Have you ever been here?
Your day is planned out. You have a long to-do list, and are excited to get everything done. But, by the end of the day you have only completed 1 or 2 items on your list. You're left feeling frustrated, unmotivated and as you review your still long to-do list feel overwhelmed thinking about when you will have the time to get everything done.
Sometimes, urgent issues come up that need to be addressed in the moment that can derail our day.
But its not always the urgent issues that cause our day to implode.
We have cognitive biases that contribute to our sense of and ability to accomplish our tasks and goals.
Cognitive Bias
There are many many types of cognitive bias, but I want to focus on two in particular.
Optimism bias: This bias makes us believe that we are more likely to experience positive events, and less likely to experience negative events
Planning fallacy: With this bias, our brains underestimate the time and effort that is required to complete a task or project
Together, these biases lead us astray - making us think that we can get a lot done successfully in a small amount of time.
The consequences of this leave us
Feeling overwhelmed, and unable to catch up
Unconfident
Hearing our inner critic telling us we aren't good, smart, organized or efficient enough (or any other "enough's")
To address these biases and boost your productivity here are 5 strategies you can try
‼️ Double or triple the expected time for a particular project or task
Track your progress, and adjust time allotments accordingly
3️⃣Rather than focusing on a big to-do list, pick your top 3 items to complete
If you are struggling to prioritize your tasks, try the Eisenhower Method
⌛Follow the 2 Minute Rule for small tasks to prevent accumulation
📆 Schedule buffers in your day to account for urgent issues or delays
😌 Practice self compassion
🎉 Celebrate your successes
"It's how we spend our time here, and now that really matters. If you are fed up with the way you have come to interact with time, change it."
- Marcia Wieder
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