.
On the other hand, you might find that adding extra time to a task doesn’t lead to any productivity increases.
This is why tracking and monitoring are so important. Someone might do fine working with a schedule where they just hammer out a single task for five hours, but others might need to tweak the time they spend on certain tasks and projects to get the best bang for their buck.
Putting It All Together: Time-Tracking Example
Let’s see how we can put this together with the help of an App called aTimeLogger2.
Using this app, you can create “buckets” for each different facet of your business.
For example, the app site shows various example buckets, such as self-care, sport, sleep, and transport.
For an online business that focuses on content creation, you might narrow your buckets down to:
Writing
Social media
Education
People management (relevant to a solopreneur if you’re using freelancers or have a small team)
Admin
Blogging actions
Thinking/planning
Start your timer whenever you work on something business-related.
Review these numbers every month to make sure you’re spending time on the most important activities.
Time-Tracking Benefits
Following this approach has many potential benefits. While it might take a little getting used to at first, the effort will pay for itself 10 times over.
Here’s what you can expect to start seeing if you practice time tracking regularly:
Steady and continuous improvement – Time tracking is a tool for self-reflection that leads to the constant development of efficiency as you review your logs, set new targets, and adjust your strategies.
Greater work-life balance – Time tracking isn’t just about setting targets and being more efficient, it’s also about creating boundaries. Instead of allocating time frivolously, you put in the hours that something needs and then can more freely enjoy your life elsewhere.
Improved decision-making skills – Time tracking is one of the most valuable ways to get data that can inform the decisions you make around your business. It helps with planning, strategizing, and assessing project timelines.
Improved focus and concentration – If you don’t know how you’re spending your time or don’t pay attention to it, it can be an uphill battle to become more efficient and productive. Time tracking makes you conscious of how you use your time on any given day, and change flows very naturally from there.
Also, if you want to know how to stop wasting time and be more productive, then watch this video:
Final Thoughts on Time Audit
Taking the time to do regular time tracking can transform how you perform each day. It’s hard to overstate just what this practice can do for you and your business, and it is especially useful for solopreneurs.
When you don’t have a manager allocating tasks and project timelines, you have to learn to do it for yourself. Time tracking is one of the best ways to do this.
Here’s a quick summary of everything we have covered about time tracking:
Start by selecting which method you want to use for time tracking (pen-and-paper, Google Docs and Excel, or apps).
Created a daily log of all your activities.
Make this log as detailed as possible.
Review this log every week (or every day, if you like).
Look for patterns that distract you or ways you can improve based on what the data tells you.
Adjust your schedule based on what you find.
Implement this, and watch closely to see how any changes you make impact your day.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
History tends to mythologize entrepreneurial names in the tech world. We attribute to them black-and-white lifestyle characteristics, with very little room for gray. For example, Steve Jobs was a charismatic and publicly engaged leader, while Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was an introvert who preferred working in solitude.
It’s easy to invest in these caricatures, and then inquire as to which camp you belong. Are you an extrovert and a born leader, or a lone wolf better suited to behind the scenes? Do you need to find your ideally complementary co-founder, or is it better to strike out on your own?
Before launching Jotform, I worried about whether I had the personality to lead a company. I knew there was a track record of being a proven web developer, but I didn’t know if I had the right attributes to be a CEO — to execute the necessary strategic work and successfully communicate a vision. I launched anyway, and 17 years later have discovered that, in pursuit of the right company culture, working in solitude versus a team setting — introversion versus extroversion — is a nuanced affair. I’ve observed that people seek solitude for various reasons, and that understanding these motivations helped me better appreciate the overall wellness, creative and leadership benefits that can flow from working solo.
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You know what it’s like.
You’re trying to be more productive, to stop procrastinating and actually get stuff done.
But before you can execute your perfectly planned to-do list, some disorganized bozo rips it to pieces as surely as if you’d jammed it in the paper shredder yourself.
But what can you do about it? It feels like you’re helpless, at the mercy of others’ laziness, lack of organization and inability to plan ahead.
And it’s true, requests and demands can suddenly appear in your day in a host of different ways.
You’re beetling about, busy getting on with what you planned to do efficiently and effectively. Then you realize you’ve acquired a load more tasks on your to-do list. You’ve somehow inherited another responsibility or even a problem to solve that you didn’t create.
But the odd thing is, you often can’t remember hearing the words, “Please can you…”
That’s because a disruptive, productivity-killing request can have a master criminal’s worth of disguises:
“Peter’s away, and no one’s finalized the diary for next week. It’s going to be such a mess!”
“I’ve tried really hard to get out and do it, but I’m just not up to it.”
By ‘disguising’ their request, it doesn’t mean the person asking is trying to hoodwink you into the trap of saying ‘yes’. It can simply be that their thoughts are so filled with their problem the obvious words ‘please can you’ fail to materialize.
And it’s natural when you are consumed by a problem to be somewhat self-absorbed.
However, be alert. It’s a fine line between someone sharing their problem, difficulty or dilemma with you and expecting that you’ll solve it.
More significantly, it’s particularly tricky for you not to automatically jump in and take on the problem. You’re probably the go-to gal or guy, just as most productive people who have trouble saying ‘no’ are.
The Importance of Saying “No”
So is the secret of the super successful, the super productive, that they learn to say ‘no’?
Well, yes…and ‘no’.
Successful and super successful people both practice the habit of ‘no’.
The video below talks about why you should say no more often and then gives five strategies you can use to take action on this idea (including using Warren Buffett’s 5-24 rule.)
But the super successful have another habit up their sleeve.
And this one’s a game changer, a productivity doubler:
You see, recognizing the ways requests can subtly appear will ensure you’re alert to the danger of taking on commitments without considering the implications. It can also help you shape your ‘no’s in a similarly subtle way.
Because, not every ‘no’ needs to include the actual word ‘no’. Indeed not every ‘no’ needs to be spoken or even written. You can just as effectively communicate it by your actions.
Here are some easy ways to say ‘no’ without saying the word ‘no’.
1. Book yourself early.
You feel resentful before you’re even asked. Why? Because you know that the request is coming. It always does. Again and again. And when it does, it’s going to knock your plans to the floor.
Let’s be honest.
So you dread it finally landing on your plate. In fact, the longer it goes on, the worse you fear its unwelcome arrival.
It’s like stressing over the December holidays way back in June because it’s automatically expected that you’ll go to family. (Yes I know many of us love spending the vacations with family, but not everyone has the ideal family, where everyone sees eye to eye.).
