Why Efficiency is Overrated – and What to Do About It

An awful lot of time-management techniques show an obsession with efficiency. And being efficient – getting tasks done quickly – is certainly important. But efficiency for its own sake is worthless.

Sure, you could spend three hours implementing a new system that lets you automatically tag every email as it comes in. But I doubt that you’re going to look back in ten years’ time and say, “Wow, my inbox was always so well organized.”

If you pay too much attention to efficiency, you might actually become less effective. You’ll stop focusing on the things that really matter – the “great work” in your life, the projects that really would make a difference in ten years’ time.

Here’s how efficiency is damaging: Read the Rest of This Article »

Do You Have Dozens of Unfinished Projects? Here’s What to Do

Are you the sort of person who gets really fired up and excited by new ideas, who dives straight in … and who then loses enthusiasm and ends up with dozens of half-finished projects all on the go at the same time?

If so, I can sympathize! In the past, I’ve had all sorts of works-in-progress – like novels, craft projects, self-study courses, ebooks – on the go. I tend to jump on new things with lots of energy, only to find that I’ve taken on too much to cope with.

Of course, you’ll probably know all the drawbacks of having lots of partially-completed projects hanging around. If your projects are ones which pay (like articles, ebooks, websites), then you’re not making any money because nothing’s finished. If your projects are related to a hobby, particular a crafty one, you’ll probably find that you’re using up a lot of physical space. And in almost every cases, half-done projects take up mental space.

I’ve learnt that there are three key options for dealing with projects that are lurking in an unfinished stage. They are:

• Ditch That Project – Completely
• Salvage What You Can
• Decide to Finish It

Here’s how to know which option to pick, and how to go about it. Read the Rest of This Article »