Would love to offer a universal recipe for increasing personal effectiveness and realizing your own potential in 7 days or 1 month. But it does not exist. And if someone, speculating money, promises you after a training or webinar to easily stop a horse on a gallop and enter into a burning hut, do not believe it.
You know what works? Constant hard work on yourself. This is what we put in the top 10 ways to improve personal effectiveness. And 9 more useful recommendations. If you use them, just become more effective.
1. Constantly work on yourself and learn new things
Whatever you do, remember that the best way to learn to do things better and faster is to work hard. In this way, you will improve your results time after time and, consequently, increase the efficiency of your work, which is an integral part of personal efficiency in general.
And if you know about the Pareto principle, you understand that 20% of efforts will lead to 80% of the result. The remaining 80% of your efforts will only lead to 20%. To calculate your time use computer time tracker So don’t let the non-linear progress of your achievements scare you. It’s perfectly normal.
2. Find your dream job
“If you’re busy doing what you love, you won’t work a day.” Have you heard that phrase? As always, it’s brilliantly simple.
It is much easier to achieve good results if you are busy doing something you enjoy. Then the process itself is enjoyable. Think of yourself doing what you love! When no one and nothing can distract you, you want to work without tearing yourself away. On this wave of inspiration is easiest to implement the most ambitious ideas and plans.
3. Plan competently and flexibly
We didn’t say plans for nothing in the previous paragraph. We cannot go anywhere without them. They are our guideline and vector of movement.
Just please allow yourself to change them. We live in such a changeable world that there is no place for rigid goals and plans. Don’t allow plans to force you into a box! Flexible planning combined with designated deadlines is helpful and motivating.
4. Don’t be afraid of deadlines
Deadlines are usually intimidating. But if you are organized enough, you will be able to set your own deadline and make it so that the deadline is an additional incentive and helps you to optimally distribute your time and your workload.
5. Divide large tasks into smaller iterations
Another tip – to plan more accurately the timing of implementation, divide complex tasks into smaller iterations.
6. Praise yourself and celebrate your achievements
It’s much easier to berate yourself and constantly engage in self-deprecation. But try to celebrate your successes! So it will be easier for you to move up to the next step and be more effective. After all, thanking yourself improves your mood.
You can even develop a personal incentive and reward system. Promise, if you do something within a few hours, to treat yourself to a cup of aromatic coffee and your favorite cake. Or maybe a meeting with a pal at a coffee shop. Or an evening bike ride. Anything. The important thing is that it makes you happy! Remember that we are talking about personal efficiency, and this is a complex concept, which includes not only the results of work, but also the richness and fullness of your life.
7. Living
This is the most important thing and at the same time the thing that we so often and criminally forget in the stream of routine chores.
What do you love the most? What gives you energy from the very morning? A yoga practice or a strong, freshly brewed tea in peace and solitude? A morning jog? A favorite song? Give yourself such modest but valuable gifts every day. Even if you want to put yourself in a corner today because you didn’t get everything done, still give yourself 5 minutes of silence or play your favorite tune before bed. Trust me, you deserve it.
8. Learn to say “no.”
Build your personal boundaries! This will help you filter activity and spend your limited resources and time on what really matters to you. If you feel it is better to say no, say it. Your people will stay with you, because they respect your right to your point of view and freedom of choice.
9. Educate yourself, be inquisitive
Knowledge becomes obsolete quickly. So now self-education is not even a trend, but an objective necessity. Try to be an expert in something, but be interested in many things and broaden your horizons.
10. Be close to your favorite people and like-minded people
Do everything you can to form a circle of like-minded people around you with a similar worldview to yours. This will be a great support to you. Communicate, don’t shut yourself away!
And be sure to be close to those who are dear to your heart! Because personal effectiveness is largely measured by the level of happiness and peace of mind.