If you’re like most people, you probably take your laptop home every night, check email at kid’s games and rarely miss a work phone call.
You’ve convinced yourself that the best way to get ahead (increase revenue, get a promotion, land a raise, new job, etc.) is to outwork everyone else.
There are two problems with this approach. There are only so many hours in the day and someone will always work harder than you.
It’s time to try a different approach.
The question you should be asking is, “How do I get more done in less time?”
The truth is you already know how.
Do you remember that last time you took a long vacation? The week before this trip was a great example of getting a ton of meaningful work complete in a short period of time.
You didn’t waste time on Facebook or responding to unimportant emails. You didn’t allow people to stand in your office door talking about the Oscars, Breaking Bad or the last staff meeting.
You recognized that you were under a tight deadline and that there was no time for distractions.
Unfortunately, in today’s work environment, most people never set deadlines because you can always pull out your laptop after the kids go to bed.
Without deadlines, there’s no reason to focus because you can simply put in more hours.
Lucky for you, getting off this never ending work roller coaster is simple.
You need to start setting deadlines. That’s it – I promise.
Next week, try this simple exercise. Limit the amount of hours that you work.
Seriously, when the clock hits 5 p.m., turn off your computer, go home, eat dinner with the family and then for God’s sake, watch TV!
If you’re worried that you’ll end the week without completing some important activities, I’ve got a radical idea.
On Monday morning, before you open your email, take out a piece of paper and write down the most important projects that absolutely must be complete before the end of the week.
As with most things in life, the solution is simple. You just need to execute.