An average adult makes about 35,000 conscious decisions each day, compared to around 3,000 for young children. It’s not surprising that our time and mental energy get depleted. Often, we further strain our resources by agreeing to requests when we’d rather say “No.” Considerate people especially struggle to decline, wanting to support others, but this often leads to overload and stress.
Today’s work environment is full of interruptions—phones, emails, and people demand our attention. These distractions erode our time and, often, employers expect more while providing less. Even if this isn’t the case where you work, it’s a widespread issue.
Effective communication is essential, whether interacting with colleagues or managing electronic media. When someone calls you, keep the conversation focused on its purpose, and do the same when you call others. Consider using personalised ringtones for different contacts to filter important calls and maintain control over your time.
Open-plan offices may save companies money and make it easier to monitor staff, but they also increase distractions. If you’ve never had a private office, you might not realise how much more productive you could be with fewer interruptions. Imagine an open-plan office with 25 people working in silence—while it may seem strange, the focus and productivity could be remarkable.
In our era of “My Environment” (ME)—complete with social media sharing and selfies—it’s vital to ask yourself: Are you freely giving away your time? Our time is limited and non-renewable, yet many act as if their personal time bank has an endless reserve. To achieve meaningful goals, we must learn to say “No.”
Technology makes it easier than ever for others to share their opinions about our focus, leading to not just information overload, but opinion overload. Multi-tasking is another trap. Research has shown that shifting between tasks reduces efficiency. To boost results, focus on one task at a time: turn off email alerts, use filters, and mute notifications to reduce distractions. Remember, you control your tools—not the other way around.
Psychologist Albert Bandura’s research shows the importance of motivation and clear, long-term objectives, broken down into smaller, achievable goals. Start your to-do list with your highest-value task—not necessarily the most challenging, but the most important. Prioritise work that matters most and try to avoid taking on others’ low-value tasks that distract you from your main objectives.
This approach yields multiple benefits: you’ll complete essential tasks, gain greater recognition, work fewer hours, and have more time for yourself and your family. Since every decision impacts both your work and personal life, it’s also important to understand your own learning and working preferences. By recognising how you learn best and what tasks you excel at, you can optimise your productivity and efficiency. This self-awareness will not only help you achieve your goals at work but also maintain a healthy work-life balance. Taking the time to understand your own preferences will ultimately lead to a more fulfilling and successful career.
It’s important to remember that everyone is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. By taking the time to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, you can tailor your approach to work in a way that maximises your potential. This may involve delegating tasks that you struggle with, seeking additional training or support in areas where you need improvement, or simply finding ways to work smarter, not harder.
Ultimately, the key to success lies in understanding yourself and your unique capabilities, and using that knowledge to your advantage in both your professional and personal life.
Careful planning helps you identify what needs to be completed, in what order, and how best to sequence tasks. Some tasks depend on others, so consider these connections in your planning and monitor your progress with your time resource in mind.
When delegating work, communicate clearly so others can deliver results efficiently. Understand colleagues’ or team members’ preferred working and learning styles to prevent delays and frustration. A short conversation at the start of any collaboration about work preferences can prevent hours of misunderstanding. Ultimately, clear communication at the outset leads to higher-quality work and more efficient time usage.