And it’s the same with other requests that interfere with your plans. How can you ever hope to get important stuff done if you’re forever interrupted by everyone else’s important stuff?
Bottom line – you can’t.
Super successful people are smart! They book themselves early.
Sure, when the request finally comes, you’ll have to say ‘no’. But it won’t have to be a
“No, I don’t want to thanks.”
It can be a…
“Shame, I’ll have to miss it because I’m booked elsewhere”.
“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”
2. Avoid the situation.
It’s not weak or crass to simply avoid a situation, even super successful people employ this tactic from time to time.
If, for example, you know you’ll be cornered by a friend to take part in an event you don’t have the time, energy or inclination for, don’t go near that corner!
That’s absolutely fine. Because we’re all allowed to be human. There’s no guilt in being what you are. Which is kind, considerate and helpful.
Getting tangled up in someone else’s affairs might make them more productive but it’s going to put your own productivity through the mangle.
Double what you get done by staying the heck away from dangerous places where requests, asks and demands lurk. And let your absence say ‘no’ for you.
3. Ignore it.
Just because someone asks you something, it doesn’t mean you’re obliged to respond. This is productivity rule 101 for super successful people.
I know, that sounds so rude, doesn’t it? Not even having the courtesy to respond, oh boy! You may think that you’d only use this one in extreme situations.
But there is one critical point to understand here…
Often the ask is huge for you on the receiving end. It’s going to be a massive drain on your time or mental energy. Or maybe it’s a challenge, one that makes an intense demand on your self-confidence or courage.
Either way, it’s going to impact you getting critical stuff done. And done effectively.
But the person asking doesn’t necessarily understand that at all.
It’s possible that they’ve asked on a whim. It could be that what they’re asking you to do, they don’t care about that much.
But because you’re a decent person and you want to help, you take it on. You stress and fret about it, because being a good friend, family member or even neighbor is essential to you.
Super-successful people know ignoring a request isn’t rude. It can simply give everyone the time and space for it to disappear if it isn’t important. If it is, then they know that the asker will ask again, of that, you can be sure.
I actually employ this tactic every day. Emails are a prime example. As well as running PositivelyHappy.Me, designing and creating courses, and writing books, I’m Assistant Editor of another popular self-improvement blog.
If I answered every request I get as Assistant Editor alone, I’d never have the time to write book or articles that others are depending on.
That’s just life. Everyone’s busy and doing their best. I’d love to reply to everything, but I can’t.
If a request is important, then it’ll appear in my inbox again. And then I can respond without spending my whole day on what can be basically junk mail. It also allows me to respond to every genuine, well thought out request.
Don’t sweat over every ask you get hit with. By overlooking a request, you can relieve yourself of getting caught up in all the nonessential impulses of others and focus on achieving what you got out of bed for that day.
4. Delay Your Answer.
Feeling you need to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the spot can be very stressful. It can force a ‘yes’ out of you in panic or guilt. Or, it can leave you feeling you blurted out ‘no’ too harshly.
The super-successful know the secret here – cut yourself some slack. Delay your answer:
“Hey, thanks, let me get back to you on that.”
You can add whatever time span you choose, or leave it open.
It’s not a good idea to lead people on but at the same time this is the real world. If someone is putting you on the spot in the hope of forcing a ‘yes’ out of you, then they know it too.
And yes, maybe you’re secretly hoping you won’t need to come back to them. Perhaps you’re hoping they’ll realize this or they’ll forget about it. That’s okay sometimes too.
Even awesome people can get caught up in the pressures and conflicts of daily life and become too absorbed in their own problems.
Or more specifically, their need to find someone who can solve their problems for them. And let’s be straight here, who wouldn’t like someone to take that problem we’ve been struggling with off our hands?
By readjusting your code of ethics very slightly, you can take all that pressure of yourself. Don’t worry, there’s no chance you’ll go too far and start behaving like an ‘A-hole’. (You wouldn’t have got this far with this article if you were that type of person 🙂
And if you do feel you are genuinely being bullied into a response, then it’s essential to protect yourself by delaying your answer.
5. Talk around the request.
Acknowledging a request but not committing to it is another positive way to say ‘no’. You see, by talking around what’s been asked, you are recognizing that the other person wants something. And that’s fine for them to want it.
And it’s fine for you not to.
The super-successful know that by not saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ you are still giving the message that you don’t want to take it on. Most reasonable people will get the hint and not push you. If they do push you, well… you choose. Either delay your answer as above, or push back by refusing to be forced into a response.
Think about it for a second, a moment taken to acknowledge someone’s request but not commit to it – that’s freed you up to be super productive and keep your promise to yourself.
Final Thoughts on Doubling Your Productivity
Sure your ‘no’ toolkit needs to contain a few different methods because you’ll meet a few different types of people and situations.
But the super successful have taken their saying ‘no’ habit to the next level.
And as a result they waste less time and get stuff done. And done well..
And that’s the promise you made yourself, isn’t it?
That you’d become more productive and effective.
That you’d finally realize that idea that’s constantly burning a hole in your thoughts.
That you’d be remarkable because of what you do, not what you talked about doing.
Learn the habit of saying ‘no’ without guilt or conflict.
And join the ranks of the super successful.. The super productive.
Now, if you’re looking for more resources on how to stay productive at work, be sure to check out these blog posts:
About the Author:
Laura Tong’s writing regularly feature on such top blogs as Huffington Post, Tiny Buddha and Goodlife ZEN. Her articles have been read and shared by thousands – and hundreds of students have taken her course on building confidence, being more assertive andsaying no.
Grab her new book The Life-Changing Power of NO! – How To Stop Trying To Please Everyone, Stand Up For Yourself And Say No Without Guilt Or Conflict (Even To Difficult People)
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Do you remember when you were younger–maybe 12 or 13–and your parents would go out to run errands and leave you home alone?
If you’re like me, the second you heard that door shut and you had the house to yourself, you felt this incredible sense of unprecedented freedom to do whatever you wanted for the next few hours–and it was absolutely wonderful.
Fast forward however many years to the present, and, for many people, the formerly coveted time of having no one around may not feel quite as indulgent.
Of course, we all need some time to ourselves to either tend to our responsibilities or simply take a break from our hectic lives, but many people ultimately want to have someone in their corner to come home to at night.
During the pandemic, we have all had a little more “alone time” than we ever anticipated, and it’s probably fair to say that it was challenging for everyone. While some may think that social distancing was tougher for extroverts than it is for introverts, studies show that the opposite may actually be true.
