Get More Done (Without Frying Yourself To A Crisp). Time & Productivity Series For Solopreneurs:

Have you ever noticed how much more you get done when you're already busy?

You might find yourself with a surprise open-ended day, expecting to check off most of your looming to-do items, and by the end of the day you're thinking,

“Huh. I did one phone call, folded my laundry, returned a couple of emails, and… I can't really remember what else I did.”

But when you've got a full day, with almost every moment scheduled out for a meeting or a deadline… suddenly you manage to conquer your to-do list in record time.

You're frazzled and burnt crispy around the edges (metaphorically speaking) by the end of the day, but dadgummit, you got a ton of work done.

So in this series on time & productivity, am I going to tell you that the best way to get a lot done is to make sure you're completely busy and fried all the time?

Nope. (Though I know many people attempting it. It only works in the short run).

I've got a shortcut, and it's based on Parkinson's Law.

Parkinson's Law is the principle that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."

This is why we get so much more done when we have so little time.

Psychologically, we love to streeettttch out tasks without realizing it.

The shortcut?

Buy yourself a good egg timer.

(You can use the one on your phone, but an egg timer is more fun).

At the very least, note the current time on the clock, and challenge yourself to do your current task in a set amount of time.

Now it's a game. Can you beat the bell?

You'll crunch each task down to the allotted time, instead of

switching your attention (we know that's a no-no) and losing steam.

You can even give yourself a little prize, or self-high-five, when you finish before the timer goes off.

Let me know how it goes. I'll even pre-high-five you.