Jan 14, 2021
Two Weeks Go, Two Days Slow
The Productivity Plan that Keeps Me Motivated
What do we need more of, sometimes have too much, but all have the same amount?
Time!
Time is such a primary focus in our lives that we check our watches often or ask others what time we’re going somewhere. We live in a time-centric society, one that has a time addiction.
So if we are always so worried about time, why do we tend to waste it? I present to you The Time Killers. Featuring activities such as social media, napping, and video games, these are the best ways to lose track of time.
The time killers tend to be activities we do often, yet consider them to be daily parts of life. However, that’s false. Everyday aspects of life include brushing your teeth and showering, not scrolling through Twitter for 6 hours.
Managing your time effectively stems from the three ideas.
· Minimizing Time Killers
· Create an Effective Productivity Plan
· We All Have The Same Amount of Time
The idea of minimizing time killers is simple; you get home from work or school, take a quick break, and begin to work on productive activities. The execution is quite tricky though; we’ve all been there. It can be challenging to continue working after getting home from work, so we default to sitting on the couch and firing up Netflix to watch a whole series before dinner. But you have stuff to do!
That poor laundry basket has been marinating in B.O while your dishes are becoming a science experiment and begging to be washed. There’s more to life than watching the Tiger King or seeing a whole concert through the lens of a friend’s iPhone.
With time killers out of the way, you can begin to create a productivity plan. At a basic level, this includes writing down certain activities you want to accomplish during the day. One of my favorite productivity plans is to take a sticky note, write the date in the top corner, and sketch all the activities I want to accomplish that day. If I notice that a sticky note is a few days, I look back on it and see if I missed crossing something off, which feels fantastic by the way.
Another productivity plan is to put everything in a time management software such as Google calendar. It’s simple to use and everything syncs nicely to your phone so forgetting about that board meeting is a memory of the past.
Of course, once your plan is in order, keep in mind that we all have the same amount of time. If you’re in New Zealand, South Africa, or here in the U.S., we all follow a 24-hour time cycle. This allows time to be understood universally; a week in America is a week in Australia.
This makes my idea of “Two Weeks Go, Two Days Slow” simple to understand. In following this productivity plan, you are working as hard as you can for 2 weeks or 14 days, then taking a 2-day break.
This idea assumes that you are either actively working on a project or have some income. If your primary income source is a 9–5 job, this plan tells you to continue working after getting home and having a quick break. Doing day to chores is the first step, then moving to other activities such as writing or blogging is the next step.
Two weeks go, two days slow is designed to inspire you to work on something you have always wanted to do or spark that entrepreneurial fire inside you. It doesn’t have to earn you money; just be a goal that you are working toward that gives your life more enjoyment than liking every Instagram photo you see.
When you reach that 14th day of consistent work, plan for your next two days of blissful rest. Flip the schedule and focus on self-care and activities that you weren’t doing earlier. Focus on your relationships for these two days. Work should be done only if needed, such as making a few phone calls or sending that last email to your team. This is a mini-vacation that you’ve earned. Enjoy it!
Following these ideas won’t guarantee you peak productivity; you have to be willing to plan and find how to do your tasks as efficiently as possible. If this inspired you to work smarter and more consistent, check out my recently released Udemy course, 168 Hours: Living a Productive and Satisfying Life. This course guides you from couch potato to time management superstar using a robust presentation and activities such as an Excel time tracker.
Mastering personal finance and time management will allow you to use your full potential and be financially free. Ben Le Fort offers some personal finance advice you shouldn’t follow this year. Not focusing on passive income is one of his three pieces of advice.
