How to work effectively and not go MAD.
byKarolina Czapla
Aug 22, 2022
Whether you’re a freelancer, entrepreneurial marketer, large company head, or just starting your business, it doesn’t matter — your day is only 24 hours long. Calculate time for sleeping, eating, and time spent with your loved ones. How much do you have left? Well, that’s not much!
And then there’s the effect of technological development we can see today, information incoming from everywhere! Every day we absorb 34 gigabytes of data!
If you are a marketer like me, you probably have dozens of tabs open in front of you, each with important information, Google Docs. Somewhere in the background, your project management software is running, and a stream of messages from Slack is bombarding you. It’s only Monday, and you already have a tab headache, for which no coffee can help.
We have another problem: we want everything at once and think we are indestructible. Like we have the superpower of limitless brain capacity, with multitasking included.
Unfortunately, as David Allen said, multitasking doesn’t exist, and our brain “is a thinking tool, not a storage device.” Indeed, now you are terrified; how are you supposed to grasp it all? Work harder? I have an answer for you, repeatedly told at our Department Of Web company — work smarter.
Learn some of the ways I use when working on various projects simultaneously and even use them in my personal life.
Save, group, forget!
Gore content ahead, beware! One of the cruelest tortures in ancient China was the deprivation of the condemned man’s eyelids. The eyes, which constantly remained open, received stimuli from the outside world that exceeded the adaptive capacity of the human brain. As a result, the convict became ill and died. It happened a few thousand years ago. But tell me, after working on a computer for hours, don’t you feel that you’re not quite grasping what’s happening to your body and feel like you’re on a high?
Every sentence opens up thought processes and a loop, no matter how big or small. Every process needs to be closed because our brain is programmed to see it through to the end. It also constantly reminds you of the open loop, forcing you to act. Your brain turns into stalker mode and won’t finish grinding information until you finish the task.
Jotting for rescue!
Turning off the stalker mode is throwing unnecessary processes/information out of your head, unnecessary processes/information. You can simply write it all down in handy notes.
There are many methods of note-taking! While researching, I found thousands of ways to “make good notes.” You can have your bullet journal, memo cards, or calendar or use digital solutions.
I rarely take my eyes off the screen, so I mostly use mobile or browser apps. Depending on the type of screen I’m currently working on. Happily, most of them are available on any device.
Digital notes have another significant advantage; they can be grouped and quickly searched through. You don’t have to wade through a stack of cards. You type in a command, find the folder, and there it is — the note you’ve been searching for politely waiting.
Tips for you!
- plan what your notes will be about
- create folders corresponding to the main topic: the name of the project, or simply “inspirations,” “home affairs,” etc.
- make sure to assign notes to folders, preferably do it right away
- designate a moment during the week to clean up
While planning and organization don’t sound sexy, they will save you time and nerves for real pleasures.
Creating checklists — reward your brain!
You’re probably thinking — another thing requiring action and time from me, where’s this promised simplification of my work?! Quick access to a to-do list is essential — it saves a lot of time each day and allows you to stay focused.
Remember the loop our brain gets into? It’s like a hamster in a reel with Usain Bolt’s ambitions. Somewhere must be a finish line and an award, and only you can find it.
Our brain has a punishment and reward center. Success after completing a task activates the reward areas, making us feel greater satisfaction and bliss. Moreover, the mere feeling of ticking off a list of tasks quickly gives us a sense of accomplishment.
Another reward will simply be the absence of punishment. Nothing stresses me more than an impending deadline and an incurred debt in the shuffle. Do you have the same? Checklists help to develop a habit of self-discipline. It also reduces the risk of losing important information or simply forgetting. With a list created, you can systematize your activities, move on to the next steps and minimize stress. In evolution, our brain stood in total mobilization when encountering a threat like a predator. Today, that predator is stimuli and dreaded deadlines.
Tips for you!
- divide your checklists into specific categories: long-term goals, fastballs, shopping lists
- remove unchecked items
- if you’re planning out a project, set due dates for tasks
- mark the end of checklists
- review and check items regularly
- make it your ritual
In the abyss of links and snippets of content!
This section will be most helpful for digital professionals, but anyone can benefit from it.
One of the most aggravating things about working with content (journalists and writers, I’m talking to you too) is research! I love my job, but browsing hundreds of pages for information and inspiration is tedious and time-consuming. We rarely sit down straight afterward to write a text. Idea needs time to rest, and so do you.
Digital note-taking apps that store various types of content and folders come in handy. I used to use one of the note-taking apps in my browser, and although it was convenient, pasting links and quotes into it was a chore. One big wall of text to decipher harder than Enigma, with no way to add photos or graphics.
You tell me, hey Karolina, why should I use another tool when I can go into the browser history or save a bookmark to the bar? In our game for this article, you earn extra points for saving time. Do you want to waste it browsing the history and bookmark bar, where you cannot efficiently manage them?
No kidding! Check out my method.
Tips for you!
- create a folder with the name of the project
- add links to sites you use in creating content
- add specific quotes in the form of text, screenshots, or photo
- write some keywords or observations about the content from the link as soon as you add it
Managing and streamlining work efficiency at the Department of Web is very important.
Our main goal is to maintain a work-life balance, approach projects calmly but responsibly, and maximize enjoyment at work.
In the IT industry, this is very important because our body is constantly subjected to many stimuli, requiring tremendous focus and a passive position.
In our team, we use technology to improve processes, those between members as well as in individual work. We started working on a notebook in a browser that would meet the needs of both devs and the marketing department.
We gathered everything we thought would pump up our efficiency and what was missing from other tools. That’s how we came up with the idea for MadNotes, a browser note-taking app with rich privacy and text formatting features. We added everything in there that is missing in other products on the market. Wait for the release of our app and become a beta tester. Click here.
Take care of yourself and your brain! Work smarter, not harder, and take a deep, deep breath!
Karolina Czapla
A Marketer who is slowly making herself at home in the world of WordPress and technology. She is adept at digital strategy, consumer research, and communicating with clients about technology brands. Her posts cover all the digital challenges facing users, as well as UX writing, benefit and value language, and social media communication tips.
Privately, a mother of 3 cats, always ready to provide her team with team-building and wellbeing experiences. A million ideas per minute and the colorful bird of our team.
