The secret to getting more done? Stop trying to get so much done

In the big scheme of things, it isn’t very much perhaps, but it isn’t even lunchtime yet and I have already done two things which have enriched my soul and made me much more productive than usual.

From 8-9am, I have an (almost) weekly language exchange (Spanish/English) and a couple of coffees with a friend. I then had a caffeinated catch up with another friend who I hadn’t seen for a while.

Total time investment: 2 hours.
Total cost: €0 (shoutout to generous friends and Granada café prices).
Total ROI: Off the charts.

Although there are many benefits, sometimes, running your own business or working from home can get quite monotonous. But today, before I even opened a Word doc or tried to reformulate a CV into something more achievement focused, I did something different.

I connected.

We improved our Spanish and English. We laughed, caffeinated, caught up on life and crucially, refilled our social batteries. And all before 11am.

The best part? Those two hours have made me better at everything else I have had to do today.

I have approached my work with a full (and perhaps overly caffeinated) tank and am currently on a roll of productivity, ticking things off my to-do list.

So, whether you are a jobsearcher, CV writer, a career coach, or a butcher, baker or candlestick maker, when you can, try to set aside a little time to enjoy the little things.

Grab a coffee. Call a friend. Take the dog for a walk. Go for a stroll around the block.

It may seem somewhat Zen, but the truth seems to be that the secret to getting more done is to stop trying to get so much done

Because sometimes the secret to achieving the big stuff is giving yourself permission to enjoy the small stuff. And who knows, that might just give you the energy and wherewithal to move you forward to where you want to be?

And when you get back from taking that time out to relax and reflect and realise that perhaps you need to update your CV to get a new job, then contact me to make your life easier. I can do your CV for you.

Though given how much coffee I’ve had so far today, I may need to have decaf in future…

Email jason@jncv.co.uk
LinkedIn Jason Newton
Photo Jean-Louis Aubert on Unsplash