Extroverts are more likely to be active on social media and keep in touch with friends–and they’re more likely to be resilient during these times and maintain hope for the future.
But, despite anyone’s personal characteristics or social tendencies, we’ve all were forced to navigate life a bit more solo than we’re used to during the COVID-19 pandemic. It undoubtedly affected everyone in unique ways. And even if you do have a family that you still come home to every night, that sense of isolation is still lurking.
Yes, the current collective practice of social distancing is a critical component of minimizing the spread of illnesses, but this same practice can have a large negative impact on people’s happiness and mental health.
In fact, having positive social interactions is among the strongest predictors of happiness, so is it possible to live a full life if your “social distancing” practice is set for a more long-term basis?
People come by happiness in various ways. Studies show that the three main things that make people happy are:
Having close relationships with other people
Having a meaningful job or hobby
Helping other people
No matter what challenges, crossroads, and lifestyle changes you encounter, your happiness is what truly matters the most at the end of the day. And whether you live alone by choice or you just haven’t found the right partner, it is absolutely possible to live a fulfilling life.
Being Alone vs Being Lonely
Now, if you’re questioning how to do this, it’s important to distinguish between being alone and lonely because these are two different things.
Of course, if you don’t want to be alone, but you’ve ended up in that position, you may have a hard time resisting feelings of loneliness, which can negatively affect your health. And that is exactly what we are addressing in this article.
If you like doing things in solitude, it doesn’t necessarily make you antisocial or loveless. You are simply just content with your alone time, and you probably also look forward to it. That is what we describe as being alone. It is not what being lonely is.
On the other hand, if you are surrounded by people but find it hard to relate to them, you can feel very disconnected from everyone. You may still be longing for company because current company isn’t as engaging for you. This may be described as loneliness.
Now, you’re probably thinking, “I do know myself. How can you not know yourself?” But since you’re reading this article looking for tips to be happy and live a full life, then chances are, you haven’t yet found what really makes you tick.
The good thing about being alone is that it gives you the freedom to be selfish with your time and put your needs, desires, and ambitions above all others (as these being alone quotes suggest).
It’s time to set your short-term to-do list aside, take a break from your everyday process of “getting things done,” and consider the following questions:
If you knew you had no risk of failure, what would you want to do or be in life? How often have you fantasized about changing careers, moving to a new city, or becoming an expert in something you’re passionate about, only to be deterred by the risk of failing? Envision your ideal scenario where success is guaranteed.
In the same vein, how would you live if you had an infinite amount of money? People often mistakenly equate happiness with money, but according to studies, wealth has a small impact on one’s overall happiness–and that’s only if you’re living with extreme wealth that you earned yourself (which, by default, means you’ve been incredibly successful in your job, which more than likely suggests that you enjoy what you do for a living).
You have 90 seconds to give someone an elevator speech about who you are and what’s important to you. Go.
What are your core personal values? What are your foundational beliefs that guide your everyday decisions? Knowing what your values are will help you determine your priorities, so you can align your daily life with the things that are important to you. Here is an assessment you can take if you need help identifying your values.
Not only will answering these questions help you uncover what truly makes you happy, but it can also help you refocus your energy to head in a new (and improved) direction.
2. Give Yourself a Fresh Start
Yes, it is healthy to have a routine. But when looking back, if you can’t distinguish 2018 from 2012, you’ve taken the “routine” thing a bit too far. You have to keep yourself stimulated with things happening in your life and give yourself opportunities to grow and evolve.
And you can start small. Sometimes all it takes to feel refreshed and happy is to change something simple about your daily routine. Or maybe it’s time to rearrange your furniture or redecorate your house.
By changing something about your surroundings or your day-to-day life, you can start fresh and rid yourself of feelings that your life is stagnant.
Remember, part of being happy alone is realizing that you’re living for yourself and no one else. If you want to start a new hobby, do it. If you want to travel somewhere, do it. If you want to paint your living room neon yellow, do it.
The video below talks about the 12 best morning habits you can use to increase your focus, motivation, and energy for the rest of the day.
3. Practice Self-Love
Many of us are our own worst critics. We are often Striving for excellence and doing our best to get to the next level, striving for perfection. This leads us to unnecessarily beat ourselves up over our mistakes.
And when you’re battling with this inner bully and don’t have a partner to regularly remind you that you’re actually pretty amazing, it can quickly lead you down a path of depression and negativity.
Studies show that there are three main elements to having compassion for yourself:
Being kind to yourself when you fail entails treating yourself as gently as you would treat a friend in your situation.
Having a sense of common humanity, meaning you can recognize that all humans are imperfect and everyone’s lives have ups and downs, so you’re not alone in your suffering. We often feel isolated in our struggles, which makes overcoming them even more difficult.
Be mindful of your thoughts and emotions by recognizing them but not ruminating on them to the point of developing a negative self-concept. Being mindful of your feelings will give you a sense of clarity and perspective, which will help you show compassion toward yourself.
There are a lot of ways to increase your love for yourself, which will prevent you from placing blame on yourself for things that are out of your control and increase your satisfaction with your life.
Practice self-love. Know that being alone is normal and natural. It’s okay, and be perfectly happy while alone.
Here are some strategies to try:
Try to accept that aloneness is normal and many people share your situation. Don’t put any value on what society implies you “should” do, and you will start to realize that it’s perfectly alright to be living life solo–give yourself a break.
Create a journal about the things that you love about yourself. Focus on your strengths and build upon them.
Be aware of your negative thoughts. If you are constantly thinking with a dark cloud overhead, you will never have room to let the sunlight in. Reading this book can help you train your mind to project positive outcomes, making them start to happen naturally.
Having some time alone will allow you to be mindful of your thoughts and surroundings. You will be able to feel happiness and peace and know that you already have everything inside of yourself that you need to be completely fulfilled.
If you’re at a low point, make an effort to get out of the house and be around friends and family and other like minded people who love you and will help you take your mind off of whatever it is that’s bringing you down.
If you find yourself avoiding making plans, try committing to something upfront. For example, pay for a 10-week kickboxing class or sports league. Once you have made that upfront commitment, you will be less likely to back out when it comes time to do it.
4. Exercise and Build a Healthy Lifestyle
Maybe it’s time to reconnect with yourself physically by starting a new exercise program that will help you get into shape, feel good about your body, and give you the numerous benefits of endorphins.
Working out shouldn’t feel like a chore, which is why there are some great programs like spinning, Zumba, or even Xbox games that allow you to work out with others while having fun. Some other ideas include:
Commit to joining a class and have the right person sign up with you. Having an accountability partner will make you less likely to quit, and you will get to see your friend while you work out.
