Busy and burnt out: how to make the most of your time

Many of us are so burnt out that we have no idea how to make the most out of our time. Most of us are overworked, underpaid and stressed all the time. There never seems to be enough time to do the things that we love to do. There’s always a million things out there to do. Your to-do list is always overstuffed and a lot of the time it can be depressing. 

We want more time freedom and the problem is that we have no idea how to obtain it. So, instead of figuring ways around it, we use the same methods we used before until we crash and burn. The worst thing for you to do is overwork until you crash and burn. Because when that happens, you’ll be pushed back farther than you know and trying to keep up will become a chore. The question though then is how do we get more done without burnout. Productivity isn’t as complicated as we make it. I get it most people don’t have enough time to do all the things they want to do.

I have friends who are constantly working and find themselves exhausted by the weekend because they don’t have enough time. Though the truth is often we think that we need hours in order for us to achieve our goals, but even thirty minutes a day is sufficient enough time. I got ill recently, to the point where my health was in jeopardy. I realized I was burning far too quickly. I was too overwhelmed and that was because I wasn’t taking enough breaks. I wasn’t allowing myself to relax and that there is a problem many of us go through. 

Track your time

So much time is wasted thinking, waiting and procrastinating. I am a master at this, so one of the best things to do is track your time. There are dozens of free apps you can use to do this. This will make you stay on point so you don’t waste time thinking about what you should do next. This is why gurus say that it is important for you to keep a to-do list.

This is to ensure you don’t waste time thinking about what you should next. Instead, you use the time you have effectively. As a starting ground, you can work in twenty five minute sessions As odd as it sounds, you can do a lot of things in twenty-five minutes than an hour because it is focused on the task at hand. If use that time wisely, you will be shocked at all you achieve. Depending on how much time you can spare a day you can use that to finish tasks at hand.

Instead of a to-do list do a don’t list

I am always researching ways to be more productive and this is a recent concept I came across. There are people who use this technique but in a different way. Warren Buffett uses the concept in his 5/25 strategy. The difference here is with the don’t list is it helps you prioritize on what you should do right at this second. It helps you figure out what you don’t need to do today.

Most of us have a long to-do list that never ends and that is why you should have a don’t list. You can use it along with your to-do list. This way you focus on what is important and what you can delegate. For example, if you need to do grocery shopping, you can always pay for the things to be delivered to your home. Most countries offer that service. If you are not a social media expert, you can delegate that to someone. So you can focus on what is important to you.

If you require your house to be cleaned, you can hire someone to help you out. I understand that with delegation comes the costly impact, so you can’t always do it.

Once in a while, it helps. I once heard Pete Voogd say in a podcast that often you have to figure out what is important for you right at this second and do that. Everything else comes second. 

If you struggle with productivity and you want to know a few productivity hacks to help you make the most out of your time, you can find a blog post about it here.

Warren Buffett’s 5/25 strategy

I was considering whether I should add this or I shouldn’t, but Warren Buffet’s strategy works. So, I decided to talk more about it. The story goes that before an airplane takeoff, Warren Buffet walked up to the pilot of his private jet, Mike Flint and said to him, ” The fact that you’re still working for me, tells me I’m not doing my job. You should be out, going after more of your goals and dreams.” 

Buffett then took Flint through a simple quick process to gain clarity on his priorities and achieve his goals. It was a three-step strategy. The step is to first write down

your top twenty-five goals. Draw a circle around your top five goals and focus only on those top five. The reason is those five goals are what you should be focusing on right now and after you finish those five you go down the list. Repeat the process.

There’s a reason why Warren Buffett has achieved the success he has. He is persistent with his goals. And that persistence and relentlessness has not let him down. 

James Clear explains how to use Warren Buffet’s strategy to help you focus and prioritize. 

Take a break

Have time off, take a break and relax. The reason why most people burn out is that they are constantly working and they don’t do anything for themselves. Life is precious, but you can only appreciate it if you allow yourself to and most of us never do. I have learned that one of the most refreshing things to do is self-care, this differs for people. A lot of people like to take themselves out, go to a spar, do facials or even go to the gym.

It depends on what makes you happy. I would recommend something else other than watching television. As relaxing as it may seem, you are still wasting energy and you don’t get enough dopamine to make it worthwhile. Dopamine is the happy hormone. In fact, television can increase cortisol levels which do nothing more than increase stress.  

What methods do you think will work for you? How much time do you have to dedicate to your goals? Comment below.

                                                                                     Keep Pushing

                                                                     Vanessa