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How To Get Stuff Done When You Don’t Have Time: What it really means to ‘work smarter not harder during lockdown
As a working parent, I am forever in search of the holy grail: a healthy work-life balance.
My life is a frantic blur of continual lateness, tearing around like a lunatic trying to get everything done while not forgetting something critical to our existence.
I usually settle for survival. If I can get through the day without making a total fool of myself, I consider it a success.
I spend hours trying to fathom how I can fit more in and make time go further. I know I don’t sleep enough, and I certainly don’t exercise as much as I would like. My wobbly bits make that enormously clear.
It doesn’t help that the world is awash with well-meaning productivity advice. It seems everywhere I turn self-proclaimed gurus are ramming it down my throat.
Apparently, my lack of balance is a choice.
Seriously.
The volume is even worse than ever at the moment. It’s everywhere.
People all over the show are rhapsodising about walking their dog in their socially distanced lunch hour. Others love the much shorter commute that takes them as far as the spare bedroom. Some are even preparing, from scratch, a wholesome meal three times a day using tofu, chia seeds and seaweed.
One thing’s for sure. These folks aren’t in lockdown with kids.
The Lockdown Juggler
The juggling is even more complicated at the moment. Not only do you have to do your job, keep the house running, ensure you don’t go bankrupt, look after vulnerable friends and relatives, we now have to home school too.
I’m certainly feeling the pressure, and I’m a qualified teacher.
Of course, we are fortunate. While we’re safely ensconced in our homes, others are battling it out on the front lines doing a fantastic job still running the show.
But this whole thing isn’t easy. Let’s face it. It’s a battle.
People pay lip service to working parents. Many companies claim to have family-friendly working policies that allow you to have it all. Well that’s all fine and dandy until there’s a crisis, or someone goes off sick, or there is a demand from on high for a report to the board this afternoon. Then it all goes out the window.
Reality Bites
One of the few good things to come out of this whole sorry lockdown mess is that the way we work will never be the same again.
The realities of working from home will are being exposed in all their crude glory. People who’ve never tried it before might finally understand it’s not the loaf they thought it was.
- Yes, you do feel guilty if you’re not chained to your machine for 14 hours a day.
- Yes, you probably will work longer hours.
- Indeed, it is lonely.
- Correct, there is no one to vouch for you when you dash to loo. In this situation, people always assume you are watching your favourite show on Netflix, baking a cake or generally just taking the mick.
- Your kids will disturb you no matter what you say/threaten. And yes, others will see them when you’re on a Zoom call. You cannot put them in a box and switch them off no matter what other people might think.
Those without kids might get a bit more insight and understanding into the juggle that goes on behind the scenes.
Fighting the Good Fight
Now, don’t get me wrong I’m not peddling some ‘woe is me’ tale. I made a life choice to have kids knowing I had a big job. They are the best thing I’ve achieved in my life. Period. I don’t resent them or the impact they’ve had on my career. (More on that topic another time, people really don’t like to talk about that.)
But the truth is it’s hard. Much harder than people like to admit. And it’s particularly difficult at the moment. It’s not pretty or glamourous.
My life bears no resemblance to those families featured on the cereal ads.
What I’m really saying is, it’s OK, not to be OK. It’s fine if you feel a bit overwhelmed at the moment. It’s understandable to feel like you’re going under.
There are plenty of us paddling the same canoe.
We’re not doing anything wrong. We haven’t missed the memo or a crucial piece of advice.
Like all things, lockdown will pass. At the moment all we can do is continue to fight the good fight.
The Advice
One of the most overused pieces of advice often peddled to people in our situation is that we ‘need to work smarter, not harder’.
“OK. Great, we’re in. Do tell.”
<<Silence. A slight gust of wind. Tumbleweed rolls past.>>
There’s the rub. This is doled out frequently, but no one hangs around to tell you what it means or, more importantly, how to do it.
So, here it is. I’m going to do my best to take one for the team.
Here’s what I’ve learned about how to work smarter, not harder.
And because I know you’re a busy person I’ll keep it brief.
What does ‘work smarter, not harder’ really mean?
It means being more efficient. In other words, you achieve more, even though you’re doing less.
How the hell do I do that?
Here are five things that you can try
Be ruthless
Small tasks that you can complete quickly are rarely critical. They stroke your ego and give you a boost that makes you feel like you have achieved something. This is procrastination in a fur coat.
These small menial jobs hog your time and stop you focussing on the stuff that matters. Stop doing them and do the most important thing first. This will usually mean facing up to the job that you are dreading.
Do less, but better
Cut your goals and the items on your to-do list (see above) and then work on fewer jobs and the skills you need to execute them effectively. To be more efficient, you need to be more proficient. This is why people pay for experience.
Take a bit of time (granted it might be a snatched 15 minutes here and there) but polish your critical skills so that you can become better. This might not sound like a priority right now, but the law of compound growth says that you can make a significant difference by doing little, often. Even small increments of improvement will have an impact.
Plan your lockdown day and work in blocks
This works because you can share responsibilities and get more done. You’ll be surprised to find meaning and fulfilment in periods of otherwise unstructured time. Keeping busy is an excellent strategy to manage anxiety.
There’s a lot of on-line chatter at the moment about just letting kids be and not trying to recreate a timetable like a school. I’ve found that having a simple plan for the day helps the kids and parents because you can plan in what you all want to do and keep everyone happy.
Plan your work blocks by theme. This is a more sophisticated version of batching similar tasks. When you focus on one topic outcomes are improved because you don’t waste time flitting from one thing to the next. It’s efficient and the time needed for recall and review is cut down to the bare minimum. You are in flow.
Take 10 minutes to reflect at the end of the day
Too much time at university has scarred me when it comes to reflection and evaluation, but I’ve got to admit that when you find your way of doing it, the impact is enormous.
A 2014 study by the Harvard Business School, looked at the role of ‘thinking’, and precisely reflection, on individual learning. They compared this to the learning that takes place through ‘doing’. Researchers found that their results:
“reveal reflection to be a powerful mechanism behind learning, confirming the words of American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer John Dewey: ‘We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.'”
(Source: Harvard Business School)
Seriously, try it. Since the start of lockdown I spend 10 minutes at the end of every day doing this. I’m amazed by the impact it’s had.
Sharpen the Saw – take a break
Yes, I know. Everyone tells you to do this, but when you’re busy, it’s incredibly hard to do. Taking time away so that you can get more done seems illogical. It’s stressful. You feel guilty, and you think of all the other, more productive things that you could be doing instead.
Taking a break is essential because it works. It recharges your battery. You will sit back down to tasks with fresh eyes and renewed energy. You will do better work faster.
“We must never become too busy sawing to take time to sharpen the saw.” – Stephen Covey
During lockdown, it’s particularly tricky. Try to combine it with something else that needs doing that you find relaxing. For example, when homeschooling the kids, create an activity based on something that you enjoy. This afternoon I’m taking the kids on a short walk to look for things so they can use to make a nature collage.
No one has all the answers, particularly during a lockdown, but as Aristotle said
“We are what we repeatedly do.”
You’re doing a fantastic job. Don’t forget it.