Or, start smaller by checking out 11 workout routines that you can do first thing in the morning, which will keep you feeling refreshed during the day. The best part about morning workouts is that you won’t be thinking about having to work out for the rest of the day because it’s already done!
If you have a dog, take them for a daily 20-minute walk or run. Your dog will love you for it and will help keep you committed by reminding you that it’s time for your daily walk. How can you say no to those cute little puppy eyes?
Exercising regularly will help you get into shape, feel good about your body, and allow you to reap the numerous benefits of endorphins.
The other part of building a healthy lifestyle is to look at your diet, which can impact both your mental and physical health just as much as your activity level. Keep a food journal for a week to get a quick reality check of your eating habits and make any necessary changes.
Look at both what and how much you’re eating. By controlling your portion sizes, you will help keep yourself healthier and happier and reduce feelings of lethargy. Also, be cognizant of times when you’re eating out of boredom or because you’re feeling sad.
And, of course, I look like I’m having the time of my life, but I know I was miserable living that lifestyle. And I knew it at the time, too! But I’d smile for two seconds for the camera, of course.
Don’t keep track of the number of social activities you have per week if they aren’t things that are making you happy. Honestly, sometimes the best types of social plans are the ones that are canceled.
I don’t mean to sound like a recluse, but the feeling of having a last-minute free night to yourself instead of fighting traffic to get downtown after work to sit in a loud restaurant is elating… 9 out of 10 times.
So when you’re sitting at home scrolling through social media and seeing pictures of friends out and about, are you really jealous? Chances are, several people in that picture would probably rather be in your shoes than their own.
6. Find Your Passion and Cultivate It
Think of something you’ve always wanted to do.
Now is the time to do it!
When you’re alone, you don’t need to worry about anyone else’s schedule aside from your own. So pick something you’re passionate about that will challenge you and start pursuing it.
For example, if you love animals, why not volunteer once a week at your local shelter? Or, if there is askill you’ve wanted to learn, go for it!
There is never any harm in trying something new, and sometimes it takes some trial and error and experimentation to find your passion. Trying new things will get you out of the house, allow you to be around new and positive people, and help you renew your confidence in learning new things.
7. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
While you don’t have anyone around disagreeing with your plans, take the opportunity to get out of your comfort zone by doing something new every week.
As you’re looking for new opportunities to approach, don’t do so with the mindset of trying to “find” someone. Instead, do things that will benefit your inner self. If you end up meeting someone in a romantic sense, it will be someone that you genuinely have something in common with.
A great way to step out of your comfort zone is to go somewhere and do something new and fun each week.
Stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things can lead to new friendships and amusing experiences. You just need to be willing to put yourself out there instead of waiting for things to come to you.
Be proactive in looking for things to do around your city, and when you’re out, be proactive in approaching new people. Seeing other people smile is contagious, so if you start the smile train, others will reciprocate, and you will both be in great moods.
A good way to get out of your comfort zone is to try a 30-day habit every month. Make sure to experiment by doing things you wouldn’t ordinarily do. You may even find some hobbies you end up adopting for a lifetime.
8. Use Your Alone Time Wisely
Many people might think that the answer to being happy is a simple one: just do things that make you happy.
However, due to psychological attachments, this is not true at all. You may enjoy chowing down on a quart of Rocky Road ice cream.
You may enjoy watching an entire season of Dexter in a single sitting. But will these things bring you happiness in the long run? No. They will bring you feelings of guilt and remorse.
Watching meaningless TV shows or eating your favorite comfort food might sound like a good idea at the time, but to achieve happiness, they are often counterproductive.
This doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself once in a while, but it’s best to use the time that you can constructively by getting to know yourself better, learning something, or challenging your mind somehow.
Read a great biography, watch an inspirational documentary, start a new business, or create a new website. Lose yourself in your art, music, woodworking, cooking, or other meaningful work.
Find a new creative outlet. What is something you have always dreamed of doing but have been putting off? Maybe it is a home improvement project or a class you want to enroll in. Give yourself time to do it!
If you end up not liking it, it is something you can cross off your list as you move on to the next great thing.
Use your time wisely. Get to know yourself better, learn something about yourself, or challenge your mind.
Need some inspiration? Spend all day at a gallery or museum and let your mind experience different reactions and emotions to the exhibits or educational experiences. Be wise with your time and make sure that you‘re satisfied with whatever you accomplished at the end of the day.
Because you’re alone at this point in your life, you have the opportunity to create something meaningful and spend as much time as you want to do the things that ignite your passions.
When you lose yourself fully in your work, you will become proud of what you have created, which will leave you feeling fulfilled and happy.
Creating SMART goalswill help keep you motivated. Start small and focus on your most important tasks first. Once you get into a routine of positive habits, it will start coming naturally to you, and you won’t have to think twice before making efforts toward creating an amazing future for yourself.
Why not take this time to focus on one or two aspects of your life that you have wanted to improve? No matter what category your goal falls into, don’t let your aspirations remain on the backburner.
9. Learn to Appreciate the Present
Your life experiences have shaped who you are today, but that doesn’t mean you should hold onto your past mistakes. The only part of your mistakes that should dictate your future are the lessons that you got out of them.
Rather than focusing on the past, appreciate the small wins you’re making now and what they’re doing for your future. And make time in your busy schedule to stop and be mindful of the things around you, your achievements and the positive aspects of your life.
Don’t focus on the things that you don’t have; rather, garner an appreciation for the things in your life that you enjoy–no matter how small they are.
This leads us to…
10. Practice Gratitude for What You Have
Researchers have found that taking the time to recognize the good things around you can increase your positive emotions, improve your sleep, help you show more kindness and compassion toward others, and even strengthen your immunity.
It’s so easy to take everyday things for granted. Your house. Your car. Your family. Your job. Your education. The fresh flowers growing along the side of the road. Whatever you have in your life that brings you joy deserves a second thought.
Becoming more aware of your surroundings will enhance your gratitude practice. Try to notice new things every day.
But, here’s the thing. This seems like a pretty easy fast track to improved life in theory. Write down a few things every night that I’m thankful for, and in turn, I can avoid catching a common cold?
Sure, I’ll do it–maybe for a week or two. But once I’ve written that I’m thankful for my family ten times, I’m probably going to put the book aside because I’m not feeling this flood of dopamine I was expecting.
And I don’t think I’ve become much kinder toward others because I just gave unsolicited advice to a coworker that–when read between the lines–said, “Your work sucks.”
