How to do a 40-hour job with 16.7 hours

How to do a 40-hour job with 16.7 hours

• Original address (original source): https://medium.com/swlh/how-to-work-40-hours-in-16-7-d9038681e652
• Author (author): Https://twitter.com/chriswinfield

I used to have too many--60, 80, or even 100 hours of work per week. What I think of myself is very much related to the proportion of my work. I think of these crazy times as Medal of Honor ... I am happy to say to people how "busy" I am and how much I have to "do this".

Does it sound familiar?

Looking back, I realized that I was trying to fill my inner emptiness with my work. The problem is that this emptiness is like a black hole. No matter how many hours I spend at work, I can't seem to fill up. If I had to say what was going on, there was nothing more to it than to make me feel worse.

Until one day, I was fed up with it. In addition, I have mastered the method. I stopped and started to reassess my life, trying to figure out what was important and unimportant. I realized that because I wanted to feel efficient, I felt that work was important, but it was just one important thing ... But not the most important. Moreover, I understand that I am not really fond of the things to devote time, not conducive to my happiness.

So I decided that I had to make a big change ...

Search method

Since work is important to me, I have to figure out how to work smarter rather than harder. I had to optimize my workflow and spend less time doing more things.

Of course, I also have to find a job I like, to make me feel full, not to squeeze me. In this way, I have more time to improve myself, accompany friends and family, in the mental, physical and spiritual aspects, really healthy up.

I like reading. I especially like reading things that can help me improve. The changes I made gave me an excellent excuse, I can immerse myself in reading! As long as it's a topic of smarter work, I'll look for it. I read a lot of posts on the same subject. I also discuss with people.

Then I found the most meaningful method for me and put it into practice. Some methods are completely catastrophic, others sometimes work, but obviously, they are not suitable for me.

I've noticed that every different solution has a puzzle. I found the part that worked for me and incorporated it into my own system. Steady, step-by-step, it forms a way to change my work forever.

Enter the tomato working method

Years ago, I heard a time management method called tomato work Law Note 1. It seems too simple, but as people say, the simplest things tend to be the best.

I read a paper published by Francesco Cirillo, its founder, in 2006, explaining this approach and, importantly, the psychology behind it. This revolutionary time management system is easy to use, but can only be changed if applied properly. The tomato working method can be decomposed into the following four basic principles.

1. embrace time, not resistance : Many of us seem to think of time as an enemy. In order to finish the task, we raced against the clock. The tomato work law tells us to be right with time, not against time.
2. eliminate exhaustion : In short, when you make yourself too hard, the short rest you arrange will eliminate the feeling of exhaustion. When you persist in using this method of work, it is impossible to work excessively.
3. Manage distractions : Phone calls, mail, Facebook messages, or sudden recalls of the need to replace your car's oil – interference is everywhere. Usually, these disturbances are not urgent. The tomato work method helps you to write down these disturbances and deal with them later.
4. Create a better work/life balance : Most of us are very familiar with the guilt caused by procrastination. If we are not efficient this day, we seem to be unable to enjoy free time. As the owner of a tomato working law (Pomodora Master), you create a set of efficient schedules and complete high-priority tasks so that you can truly enjoy your time.

"It sounds good," you might want to say, "What am I supposed to do?" 」

Simple:

1. Select a task;
2. Set the timer to 25 minutes;
3. Continue working until the timer is prompted, then write down an X.
4. Take a short break for 5 minutes (you just finished the first tomato);
5. Repeat 第1-4 step, repeat 3 times, rest for 15 minutes.

Simple, but ...

Now, you might be thinking "25 minutes of work?" It's not a thing! It's too easy. "Not so fast ... This means that the duration of the continuous focus on a task is 25 minutes. Do not handle multiple tasks at the same time. Don't check your email. Don't answer the phone. Don't look at Facebook. Don't do anything! Any interruptions are forbidden!

For me, it takes a while to get used to it and requires some tools and tricks. Here is my practice:

1. Timer (or app);
2. Flight mode (the most important feature of mobile phone!) ）；
3. A quiet work place, or a pair of good headphones/earplugs;
4. Pens and paper (used to make tomato marks);
5. Every morning in 5 minutes to plan out all the tasks of today;
6. At the end of the week, take 30 minutes to check the past week and plan for the next week.

Find a magical combination.

Like so many things in my life, I learned by experimenting, experiencing a lot of pain and frustration, but finally I grew up.

First of all, I think I can do 16 tomatoes a day, no problem. I am used to working for such a long time, less than 7 hours of work is easy. I finished 12 tomatoes on the first day. I did a lot of work, but I still felt the failure because I lacked a goal. I feel tired and miserable.

In the next few days, I tried to cut my target number. When I got used to it, I started to do a lot of work and got amazingly efficient. I know I'm in good shape. Sometimes I do less or more and feel bad, thinking it's the most stupid system in the world.

