Improve Your Productivity, Improve Your Life

Meet Mark

Mark, a late-twenties, project manager, found that mounting work stress was taking a toll on his physical and mental health. “I was at a low point in my life,” Mark explains.  He decided that he needed to tweak things at work to give him more time to work on big projects, and to take control of his schedule.  Mark made a few changes and he has been pleasantly surprised with the improvement he’s seen in his work, home and personal lives: he now has more time for hobbies, has a great new relationship and is working on exciting projects at work. How did he do it? Mark puts the changes down to taking small steps toward an increase in time and energy.

Time Blocking

The first step Mark took was to tackle work problems that were mentally and physically taxing.  Mark set up systems, which now allow him steady, uninterrupted, work time. For example, instead of constantly checking e-mail and responding right away, Mark now only checks e-mail three times a day. “If something’s important, someone will call me. If not, I’ll e-mail them back when it’s convenient for me. The increased time freed me up to think more deeply about projects, and to work more effectively. “

As things at work improved, Mark’s health problems reduced and he began to spend less time at work and less time recovering from work after he left the office.

Personal Life

With increased spare time and energy, Mark began looking at his personal life. He was living an expensive lifestyle and felt like he was working hard with little to show for it. Mark set up a budget, and Mark began cutting out expensive habits like eating out for lunch on workdays. He also moved out of his costly downtown apartment in order to save a bit more on rent, and to get rid of roommates!

Romance In the Air

With more time, energy and money, Mark saw another gap to fill in his personal life: this time in his love life, “I was able to focus more on what I wanted. I found someone great.” When prodded, modest Mark explains that he met his girlfriend at a New Year’s Eve party. “Before I fixed my work problems, I probably wouldn’t even have gone to that party because I was so stressed out and tired.” Instead, the New Year brought more than a bit of champagne at midnight. Mark is now thinking about getting married.

Time For Hobbies

Mark also fills his newfound time pursing his hobbies. Cooking Lebanese food and experimenting with gluten free recipes fill many an evening, but Mark still finds time to strum on the guitar.

Career

Playing the guitar and cooking are a far cry from obsessing over job stress, but Mark remains excited about work. He looks forward to working on projects that will see his company work together with international firms to take video game development further and to embrace important changes in the industry.

Keep it on schedule

Reflecting on his schedule for an hour or so a week forces Mark to step back and to look at his life objectively. “I stay on track, and I also am able to dedicate a full hour a week to look at my life. It’s never a waste of time.”  Who knew that a bit of time- shifting  at work could create huge changes outside of work?  Try it and see results in your own life.