spending too much time on trivial things

[Darika]

Hey guys,
I have been finding myself spending too much time on trivial things instead of important ones, and it irritates me. for example today, I've spent several hours struggling with my computer to download ISO viewer for a language program I'm going to use to study French! still I couldn't do it right because it required installing tons of other things and my computer froze in the middle of it...

I guess the best way to go is to just buy a new laptop, but I've no money for that now!

I generally struggle a lot with technology, although I'm not stupid or anything...

I also spend a lot of time on cooking/cleaning/running errands...and sometimes I'm too tired to do anything worthwhile once I'm done with those! Things need no be taken care of, but is there a way to spend as little time on that as possible? Has anyone had the same issue?

Thank you!

[scotthegeek]

Its your life. That up to you. If studding French is important then install iso thing is not a waste of time. We all have tech problems.

I feel cooking and cleaning is a base thing that need to be done before other things if you don't have money and can't delegate it. I know my overall life would be better if I stayed on top of things such as cooking and cleaning. I know that dose not sound glamorous but its true.

Scott

[StuartPE]

You've gotta focus.

There are so many things that will steal your attention. Get angry at them. Don't let them waste your precious time. Find another way to learn French and stop letting outside influences control your life.

Prioritise and focus on what is important!

[Clint Cora]

This is something that we still learn at business workshops. That is, spending time on the important things rather than the trivial things as you say. In business, time spent on trivial things will end up costing use since they not only produce income, but will waste time that could have been spent on productive activities.

We have to track our activities and monitor how we spend out time. Also, it is suggested that we schedule in the important things first each day. We can do whatever we want once these are done.

One way to look at things is if you had only an hour to work on your most important tasks each day, what would they be? Then schedule these first.

[ScottCofer]

Well said, Clint. Though I've tried lots of software and systems for time management in the past, I always end up getting the best results from the simplest of them all (no big shock there). Each night, I simply write down the 5 most important tasks for the following day ... then attack #1 first thing in the morning and move through the list before I do any other non-critical tasks.

It takes disciline, but bottom line ... it works.

[RobbiePringle]

I like Michael Neill's advice about following inspiration, because we're far more productive when we enter the "flow", doing what we really want to be doing and forgoing the "shoulds".

In his own words:

Those of you who are familiar with me and my work will no doubt be aware that my decision making criteria in life by and large consists of asking myself “do I want to?” If the answer is yes, I do; if the answer is no, I tend not to. The problem, of course, comes when the answer is not a clean “yes” or “no”, but more of a “maybe/kind of/sort of”.

I mean, the world's what you think it is, right? You're cooking and cleaning and running errands, and whatever else, mostly because you think these things are far more important than the good stuff, is that right? But what if you're doing these things because the answer is "yes", you want to? I mean what's wrong with washing the dishes?

Maybe the problem is not what we're doing, but what we're thinking when we're doing them/it.

I just think we're fighting our nature, doing what we think we should be doing instead of what we really feel like doing.

I also think if we do what we feel like doing first and foremost, we'll come to the "shoulds" in a much better fettle, and won't grudge them so much; they'll be less of a bind, less of hassle.

[Darika]

Thanks for great advice, Everyone!

I guess there are thinks that are important and they are also necessary, but there are some necessary things that are not that important, but still necessary.

I guess my problem is with time management, and I need to learn to manage my time more effectively. Sometimes I would get stuck in a morning routine, when things would just come up or if I spend too much time on internet...

I've tried to get angry at spending too much time at "trivial" things, it actaully works. and, today I'm trying the 5 important things idea.

so, thank you so much, guys!