Following three simple rules, I’ve increased my productivity, I’ve found greater fulfillment in my work, and I’ve experienced a radical shift in work life balance.
In the often zero sum negotiation between work and life, I’ve increased both quantity and quality of work while simultaneously having more hours in the day to golf, relax, cook, you name it. In this short article, I’ll outline those rules and explain why they work so well.
Rule One: 50 & 15
My first rule is a slight modification on the Pomodoro Technique. The idea is to spend 50 minutes on work before taking a 15 minute break, a pattern I first discovered here.
This time management strategy is incredibly effective when working remote because the breaks are more meaningful. Often times, I’ll take care of tasks around the house like doing the dishes or folding my laundry. And when there’s nothing on my to-do list, I’ll watch some TV or cook myself some food.
The point is, breaks at home give us more flexibility than breaks at the office. We can customize our breaks so as to maximize relaxation, productivity, and fulfillment.
Rule Two: One Goal
The second rule of this system is to only have one goal per 50 minute work period. The more specific the better.
Even juggling two task at time can lead to a 20% reduction in efficiency. Multiply this by our availalbe work time slots over an 8 hour period and it’s the equivalent of losing an hour and 15 minutes worth of productivity. Yikes! The problem becomes exponential when considering the average worker is juggling five tasks at a time.
Aside from the increased efficiency, it’s also worth noting that focus reduces stress. From a development perspective – though it’s worth noting this methodology can be applied to nearly any industry – some tasks are incredibly daunting. Break it down into small tasks however, and the problem appears simpler.
Rule Three: Group Communication
The last rule to truly nail this methodology is to group your coworker and customer communication.
Most of rely on the talent and skill of our coworkers to deliver great products and solve challenging problems. Collaboration is an absolute necessity.
And yet, collaboration during one of these time periods can lead to a 20% drop in efficiency. So how do we find balance between these two competing ideas?
For my part, I’ve found balance by checking my communications channels at the beginning and end of each 50 minute period.
At the start of each work interval, I’ll take a look at my email and Microsoft Teams. If someone is waiting on my response, or if I need to reach out to a coworker, I’ll take care of it then. If a couple minutes go by where I don’t receive a response, I close my email and minimize my Teams chat, ignoring both until the last 2 or 3 minutes of the time slot.
This ensures that the max amount of time someone will have to wait to chat with me is around 45 minutes and often times, it’s much less.
Closing
Believe me when I say this is a game changer. You’ll not only accomplish more in the day but you’ll also feel less stress and find greater fulfillment in life. Give it a try and let me know what you think!