One way is to keep two to-do lists—one for everything on your plate, one for the 10 or fewer things that you’re currently working on. Fill up the 10 slots on the second list with items from the first, then set to work. The rule is not to move any further items from the first list onto the second until you’ve freed up a slot by finishing one of the 10 items.
A related strategy is to set a pre-established time boundary for certain types of daily work—for example, to resolve to write from 8 to 11 a.m.—and to make sure you stop when time’s up.
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How to break bad habits
How habits are formed
The importance of consistency
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Similar ideas to 1. Adopt a “fixed volume” approach to productivity
If you want to stop the tyranny of the to-do list, you must break the habit of letting your list tell you what to do. Build a weekly schedule instead. For example, study from 2-4 pm, exercise from 4-6 pm, work from 6-9 pm, work on the to-do list from 9-10 pm.
A one-three-five list looks at task size, instead of time or urgency. Using it you can make more informed decisions when urgent tasks pop up and better prioritize your other work. To make one:
Time-blocking consists of assigning individual tasks to manageable time slots.
Instead of writing out short tasks alongside hours-long tasks on your list for the day and hoping you have enough time to tackle it all, this approach lets you set realistic goals for yourself one task...
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