productive, successful and relaxed lifestyle
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The 3 x 8 Method
Let me guess, you wish you could find the way to get more things done during the workday but instead, you’re constantly running out of time desperately trying to finish your never-ending to-do list? Or maybe you’ve tried a thousand things to get inspired, motivated, and prepared to maximize creativity as soon as you wake up but nothing seems to work? Oh my gosh, you have no idea… how much I understand what you’re going through. I used to think that my days are too short to get things done and to be able to finish my work I had to sacrifice my sleep every single night. And I did it. I lived that way for years until I reached the point of burned out and I couldn’t deal with extreme tiredness anymore. I knew that I had to figure out a way to increase my productivity levels without sacrificing my sleep. And I did! After having tested out many approaches, methods, and strategies I’ve finally found the way to get things done, work on a side project, relax, recharge my batteries and get 8 hours of sleep a day. And you know what? Applying this method to your daily life is easier than you think! All you have to do is adopt a positive attitude, make our priorities straight and start using your time effectively and the 3 x 8 method will help you to achieve that! So without further ado, let’s get into it!
What Is The 3 x 8 Method?
Ok, but what is the 3 x 8 method about? So basically it’s all about splitting the day into three 8 hours parts. Where 1st part is dedicated to working, 2nd part is dedicated to quality “me time” and the 3rd part is all about getting quality rest. Honestly, it could not be easier! But if you are like me you prefer simple solutions. Because let’s face it, the simplest solution is almost always the best. Besides life is complicated enough to make it even harder. Anyways, let’s focus on increasing your productivity levels without sacrificing your free time or sleeping hours! It’s time to become master of your own time and regain control over your days!
Why The 3 x 8 Method Is So Effective?
The 3 x 8 Method is an effective scheduling and time management technique for a couple of reasons. First of all, this simple method helps you to prioritize between “urgent” and “important” tasks while eliminating distractions and time-wasters. Second, it helps you to create a healthy work-life balance. Third, it increases your assertiveness and self-efficacy. And finally, it helps you create and sustain a positive mindset so you attain the success you desire.
The most incredible benefits of 3 x 8 method I’ve noticed so far:
💠 Helps you to master your time and get things done faster, better and more easily
💠 Brings more focus to your day
💠 Helps you to make motivation flow effortlessly every single morning (Learn more about how to become a highly motivated person here)
💠 Helps you to make yourself your No 1 priority
💠 Eliminates distractions and time-wasters (great post on how to overcome distractions here)
💠 Helps you to plan, schedule and organize your day for maximum productivity (Learn how to overcome procrastination here)
💠 Helps you to create and maintain work-life balance
💠 Increases your life satisfaction
💠 Helps you to concentrate on your side projects
💠 Helps you to accomplish more in less time in a relaxed manner (Get into the habit of being seriously organized here)
💠 Improves your wellbeing and overall health (Discover how to live a healthier lifestyle here)
💠 Helps you to get quality rest (Discover The Ultimate Night Routine here)
Split Your Day Into 3 Equal Parts
Plan your day according to 3 x 8h rule and you will never think again about sacrificing your precious “Me Time” or sleep to get more things done during your workday! Trust me, you don’t need more time to be able to finish your to-do list. What you need instead is to start planning, scheduling and organizing your days for maximum success. This means that your daily to-do list has to include “me time” activities, self-care practices, side projects, and some serious relaxation techniques in order to improve your wellbeing and increase your life satisfaction. Because the only way to achieve maximum productivity is to take care of yourself. Relaxation and quality rest is the key to success. Being focus on achieving your professional goals is extremely important but you should not do it at the cost of your personal life. If you want to be a healthy, happy and highly motivated person you need to take good care of yourself. Because if you feel good about yourself the chances that you’re going to perform better in the office or in school are extremely high. So don’t make your work your #1 priority in life and the only reason to get out of bed in the morning. Besides life is to short to dedicate every single minute to work. You need to make time to enjoy these simple pleasures that make life so beautiful and precious. So go ahead, use the 3 x 8 rule and relax your way to a more productive workday! Split your day into three 8 hours parts in order to create a perfect work-life balance and feel again more like a human BEING than a human DOING.
I Part - productive work
II Part - “me time” on purpose
III Part - night routine & quality rest
The 3 x 8 Rule In Practice:
- Plan Your Days According to the 3 x 8h rule (8h of work, 8h of productive “me time”, 8h of quality rest. A 3 x 8h rule is a great way to achieve work-life balance.
