Time Management and To-Do Lists are less effective at coping with work overload

I have to draw this article by Linda Stone in The Huffington Post to your notice, because it gives one of the best explanations I have come across on how to be become truly more productive in times when you simply have too much to do (”Is it Time to Retire the Never-Ending List?“). In a nutshell, she recommends.

In defining attention she quotes the psychologist, William James, writing in 1890. I have added italics to the most important part — at least as I see it: attention is “taking possession by the mind in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought. . .It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others.”

That’s the key. You have to let some things go, permanently if necessary. Never mind all the fancy lists and GTD frameworks. If you have too much to do, do less — but make sure what you do is what counts for most. It’s that simple.

Linda Stone found, for example, that surgeons, artists and CEOs tended to be best at coping with huge workloads. How did they do it?

What did surgeons, artists, and CEO’s have in common? Most of them reported that they managed both their time and their attention. In surgery, in the studio, and in the time carved out to think through strategies and issues, these professionals reported shutting down the devices and endless inputs (email, phone, interruptions), at scheduled times, and claiming those moments to focus. In almost every case, these professionals reported experiencing “flow” (a la Csikszentmihalyi) in their work.

She adds a list of things to do to move from managing time to managing attention. Read it. It’s worth doing.

Here’s my favorite from the list: “Give yourself meaningful blocks of uninterrupted time to focus on each intention. Turn OFF technology each day during those blocks and focus on your intentions.”

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