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How to speed through work like a demon
Posted by Amy Senyard
PANIC! Too much work, not enough time.
How will I ever get through this in the time I have?
Sometimes working late is a necessity, but I’m not sure it’s completely healthy.
Therefore, in order to achieve a proper work/life balance one must find a way to speed through work like a demon.
Understanding what a speed demon is.
Demon is originally a Greek term which means a wise, guardian spirit.
Demons have since evolved into bad things. But a speed demon is both wise and crafty, a mix between old and new demon.
As Michael Jackson says “aint nothing gonna stop me, aint no stop and go, I’m speeding at the midway, I gotta really burn this road” – I think he could be onto something there.
Aint no stop and go.
How true of speed demons, a job is at hand and must be done. This requires some effort, head down, goals in mind, and a finish line that is in sight. Once you start you can only stop once complete!
My advice – LISTS – Lists make the world go round.
Lists mean you remember to get the milk while at the shop and lists can give me a sense of achievement.
Every task I cross off my list gives me a strong drive to complete the next task in record time.
So in order to speed through work like a demon here are some easy steps.
- Plan ahead. Decide what really needs to be done in record time. No use in panicking over work that can be done later.
- Make a list and cross each task off like a champion.
- Ignore the world as much as possible while in speed of light mode.
- Make sure a prize is waiting at the end. Whether it’s cake, beer, or simply putting your feet up and finally breathing again. All work is done better when a reward is in sight.
I hope this has helped you in your quest to be a speed demon at work, and I hope with the extra time you create for yourself, you spare a moment to comment on this post, share it around on Twitter and Facebook and other fun stuff.
Tags: beer, efficiency at work, getting things done, lists, Michael Jackson, productivity, putting your feet up, speed demon, work/life balance
About the Author
Amy has been with Top Left Design since December 2007. She has a degree in Graphic Design from TUT in South Africa. Amy works on design, content entry and formatting, keeping our clients' sites up to date and generally making everyone happy! She now does this from South Africa, but still works hard for us and our clients.
Love this post!
I am woman of lists, so it strikes a chord with me.
I also like that you advocate cake as a reward system.
…now I just need to perfect the not-getting-distracted bit and I’ll be fine!
tx
Too much work and not enough time is an all too familiar story with a lot of people today. I lost count of the number of times I kept myself awake for days at uni with the aid of coffee due to the work load. I thought things would change when I began working for a web design company, however I still find myself working late to meet client deadlines.
The speed demon definitely sounds like a good idea with the head down, goals in mind and only stopping once it is complete. With the occasional toilet break of course.
Lists are by far the best way to work, if you can visually see what needs to be done you can tackle each task one by one and prioritise what needs to be done first. This also stops the tasks running round your head in panic adding more pressure.
So as long as you plan and organise first, deadlines should seem a lot more reachable with a great end result of treating yourself.