- Set 3 Daily Priorities (You can use the 20/80 Pareto Principle to set your priorities, eliminate your distractions and focus on personal and professional growth. 24 hours a day can be enough to get the most important things done if you eliminate distractions and time-wasters (in every area of your life).
- Create a Powerful, Productive, and Exciting Daily To-Do List
- Set 3 MITS - the most important tasks (get them knocked out in the early morning, as soon as you can when your mind is fresh)
- Set SMART Goals & Deadlines
- Break down your big goals or larger tasks into more realistically achievable and manageable steps and then set deadlines for any of them
- Design an Action Plan for Your Goals (a goal without a plan is just a WISH!)
- Use the Pareto Principle to track your success and optimize what really matters in your life (According to the Pareto Principle, 20% of your work produces 80% of the result. This means that if you manage to identify that 20% correctly you will spend more time doing the right things that will produce the greatest outcome.)
- Create space in your schedule for unexpected opportunities that will emerge at some point
- Schedule Time To Relax, Hobbies, and Other Fun Activities - Remember that relaxation and quality rest is the key to success.
I PART - Boost Your Productivity: WORK
I Part of the day - productive WORK
So you want to be productive, seriously organized and incredibly motivated during your workday. Nothing simpler! I’m serious. All you have to do is to adopt the right strategy, the one that will enable you to work in a productive and relaxed manner. In other words, you need to plan your work for maximum results. So take a pen and piece of paper or create a new Google Drive document and plan on HOW and WHEN you’re going to achieve your professional goals on a given day. Then prioritize your tasks, schedule everything that needs to be done and track your progress. Plan for maximum productivity BUT don’t overschedule. Be rational and always negotiate with yourself. Do not be your own tyrant. Design your ideal workday according to the 3 x 8 rule and set yourself up for a successful and productive day.
- Plan and Prioritize your WORK - Make an effective plan (make a powerful to-do list) and prioritize your tasks in order to improve your work performance
- Schedule and Calendar your TASKS - Schedule everything that has to be done so that you will not forget about anything that’s important
- Track your Progress towards PROFESSIONAL GOALS - tracking your progress will help you to identify your strengths and more problematic areas that you could work on
Best Productivity Apps For 2020
- Trello - project management app here
- Any.do - get seriously organized here
- Todoist - task management software here
- FocusList iOS / Android - productivity app that helps you get more DEEP work done
- Y Productive here
- TickTick: ToDo List Planner, Reminder & Calendar (Android / iOS)
- Hours - Time Tracking App Online here
- Toggl - Free Time Tracking Software here
- RescueTime: Fully Automated Time Tracking Software here
- Google Drive (My Absolutely Favourite!)
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Download Your FREE Printable Workseets & Set Yourself Up for Successful 2020!
II Part - Quality "Me Time": SELF-RELATIONSHIP
II Part of the day - quality “ME TIME”
Time alone is one thing that most of us wish we had more of but the truth is we don’t even realize how much time between work, school, and other obligations we waste doing nothing. Just think about all of these hours you spend travelling, commuting to work, waiting in line to get something done, doing the grocery shopping, eating a lunch, scrolling through social media, getting ready in the morning, watching tv in the evening or doing any other thing that does not require your full concentration. Because let’s face it if you commute by train or waiting in the queue you can use this time to do something meaningful, purposeful and just useful. The time we spend on doing something completely insignificant is the time we waste and we can’t get it back again. It is, therefore, better to spend your time alone on purpose. You can use your time alone doing something purposeful that fuels your personal and professional growth. Most people I know use their spare time on a side hustle. It’s a great opportunity to make the most of your free time and… earn some extra money! Of course, I’m not encouraging you to spend 8 hours of your daily “me time” on another job because that would be insane. What I mean is that you could spend about a 1 or 2 after work on some creative side project.
However, there are many different things you could do during the II part of your day. The rule is simple: make every minute of your “me time” count. Dedicate these precious moments on something that feeds your soul and makes you feel alive. Engage in activities that inspire you, motivate you and make you feel good about yourself. Because life is too short to not enjoy simple pleasures. Besides, if you feel good about yourself the chances that you’re going to perform better in the office or in school are extremely high. That’s what I call a “win-win” situation!