If you can relate to this, you’re doing gratitude wrong. To benefit from practicing gratitude, you need to learn to stop and notice new things that make you happy every day. Gratitude journaling works because it slowly adjusts how you observe situations by altering your focus.
If you write down that you’re grateful for your family every day, it won’t keep your brain attuned to identifying the fresh, grateful moments that you undoubtedly experience regularly.
Because of this, be as specific as possible when you’re practicing gratitude. “Today, I was able to call my mom on the way to work just to chat” or “My husband left me a note this morning on the kitchen table, wishing me a good day.”
And be sure to stretch yourself beyond the great stuff right in front of you. Becoming more aware of your surroundings will enhance your gratitude practice. Try to notice new things every day.
11. Build a Strong Network of Family and Friends
As you become more accustomed to being alone, you may realize that you’re putting less effort into socializing. While there’s nothing particularly wrong with that, having a strong network of family and friends is still important.
Nurture the relationships you already have by arranging visits with people you’re close to or calling someone you haven’t spoken to in a while to catch up. Here are some tips to strengthen relationships or form new ones:
Do things without expecting anything in return. For example, if you see an opportunity that looks ideal for a friend, let them know about it. Having an attitude that you always deserve something in return will prevent others from valuing their relationship with you.
Make your relationships meaningful by offering something above and beyond the norm or taking one step further than what’s expected. This may be as small as sending a birthday card or as big as helping someone get a new job. Doing so will help you maintain strong connections and close friends.
Show your appreciation toward others, whether with a card, small gift, or through genuine words. If somebody helps you in some way and you don’t show appreciation, they’re unlikely to help you again because you may appear to feel entitled. Let people know you value their help.
Don’t only call on someone if you need something. Maintain contact for other reasons to keep developing the relationship. This can even be through small gestures such as showing support for something they post on social media.
12. Recognize You’re Fine Being Alone
You add value to this world, and you don’t need someone else’s approval to recognize that. When you’re alone, be sure to remember that you’re alone because that is what you’ve chosen. The world hasn’t left you behind.
It’s easy to find just anyone to spend your time with, but when you have high standards for those whom you allow into your life, you’re acknowledging that you’re better off alone than with someone who is just there out of convenience.
13. Volunteer Your Time
There are so many ways to help other people by volunteering your time, whether you’re doing it in person or remotely from your home. Helping other people is rewarding, and doing so allows you to feel connected to your community and other people.
When volunteering, make sure the organization’s needs are a good fit with what you offer.
Being “alone” doesn’t mean you’re sequestering yourself from the rest of the world. It just means you have enough confidence to know that you don’t have to depend on other people to make you happy. And one good way to stay integrated with others is to surround yourself with the positive people you’ll find while giving your time to an objective that’s important to you.
Here are some great tips to help you find a suitable volunteering opportunity in your city that matches your skills and interests. It’s important to find something meaningful to you, so you don’t end up giving only 50% of your effort toward whatever you’re doing.
Make sure the organization’s needs are a good fit with what you have to offer, and once you find something, you will feel more fulfilled and satisfied with your life.
14. Make Plans for Your Future
Where do you want to be (both personally and professionally) in 10 years? What would be required to do to accomplish those goals? Writing your plans down will help guide your everyday decisions.
It’s pretty tough to feel good about yourself if you aren’t headed in some type of direction. Your plans don’t need to be extremely complex or overwhelming; they just need to exist. Once you have your plans, it’s easier to be proactive in taking action.
Don’t put your plans off. No matter what your goals are, go after them. Doing so will allow you to recognize that you’re living your life on your own terms, which will give you a sense of confidence that will attract new and interesting people into your life.
Having firm plans (that you can obviously modify as your life unfolds) can give you more hope and help you stay optimistic today about the opportunities for tomorrow.
It may even be in your best interests to take a solo trip. Find something to do that interests you, and mark the solo trip on your calendar. It will give you something to look forward to.
Value your own opinion over anyone else’s because you know what’s best for yourself more than anyone else. If you feel like you truly need advice, reach out for it. But first, try turning to yourself for the advice you’re looking for.
The more you do this, the less you will rely on other people’s input. If you can trust yourself to handle your problems, you will become more confident, and you will be able to pursue challenges that you once thought were beyond your abilities.
You’re normal, and your quirks are what make you unique from anyone else. Once you accept these thoughts, your world will become brighter, and the opportunities will be endless.
Short Term Tips on How to Be Happy Alone
Now that we have covered several tips to help in the long term, let’s uncover a few short terms tips you should know about when learning how to be happy alone.
Practice Self Love
Self-love is something you can do in the short and long term. You aren’t learning to love yourself in isolation when practicing self-love because we don’t actually exist in isolation.
When we practice self-love, we are enjoying our time alone. We avoid falling into self-hatred and shame. We try things we could fail, but we think of ourselves when we do this.
We are not leading a lonely life; rather, we are finding ways to enjoy our alone time while developing a healthy relationship with ourselves.
Give Social Media a Break
We already talked about scrolling through social media above. If you find that doing so stresses you out or makes you feel left out, it can turn problematic. Remember, a social media feed and a few photos do not necessarily tell a full story.
You can never know if the people posting are really truly happy or if they are trying to portray that they are. Take a break from social media for 24 to 48 hours and see if it makes any difference in your life and how you feel.
Let Your Mind Wander
Allowing your mind to wander from time to time can do a lot of good. Set a timer for five minutes and eliminate distractions like tv, music, the internet, podcasts, and books. Close your eyes and just let your mind wander. See where it takes you.
Soak Up the Perks of Being Alone
Finally, take advantage of being alone and spending time with yourself. Use up all the space you have because you can, and it’s yours. Spread out and get into a new hobby or revisit a previous hobby you may have given up.
Not done with what you’re working on? When you are alone, you can leave everything out so you can get back to it later. It is your space and your time to do as you please.
When to Seek Professional Help for Loneliness
You should never be afraid to ask for professional help if it is needed or even reach out to a family member or trusted friend for support. Sometimes, self care, exercise, and practicing gratitude aren’t enough to shake the feelings of loneliness you may have.
If you feel overly stressed, have difficulty coping, or experiencing feelings of anxiety or depression, seek help from a mental health professional.
Final Thoughts on Living a Full and Happy Life Alone
“You cannot be lonely if you like the person you’re alone with.” – Wayne W. Dyer
It is absolutely possible to be happy and live a full life without having someone next to you at all times. Follow the tips laid out in this article to put yourself on a positive path toward living your best life.
