Original photo by David G. Romero

Effective life management starts with efficient, productive living, every single day. That means making changes to how you’re living now, so that you have more time to do the things you want.

Problem is, that’s not an easy thing to do. As such, I’ve compiled this list of 10 hacks for personal efficiency, to cut down the time you spend doing the things you don’t want to do, and give you more time to do the things you enjoy!

1. Keep three lists of three. The first list has three things you will do today. The second is three things you’d like to get done, but aren’t essential. The third is three things that need to be done at some point. That way, when you’ve trogged through your days work, you don’t end up sitting twiddling your thumbs.
2. Start the day properly. Have a good breakfast, spend some time alone to just sit and do whatever. I like to take a quarter of an hour or so, and just chill. Relax, let your mind wander. Pray. Do whatever floats your boat. Just make sure that your mind isn’t in the “I hate working” frame of mind.
3. Give yourself breaks. Don’t be locked in the room all the time. For every hour you work, have a 15-30 minute break. Give your mind time to digest what it’s just done, then come back. You’ll improve the quality of what you produce a hundredfold.
4. Know when to stop. Don’t go back to work when you’ve finished. Had a great idea for a post? Fantastic, write down the basics on a note, and pin it up. Don’t go back to work when you’ve finished. Set defined times when you’re going to work, and then when it passes, stop. You can have a bit of leeway here, but make sure that you don’t end up letting work run your life.
5. Have a good chair. Mesh backed ones, or good comfy leather work well for me. It’s worth spending some money on. Also, if you write a lot, invest in a good pen. I like Waterman fountain pens myself.
6. Have a plaything nearby. I find my pen works well, but I’ve also got a Newton’s cradle, and a few other bits and bobs. When I need to think, I have to have something to play with whilst my mind churns through its thought process. If you’re the same, make sure you’ve got something around.
7. Have a good lunch. I take the middle 20 minutes and have it then. Jacket potato, sandwiches, cereal… Something with good carb content I find works best. Puts you in the mood for the second half of the day.
8. Keep your desk and general work area tidy. A tidy workspace helps keep a tidy mind, which helps make your day more efficient.
9. Create a routine. Set up some bookmark folders in your browser so you can check all the sites you need to in one go. Then move on and do something else. Get your daily routine down so that you only focus on one thing at a time, for no more than an hour at a go. Any more and your brain will stop working.
10. Don’t do everything. That’s not your job. If something isn’t in your remit, delegate it. Any time you get any work given to you, ask yourself if there’s someone who could do it better. If there is, get them to do it. If not, either get it done right there and then, or schedule a time for it.