4 Habits That Help You to Get More Done in Less Time

It’s all about optimizing your time so you get the most out of every hour you work

The reason I’m always looking for ways to get more done in less time is that there are many other things in life I enjoy.

Look, I’m not the most socially active person. It’s not like I travel all the time or go out every day. I like to have an empty calendar some days.

I’ll exercise, go to the sauna, read a book, watch a movie, or spend time on my hobby or side project. To get more done in less time doesn’t necessarily mean you have to work harder or wake up earlier.

It’s all about optimizing your time so you get the most out of every hour you work. It’s about working smarter and being more effective. Here are 4 habits that will help you to achieve that.

1. Begin at night

Some days, you wake up without clarity. You feel like you’re one step behind on the day. It’s like the day owns you, and not the other way around.

And then, you’re constantly thinking: What should I do now? Those types of small decisions take time and energy. It’s easier to be productive when you’ve pre-planned your tasks the previous night. You’ll wake up with clarity. And you know exactly what you want to get out of your day.

So try making a list of your top 3–4 tasks for the following day. I’ve been sharing this advice since 2015, and if you’re a regular reader, you might think I’m being repetitive (I am). But the truth is that this works.

While it’s simple advice, it’s hard to apply because life gets in the way. We are often tired at the end of the day. The last thing we want to do is to plan the next day.

But it’s all worth it.

2. Avoid clutter

Clutter creates distractions. And personally, I just can’t work when there’s too much crap around my workplace. But I don’t need my office to be completely empty or anything like that.

A neat workspace is enough. When I’m at my desk, I don’t want to see clutter in my view. To me, this is a habit that you can form by doing the following: