Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes,
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Moments so dear.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights

In cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.

In five hundred twenty-five thousand

Six hundred minutes
How do you measure
A year in the life? ………..

                                                                                  

This is a song “Seasons of love” from the musical RENT… this had me thinking….

Well, there are times when the day seems to swallow me, leaving me swamped and overwhelmed at times. But i do manage to get most of the things on my “to do” list done, giving me a sense of having had a productive day. And then there are days, when i not only manage to complete work, and errands, but also squeeze in a meet with friends or a movie. I have come to terms that i am not going to get more than 24hours in a day, so might as well make the most of it…

There are a few simple steps i follow…

1. Make a To Do list 1st thing in the morning

Yes, everyday, i open a sticky note and write down everything that needs to be done. It spans across personal and professional. Could be anything between close a deal to search for a book or meet a friend for coffee. Ofcourse these are just a few random things…but you get my point.. And every time i have completed a task, i put an “*” next to it.. At the end of the day, i review the list, and delete all completed tasks leaving behind only pending issues to be tackled the next day. I also jot down comments wherever required

2. One at a time

Yes, i never try to do more than 1 task at a time.. multi-tasking is good, its fun, but it is a buzz kill. Focus on the priority issues, complete them to perfection [or atleast near perfection] and then move on to next item on list. This makes it easier and i have realised i can do more.

3. Saying NO

Oh yes. It is not only important to complete the tasks on hand, but to say NO when there is a new task about to sneak in to the list or when there is a request from someone. It could be urgent, it could be a close friend, or something you really cant resist, but if you have too much going on already, then it is wise to say NO.. It might be difficult, but you need to do it, else you will hit yourself over and over for ruining your day… You just might end up working through the day and night to complete your list just ‘cos the ONE extra thing took up way too much of your time! You can take on additional task, or go out, etc if you have the luxury of time! 

4. Take a break

There is no one standing over your head screaming at you, asking you to stay glued to your seat or the computer. You know what needs to be done, and there are times when it feels like banging the head against a dead wall, in such cases, take a break. Just shut the computer, read a book, or get out for a breather. This will help clear your head and bring back focus. Dont beat yourself up, it will only build frustration.

 

5. Have fun

Yes, i know i said you should have fun! I do mean it. If you dont enjoy what you do, you will hate every minute and work with a bad taste in your mouth. This in turn will reflect on the work you have done. If you are working on something new, or a challenge, take time to learn the ropes, read about it, brain storm if you have to with people around and then dive into it. You should ENJOY what you do , this will add value to work and your life!

Have a fun weekend ahead!!