When you’re alone, maintain a routine that you enjoy, make an effort to stay connected to loved ones, and find a hobby that feels fulfilling. Being happy alone is about making consistent efforts toward self-improvement and feeling empowered to be able to trust your own decisions.
Self-awareness is key to fulfillment and happiness. So if you’re looking for resources to understand yourself better, be sure to read these articles:
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Starting your own business can be an overwhelming, time-consuming feat. Every little thing falls on your lap, and it’s up to you to get the job done. So, being able to delegate mundane tasks is crucial to your business’ success. Although outsourcing is meant to be a cost-cutting opportunity for businesses, that doesn’t mean it’s always affordable at the start.
What if you could take just one thing off your plate for life? With the help of Calendbook, you can say goodbye to the days of people asking you, “Hey, when are you free?” and say hello to focusing on the more important things.
Calendbook is an affordable alternative to Calendly, allowing you to boost your leads and bookings in one place. Forget going back and forth with clients or employees to schedule meetings; simply share a link to your calendar and let them do the rest of the work. All you have to do is set your availability and specify the days and hours you’re available each week. From there, clients, customers, and employees can select a time that works best for both of you.
Connect up to 10 different calendars to book personal or work-related appointments. Toggle back and forth between your calendars to quickly check for conflicts or add new events. With Calendbook, you’ll never miss another meeting—not with reminders sent from the platform and email confirmations. You can also set appointments from all over the world despite different time zones.
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Short Circuit Studio is up-sizing their scope. No longer content to dwell in the realms of the Teeny Tiny, the developer has now moved up a full grade to merely Tiny. Tiny Connections(Free), that is. Its previous game, Teeny Tiny Town, was a lovely little update to a well-established older mobile game with a few wrinkles of its own. In a sense, that is also what Tiny Connections is, but it ventures further out conceptually from the games it was seemingly inspired by. And hey, it’s quite good too. I think these folks might be on to something here. What are all these connections about? Are we connecting people? Communities? Cables? Various thumb tacks on a map using red strings? I hope it isn’t the last one, but let’s have a look.
Okay, now that I’ve got you in here, I’ll get right to the point. You’re connecting water and electricity to little cities. You have a grid with different colored generators, and you need to use your limited supply of wires and pipes to connect them to all of the same-colored cities on your grid. The generators can take connections from all four cardinal directions, while cities can only be connected from one side. As time passes, more cities and generators will be added to the grid, introducing new colors and adding more complicated things to work around. Of course, you’ll also be given additional tools here and there that will hopefully help you deal with such complications. If you leave a city without its needed utilities for too long, that’s a game over. You’ll get your final score, and that’s that. Care to try again?
The base game of Tiny Connections comes with one country to play in, the United States. It includes a few different maps, and you’ll unlock those as you reach certain score thresholds. Each map varies in its land to water ratio among other things, so you need slightly different strategies for each. By purchasing a $1.99 IAP you’ll gain access to seven more maps spread across four additional countries. To round out the IAP situation here, the game has ads that you can remove with a $1.99 IAP, and there’s also a $2.99 IAP that will give you the new maps and remove ads in one go. I suspect more stages will arrive as new IAP in the future, but for now you can get everything the game has to offer for a few bucks. Or, if you want, you can just play for free on the three American maps and deal with the ads. Your call.
If you’ve been around the block a few times, the basic idea is probably sounding a little familiar here. Yes, this is rather similar to Mini Metro. Like that game, you’re having to manage what starts as a simple network of hubs, nodes, and the pieces that go between them. It gradually becomes more and more complicated, and eventually you’re just not going to be able to sort the spaghetti before the whole thing blows up in your face. Beyond the setting, the main difference here is that you’re dealing with multiple utilities, almost like if Mini Metro and Mini Motorways were smashed together. It’s a bit more strict in some ways and more lax in others. There are also some different special tools to make use of which fit the theme.
But hey, Teeny Tiny Town wasn’t the most original of affairs and I still loved it. I think what is different here is that Mini Metro isn’t quite as old as Triple Town is, and with deep apologies to Spry Fox, the presentation of Mini Metro isn’t as easily improved upon as Triple Town. Tiny Connections has a really slick presentation, and its focus on stylized realism is certainly distinct from the direction Dinosaur Polo Club chose for its games, but I really can’t say it looks and sounds better. Kind of a lateral move at best, depending on one’s tastes.
I suppose that’s the best way to describe Tiny Connections on the whole. It’s a lateral move at best from the games that it follows on from, and depending on how well you like the theme you may like it more or less. For my money, I don’t think there have been a whole ton of well-done games of this style yet, so I’m willing to give Short Circuit Studio a pass for opting to hew fairly closely to the basic idea and simply aiming to do its own take as well as it could. So that’s where I’ll leave that.
Beyond the lack of novelty, I only have some minor bones to pick with the game. The way the UI works makes it awfully easy to misplace pieces, but you can easily fix things up in those cases so it isn’t a huge deal. It’s not always immediately clear where a new problem has cropped up, particularly as things get crowded on the map. I feel like new cities occasionally pop up in places that can’t be addressed with what you have on hand, and that always feels very frustrating since all you can do is watch and wait until it busts. Relatively rare, but it does happen. Don’t waste your tunnels, friends.
I think that’s where I’ll park this one. Tiny Connections is an enjoyable, well-built spin on games like Mini Metro and Mini Motorways. Its less abstract art style and unusual premise might appeal to some players despite its mechanical familiarity, and I think it’s safe to say that if you loved any of the aforementioned titles then you’ll certainly want to give this a look as well. Since you can sample a good portion of the game for free, it’s easy to do just that. If you like what you see, you can open up the rest of the game and send those ads to Pluto for a very reasonable price. Another strong effort from this developer.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Once in a while, everyone experiences a moment when they realize the need to reconsider something about their life to make it more enjoyable and productive. Re-contracting is a strategy that allows an individual to single out tasks, patterns and people that are draining energy and holding them back.
Originally rooted in the teachings of the Roman philosopher Seneca, the concept of re-contracting has withstood the test of time. Seneca once wrote to his student Lucilius, “A good man will not waste himself upon mean and discreditable work or be busy merely for the sake of being busy.”
Today, this idea is a foundational pillar in executive coaching. Programs advocate for regular re-contracting with clients. The power of this technique is in its simplicity and minimal time investment. For all that, it’s powerful enough to help you declutter your time, escape from energy-draining obligations and distance yourself from toxic relationships.
