We all know the feeling of being overwhelmed with work. You get a head start by showing up at the office early, feel like you're constantly rushing from one thing to another, end up leaving the office long past when you should have, and still feel like your never-ending to-do list is looming in front of you. Plus, you feel exhausted and frazzled to boot.
Who would have guessed that the secret to overcoming this overwhelm—to actually doing better work and feeling energized and accomplished while doing it—is by planning to do less every day?
Leo Babauta of Zen Habits suggests that we all need to be better about curating our tasks for the day, understanding what's actually important enough to deserve our careful attention, and what can wait (or be cut out altogether). By doing this, you not only create the space to give each task the focus it deserves, but you allow yourself time to "savor" each task—to take a moment before moving on to the next thing to give yourself a little congratulations for what you accomplished.
So, take a look at your to-do list for the day and see if you can cut just one thing. I dare you.