Do less, better.
We only get 24 hours in a day and if you’re like me, it feels like there is never enough time in the day to get all the things done that we’d like to. It seems that our tasks and to-do lists always exceed the amount of time we have and it can be really frustrating when we don’t get what we want out of our day.
In those 24 hours you can do just about anything, but you can’t do everything. We’ve all tried “do everything” and it rarely turns out well. As we rush to try to accomplish everything, our quality of work and performance takes a hit. We’re stressed, our heart rate and respiration rates are elevated, and by the end of the day we are mentally and physically exhausted. When we are trying to do it all… we never truly accomplish everything. Even if we check all the boxes we have a tendency to add more things to our list and by doing so we never truly get to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment.. And as we continue to assign ourselves task after task, our bodies and minds don’t rest. They keep moving and working to complete that next task. It’s a vicious cycle that eventually leaves us feeling like a hamster on a wheel… Being busy all the time, but never really feeling like we’ve accomplished anything because our to-do’s are never ending.
So how do we step off the hamster wheel and start getting the most out of our days?
Well, to do that we have to adopt what I call a “Do less, better.” mindset. A mindset that goes a little against our societal norms both in the workplace and in sport and performance. But I think we can all agree that in order for us to gain a competitive advantage, we have to be willing to approach things differently than everyone else. Doing what everyone else does only leads us to average results. Building our own system of doing and adhering to that system will create an opportunity for us to gain a competitive edge and perform to our greatest potential.
This mindset takes time to develop. It’s certainly not an overnight deal. It’s a big change and it all starts with three foundational pieces.
First, we have to let go of the notion that “more is better”. More is not better. Better is better. Simply doing more does not warrant improved performance or success. Sure you have to practice and hone your craft with consistent hard work, but mindless reps will only take you so far. Successful athletes and people are a product of the quality of the work they do in all parts of their lives over time.
One real-life way to kick “more is better” to the curb is to take one thing off your to-do list each and every day. Why? Because it allows you to invest more time, more energy, more focus and more passion into everything else. And when we do that we do things better and we get the most out of ourselves. So whether you make an actual list or if you have a loose list in your head, challenge yourself to scratch one thing each day. What will happen is that you will begin to teach yourself to remove the non-essential tasks from your day, helping you learn to elevate the importance of the things that truly matter in your life. The results from doing this will surprise you. And for you Type A people.. you can always take on another task if you’re running ahead of schedule.
Second, we have to develop an understanding that a good amount of what we do is non-essential. This piece gets the people going! We do a lot of stuff in our life, most of which isn’t all that important. The problem that we (myself included) have is that we throw so much of ourselves at things that aren’t nearly as important as we think they are. And many times because of that, we get disconnected from the things that truly matter. Successful athletes and people are skilled at sifting out and connecting with what is most important in their lives.
One real-life way to sift out what’s most important is to simply ask ourselves, “Hey what’s most important today?” as we set up our day. Maybe you ask yourself that the night before, maybe the morning of as you enjoy a coffee, or maybe both! Find the best time to ask yourself that question and check in with yourself. You’ll notice that as you make this a routine you’ll become more intentional with not only your time, but also with the effort and focus you possess throughout the day. Better Effort + Better Focus = Better Days
Lastly, we have to learn how to tune into the present moment. This is so cliche, but it’s cliche for a reason. For us to perform at a high level and get the most out of the day, we have to be in tune with the present moment of each task we are engaged with. I know we all think we can multitask..and we can to some degree.. but our best performance comes when we are firmly rooted in the present. Successful athletes and people are skilled at planting their minds and bodies in the present moment and refusing to leave.
One real life way to help you connect to the present moment is to change the environment in which you eat your meals throughout the day. How often do we eat with a phone in our hands, with an open email inbox on our computer, or with a TV screen on in the background? How often do we just eat and enjoy our food without thinking about what we need to do when we’re done eating? Rarely.. maybe never. Working to remove those distractions during meal times is a great first step in becoming more in tune with the present moment in all parts of your life.
As you work towards bringing these 3 foundational pieces into your life your “Do less, better.” mindset will begin to take shape. It will take some time and a consistent effort, but over time your days will begin to feel less busy and more fulfilling. Keep in mind that when I say “do less” that doesn’t mean that you won't have to work hard. Quite the opposite actually as for anything in this life you’re going to have to work your tail off. Many of you may think, “My life is way too busy for that” and you’re probably right, but maybe it’s time to change that. This mindset was precisely designed to enrich the lives of busy people. The whole point of developing this mindset is to give yourself more time, more energy, more focus and more passion to pursue the things in life that truly mean the most to you. When we combine these forces we create an environment to thrive in.