To apply re-contracting to your life, find weak spots in the three main areas. Here’s what you need to do:
Self-evaluation: Make a list of tasks you routinely do but despise. Reflect on their necessity and value. Tip: Unsure where to start? Maintain a time diary. Documenting your daily activities can help pinpoint time-consuming tasks.
Business evaluation: List out all business and operational tasks. Consider if they can be eliminated or delegated. Tip: Review your calendar and task management apps for recurring events and responsibilities.
Relationship audit: Identify professional and personal relationships that aren’t benefiting you. This encompasses work colleagues, family, clients, associates and acquaintances like gym partners. Tip: Recollect when you feel exhausted after a conversation or meeting with somebody. Think if it was caused by the person or by other circumstances.
The three pillars of re-contracting
Now, let’s move on to eliminating the obligations that don’t work. There are three primary ways to re-contract:
Give it up: This encompasses outright elimination. For instance, if a hobby drains you, consider quitting. End the contract if a demanding client is more trouble than they’re worth.
Renegotiate: Consider a trade-off for tasks you loathe, but others might enjoy. The aim is to swap an undesirable task for a more pleasant one.
Buy or delegate: If purchasing a service or tool can save you time, invest in it. Delegation, though sometimes requiring hiring assistance, can be invaluable in freeing up mental and temporal bandwidth.
I’ve already applied those strategies to a few things in my life and can share some examples to illustrate how it works. Attending trade conferences affected my health, so I shifted to alternative client acquisition methods. A client was taking too much of my headspace, so I found a subcontractor to take care of his account. I had been taking voice lessons, and while they provided some benefits, the commute wasn’t worth the effort.
Sometimes, we hold on to duties, people or ways of doing things out of habit or because we feel obliged and consider any discomfort a normal part of life. Letting go is not easy for some of us, but it’s a good skill that may take you to the next level in life.
On the one hand, acquiring good habits and quitting bad ones is all the rage, and there are multiple books and science behind it. They can truly be a savior of your time, happiness and vitality. On the other hand, it’s also easy to become a habit maniac and get burned out.
Write down habits you’re trying to adopt or break into your re-contracting list. Reflect on their effectiveness, long-term value and the energy they consume. Also, sometimes, we want to adopt a habit out of pure desire to follow our role models or to feel better about ourselves. However, habits that serve others right and sound good in theory may not work for you. One size doesn’t fit all; what makes Mark Zuckerberg productive and happy may wear you out.
What’s next?
Upon freeing up time, you might wonder how to reallocate it. Consider listing activities and individuals that energize you.
For those looking for unconventional advice, Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, suggests a unique approach in his book, Rewire Your Brain: Think Your Way to a Better Life. Adams champions the idea of embracing embarrassment as an antidote to monotony, suggesting, “If I’m bored, this means I’m not embarrassing myself enough.” Or you may consider occupying yourself with nothing. Rick Rubin, a famous music producer, writes in his book The Creative Act: A Way of Being that we all need time to do nothing to come up with creative ideas. Boredom may be a booster for new ideas and inventiveness.
Re-contracting isn’t just about reclaiming time but refocusing on what truly matters in life. Doing this simple audit quarterly can have a profound effect on the quality of your life and the quality of your relationships.
Time is arguably our most precious commodity. As such, it should be used wisely. With so many demands on our time, however, keeping up with everything can be a challenge. It is here that time management apps come in handy.
The following are some of the benefits of time management apps:
Establish and track your goals.
Scheduling appointments and planning your day.
Keep your focus and avoid distractions by prioritizing tasks.
Collaborate with others and delegate tasks.
Keep track of your time and identify areas for improvement.
There are many different time management apps available, so choosing the right one can be challenging. Because of this, we have compiled a list of the best time management apps for you to consider.
Format: Web, iOS, Android
Do you feel like you’re always stuck in meetings? You’re not alone. The average person attends 11 to 15 meetings per week, according to research.
However, that isn’t all. As well as showing your time spent in meetings, Calendar’s robust analytic features also display your time at work. As a result, you can readjust your schedule as needed.
The cross-device syncing capabilities of Calendar allow individuals and teams to manage their calendars, schedules, and time efficiently. You can customize and share your Google Calendar, iCal (Apple Calendar), and Outlook Calendar from a single dashboard.
As an added benefit, you get a virtual assistant who can schedule meetings, send invitations, and change your schedule for you.
Generally, Calendar is a great choice for people who want their calendars in one location. It is the added analytics, however, that really make this time management app stand out. In addition to tracking time at work and in meetings, you can also see where you go and who you meet.
Depending on user preference, Todoist can be as simple or as complicated as they like. As you begin to create your list, you add tasks. The next step is categorizing the tasks – adding due dates, prioritizing, and reminding.
After that, you delegate by creating subtasks and projects and sharing tasks with collaborators. By adding integrations or filter views, you can further customize the process. In addition to Google and Microsoft integrations, they also integrate with Monday.com and Jira, which are renowned project management tools.
Overall, Todoist is great for scheduling and reminding you of tasks. With Todoist, you can stay on top of whatever you need to accomplish each day.
Have you ever felt like you don’t know what you’ve done all day? When you reflect on your day, do you feel you accomplished little? Rize can change that.
Time tracking is just one of the benefits of Rize. Additionally, it assists you with building better habits, improving your focus, and increasing your productivity. The best thing about the app? Information is now automatically inputted, eliminating the need for continuous input.
You can see how much time you have spent in focus, how much you spend context switching, and which websites are most distracting. There has never been a simpler way to manage your time.
Pricing: Free, $9.99 per month when billed annually.
Format: Web, iOS, Android
Wrike offers an online time-tracking feature as part of its powerful project management software. Using Wrike’s time-tracking project management, you can monitor your team’s productivity in real-time. As a result, you are less likely to miss deadlines, spend more time on billable work, and plan more efficiently.
Also worth mentioning are online time-tracking software, a Gantt chart, Kanban boards, automatic templates, and team calendar sharing.
Using trees as a gamification tool, Forest makes productivity more fun. Within the app, you plant a virtual tree whenever you want to focus on something. Throughout the day, your tree grows.
However, The tree will die if the app is closed before the allotted time expires. In time, you will grow many trees that come together to form a focus forest.
Also, if you didn’t know, this app uses the Pomodoro method for breaking work into chunks with short breaks. In addition, Forest partners with an organization dedicated to planting real trees, Trees for the Future.