One day, I ignored the system and went back to the multitasking mode. I can't focus, I'm inefficient, and I'm depressed. I clenched my teeth and insisted on working in my old way for several days. I found that when I finished, my efficiency was not comparable to the efficiency of working with tomatoes.

With reason back, I began to try fewer tomatoes, starting from 5 a day and gradually increasing my way to 8. My goal is to have 8 tomatoes a day, a total of 40 a week.

Works well, but as they say, life is always an accident. Sometimes I have to attend a lot of meetings, or my daughter has a recital at school, I can't be absent, I can't find a way to finish 8 tomatoes. Obviously, 40 is my weekly magic number, but I need to be flexible about how I handle my weekly work.

Arithmetic is straightforward: 40 tomatoes per week = 1, 000 minutes of work (350 minutes of rest). Calm to a weekly, about 16.7 hours, yes!

However, when I have too many things to do, or feel physically or mentally exhausted, I do not have 8 tomatoes. I started to fall behind, and the next day I tried to cram as much as 14, which made me feel tired and dissatisfied with the quality of my work.

I realized that I had to go back, rethink the weekly situation, and notice my emotions and refocus on what's right for me. The tomato working method is excellent, but in some places there is a lack.

The psychology of being stimulated

In a perfect world, at the start of every workday, I have 8 high-value quests. I've raised their priorities and, by importance, one after another. I am full of the same passion and motivation for each task, not willing to be disturbed, in less than three hours to complete the day's mission.

Sounds good, doesn't it? Unfortunately, "the place where we live is imperfect".

I am a person, living in other people's periphery, this is the reality. I can not control the mood, I often feel tired. There are some tasks, although I know they are important and may be urgent, but I just don't want to do it.

To make it last, I have to face these things and learn to accept them, to get along with them, not to be hostile.

My energy quality and attitude affect my work and results, so I have to maintain my current feelings and control myself. Seeing a helpful blog post, I think these questions are particularly good:

• My physical condition--how good is my health?
• My emotional state--Am I happy?
• My state of mind-what should I do to focus on one thing?
• My state of mind-why should I do this? What is my purpose?

These questions prompted me to consider my mood and energy when prioritizing tasks. As a result, I stopped thinking about it because I felt compelled to do so.

When I'm in a bad condition, I'm working on fitness. When I'm in a bad mood, I find things that make me happy, like spending time with my wife and daughters.

Seven-day work week

Do you remember the state I was in the first? Crazy, night and night, including weekends.

When I decided to change, I swore to myself that I would rest on weekends, holidays, holidays, and even after 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Yes, did you do it? I am happy to tell you that I have broken all these promises, which is actually a good thing.

When I didn't finish 8 tomatoes at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, I felt stressed and feel like a loser. Suddenly, I realized that my view of the work week was too partial. Why should I set these commitments to myself and limit my time to work? I do this because I am experiencing an incomplete work life, working too long, but for the wrong reasons.

I changed from a simple job to a job that made me feel fulfilled. And I set myself apart from my work, such as attending my daughter's recital, and a lot of people think it's working hours. It's easy for me to switch my state between being able to work and not being able to work.

The last one that bothered me was the change from five days to seven days a week, and I had to stop working at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and when I got used to it, I was able to do my job. In order to reach 40 tomatoes, I need 40-45 hours, 168 hour a week. Since I only need 16.7 hours of net worth, it means that I only have to work 10% of the time. What a great difference!

What the?! 16.7 hours a week, should I do anything?!

You might be thinking, "I've done too much work in those two days, and you're trying to tell me, is that all I need to do in a week?" 」

Yes! That's what I'm going to tell you. No, your "work" time may still exceed 16.7 hours per week. I work 35-40 hours a week, but 20-25 hours are spent on telephones, meetings, online and offline networks, and other tasks that don't require concentration. They are important, but I don't count them as working hours.

I have 16.7 hours of real work per week, but the work I have done in this time period is 5 times times the amount of work done in another 25 hours.

There is nothing to escape, life is always an accident, as long as human evolution, especially, if you live in modern society, 7/24 in a connected state, then create a perfect working environment, it seems unlikely. However, you can work smarter, not too hard.

Are you going to try it this way?

guiding ideology : today begins with the completion of 1 tomatoes. Focus on a task for 25 minutes. From 1 onwards, to the future.

Want to step in?

Ready to save 23.3 hours a week to get more work done?

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This guide explains my simple work methods in detail, including work forms, tools, and resources that you can print out to use.

Translation:"How to do 40 hours of work in 16.7 hours" | Laba Porridge Notes

1. The Tomato Working law (English: Pomodoro technique) is a time-management method, which was founded by Francesco Cirillo in the 80 's. The method uses a timer to divide up a typical 25-minute working time and a 5-minute break, while those time periods are called pomodori, the plural of the Italian word Pomodoro (Chinese: tomato). Https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%95%AA%E8%8C%84%E5%B7%A5%E4%BD%9C%E6%B3%95

How to do a 40-hour job with 16.7 hours