And if you need some inspiration here are my ways to enhance my alone time:
- Practice Self-Reflection
- Conduct the Self-Evaluation
- Engage in Self-Education
- Work on Your Side Project
- Gain Inspiration from external sources (listen to a podcast, watch TED talks, read an inspirational content, talk with your friend)
- Engage in an activity that inspires you, motivates you and makes you feel good about yourself
- Feed your passion
- Cultivate Il Dolce Far Niente aka “The Sweetness of Doing Nothing” - Cultivating “Il dolce far niente” means relaxing on purpose, enjoy yourself and indulge in real pleasure. It’s about you and all these small things in life that make you incredibly happy, fulfilled and excited.
- Practice Positive-Thinking
- Cultivate Self-Care
- De-stress and Unwind
- Ground Yourself using Mindfulness techniques
Find Your External Source Of Inspiration:
Best Apps To De-Stress & Relax
- SuperBetter (Android / iOS)
- Shine - Motivational texts (Android / iOS)
- Pocket Yoga (Android / iOS)
- Calm Meditation and Sleep Stories (Android; iOS)
- Happify: for Stress & Worry (iOS and Android)
- Happier (iOS)
- Headspace (Android; iOS)
- Breathe2Relax (Android; iOS)
- Anxiety Reliever (Android; iOS)
- Self-help for Anxiety Management (iOS)
- Sanvello (Android; iOS)
- SAM App (Android; iOS)
- What’s Up? - A Mental Health App (iOS and Android)
- Self-help for Anxiety Management (iOS and Android)
- Smiling Mind Meditation for all ages (iOS and Android)
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III Part - Recharge Your Batteries: SLEEP
III Part of the day - quality REST
There is no doubt that quality rest plays an essential role in our overall health and wellbeing. We all know it but for some reason, we constantly reduce our sleep hours to accomplish more during the day. But the truth is that sacrificing your sleep is extremely counterproductive because it affects negatively your ability to critical and logical thinking, makes your extremely anxious, stressed, unmotivated, apathetic and uncreative. In contrast, getting quality rest improves memory, boosts creativity, increases productivity, facilitates the decision-making process and protects your mental health. Furthermore, getting quality sleep on a regular basis is crucial for brain functioning, emotional wellbeing, proper digestion, strong immune system or even personal safety. Just think about it, how many times you sacrificed your sleep to accomplish more during the day? And how this sleep deprivation affected your mental and physical performance? I would bet not very well… It’s time to get the greatest benefits from quality rest!
Still not convinced that your mind, body, and spirit need approximately 8 hours of sleep every single day?
Dangers Of Lack Of Sleep
Consistent lack of sleep or reduced quality of sleep can cause various health issues or even serious diseases such as:
- Weak Immune System
- Poor Cognitive Performance
- Memory Issues or even Memory Loss
- Concentration Problems
- Migraine Headaches
- Digestive Issues
- Slow Metabolism that can lead to weight gain
- Insulin Resistance that can cause Diabetes
- Mood Swings
- Depressed Mood
- High Blood Pressure that can lead to Heart Diseases or Stroke
- Higher Levels of Anxiety
- Vision Problems
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Poor Physical Performance
- Balance and Coordination Issues
- Low Sex Drive
- Chronic Pain
- Insomnia
Benefits of a Good Night’s Sleep
Quality rest heals mind, body, and spirit.
- Strengthens Immune System
- Raises Productivity Levels
- Improves Mental Performance
- Improves Memory
- Balances Hormones
- Improves Digestion
- Maximizes Athletic Performance
- Lowers Blood Glucose Levels
- Reduces the risk of diseases
- Reduces stress levels
- Helps the body repair itself and recovers
- Reduces inflammation
- Heightens alertness
- Increases creative thinking
- Increased libido
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Best Posts About Achieving Goals:
- Perfect Morning Routine to Reduce Stress & Anxiety HERE
- The Ultimate Guide For Setting & Reaching Your Goals HERE
- 6 Self-Improvement Habits To Adopt in 2020 HERE
- Get into the Habit of Being Seriously Organized in 2020. HERE
- 8 Simple Steps to Set Yourself Up for a Successful 2020 HERE
- Powerful and smart ways to manage your time efficiently and effectively HERE
- 5 steps to success in achieving your goals HERE
- The ultimate way to overcome procrastination and become a highly productive person HERE
- The science of motivation HERE
- 10 powerful habits to boost your confidence HERE
- Everything Starts In Your Head – 12 Healthy Rules For a Strong Mental Health HERE
Stay positive
Be Mindful
and Set Yourself up for a Successful Week with The 3 x 8 method!
xo Kate