Pricing: Free, iOS: Paid ($3.99) Android: Free & Pro ($1.99)
Format: Web, iOS, Android
With Nifty, you can easily track your time and manage your daily workflows. If you hover over Tasks on your My Work screen, you can start tracking time on a browser, desktop, or mobile device. Keeping track of your personal time log while tracking time on Tasks will provide initiative-oriented reporting.
Additionally, you can track your time as you work or backdate your tracked time for tasks completed without a clock. You can also multiply project time by an hourly rate to determine billable rates.
The goal of TimeTree was to unite all of your calendars in one place, whether on your wall, at work, or on social media. With calendar sharing, you will never miss an important event with your partner, siblings, or coworkers.
With the added functionality of memos, you have a dedicated place for managing your busy life rather than relying on a pen-and-paper to-do list. The feature is especially useful for families with multiple households, especially when managing their children’s schedules.
Pricing: Free, $4.49/month (Premium)
Format: Web, iOS, Android
With Notion, you can stay organized by combining multiple productivity apps into one platform. Specifically, you can collaborate, share notes and documents, and maintain a team knowledge base with this project management system.
Notion is an excellent tool for streamlining all of your productivity tools. You can replace your to-do lists, project management, note-taking apps, and spreadsheets. By doing so, you can also save time and money while managing your time effectively.
With Monday.com, teams with complex workflows can manage their tasks easily and efficiently. With this software, you are able to view your projects in a variety of ways, including Kanban, Gantt, timeline, and calendar views.
A time-tracking tool is also integrated into the application, which allows users to see how long tasks take to complete. If you want to create your own software from scratch, you can also use customizable templates. The Monday.com platform can also integrate many productivity tools, including Todoist, Zoom, and Shopify.
Multitasking and distractions are among the most common time wasters. Thankfully, Serene helps you become more productive in three easy steps.
You can use it to:
Plan your day. Make a list of your daily goals and set a time for completing them each day.
Block distractions. As part of a task, Serene blocks websites, updates your status, and updates your status (e.g., unavailable on Slack).
Focus enhancers. To stay focused, you can use music, timers, breaks, etc.
In short, it’s A time management tool that includes all the features you need in one package.
Pricing: $4/month.
Format: Web, Windows, Mac
You can stay productive by focusing, avoiding distractions, and tracking your time with Focus Booster. Work sessions are segmented into manageable 25-minute segments using the Pomodoro technique.
You can maintain a healthy work-life balance by taking frequent breaks and working in short bursts. Pomodoro sessions are automatically recorded so you can review your results and improve your productivity. By tracking how much time you devote to your goals, Focus Booster helps you stay accountable.
Pricing: $4.99/month
Format: iOS, Android, macOS, Blackberry, Windows, web browser, Apple Watch
The key feature that makes Remember the Milk different from other apps available on various platforms is the ability to choose how you want to receive reminders and tasks.
To-do lists can be easily organized in the app itself by tweeting or talking to Siri or Alexa. Apple Watch users can add and review tasks right from their wrist with the Apple Watch app.
The simplified to-do list app Remember the Milk takes things to another level with built-in themes so you can make it your own. Attachments can accompany all your tasks, allowing you to keep everything in one place. It is even possible to save text from emails as task notes.
Pricing: Free, $39.99/Year (Pro)
Format: Web, iOS, Android
A person’s habits determine how productive they are and have the ability to save or waste hours of time. It is challenging to develop new habits because the initial excitement and motivation ebbs away quickly, and without consistency, there will be no replacement for the old habits.
This is where Habitica comes into play. This app lets you track your goals, to-dos, and habits. You can stay accountable for achieving your goals with rewards, punishments, and streaks. And you might actually have fun being productive.
Pricing: Free
Format: Web-based, Chrome for Android, and Safari for iOS (iPhone/iPad).
As the name suggests, Focusmate focuses on building your focus with a partner. By working with an accountability partner, you can accomplish important tasks with Focusmate “s community of doers. Your productivity can be boosted with Focusmate’s time management tools.
It uses virtual coworking to boost productivity, which is one of its best features. Obviously, this makes Focusmate ideal for remote teams. Moreover, you can work quietly in tandem with your Focusmate during your 50-minute sessions at any time that works best for you.
Pricing: Free (for up to three sessions per week), $6.99/month (Focusmate Plus)
Format: Web
Time blocking has never been easier than with Aika. Your daily schedule can include blocks with filters and tags, and you can expand, move, and edit them. Aika also provides insights into what you do with your time and how you spend it. If you realize you need more family time or less time spent on a certain project, you might change your priorities.
Generally, Aika is ideal for Professionals seeking a better work-life balance or spending less time on calls.
Pricing: $4/month
FAQs
What is a time management app?
The goal of a time management app is to help users organize their time and tasks and track their progress. In addition to being used for work and personal tasks, individuals or teams can use time management apps.
How can a time management app benefit you?
Time management apps have many benefits, including:
Increased productivity. Staying organized, focused, and on track can help users be more productive with time management apps.
Reduced stress. By helping users organize their workload and meet deadlines more efficiently, time management apps can help reduce stress.
Improved work-life balance. With time management apps, users can achieve a better work-life balance by managing their time more efficiently.
What are the different types of time management apps?
Each time management app has its features and benefits, and many different types are available. These are some of the most common types of time management apps:
Task management apps. With task management apps, users can keep track of their progress, create and organize lists of tasks, and set deadlines.
Time tracking apps. By tracking their time, users can identify areas where they can become more efficient.
Focus timer apps. Users can use focus timer apps to remain focused on a single task for a set period of time.
Project management apps. Planning, managing, and tracking all kinds of projects is possible using project management apps.
How do I choose the right time management app for me?
When choosing a time management app, you should consider your individual needs and preferences. Among the factors to consider are:
Features. Which features are most important to you? How do you decide whether to use a task management app, a time tracking app, or both?
Platform. Can you use the app on any platform? Does it matter to you whether the app is available on your computer, phone, and tablet?
Price. Depending on the application, time management apps can cost as little as free or as much as hundreds of dollars per year. Consider your budget when choosing an app.
Once I have chosen a time management app — how do I get started?
You should learn to use your time management app once you’ve selected one. You can find tutorials and help resources on many apps’ websites or in the apps themselves.
When you’re familiar with the app, start by listing your upcoming tasks. Next, prioritize the tasks and set deadlines for them. Tracking your progress and reminding yourself of deadlines are possible using the app.
Maintaining a regular review of your time use is also essential. As a result, you can identify areas where your time management strategy needs to be adjusted in order to be more efficient.
