There’s one particular technique that I use every single day that I believe is highly underestimated.  

I know it’s underestimated because so many people I speak to don’t use it. 

I know this one thing saves me hours and hours every week.  

There’s a saying, which I don’t totally remember how it goes but the gist of it is…  

Things take as long as you give them. 

For example, if you’re given six weeks to move your house. To pack it up, put it all in boxes and move it. It’ll take you six weeks. 

But what if you’re only given 10 days to pack that house up, get it in boxes and get everything done.  

You’ll do it in 10 days. Right? 

So I use a technique which I call estimate to complete or ETC. 

I estimate, and it’s not always right, but I estimate how long each of my items on my ToDo list are going to take me. 

The reason I do this is so that I can try and keep myself to that time. 

If things blow out because I discover something in the process, that’s fine, we adjust but if I say I think this should take me 30 minutes to do.  

Then I have told my brain that this task is going to take me 30 minutes and you need to find a way to make it take 30 minutes. 

And with more you practice you get better at estimating. 

The more you practice this and do this, you find that you bring down the time and you even start to challenge yourself. It’s like a competition. 

Can I get it done in less time? 

You can even try it out for yourself, it’s so easy you can do it right now. 

Wouldn’t you love a few hours back in the day? 

Let me show you how it normally happens for everyone.. 

Let’s say I have 4 items on my ToDo list and I have 4 hours available to do them.  

I haven’t guessed how long it should take me to do them, I just start doing them. 

By the time the 4 hours is up, I may have finished some or all of them, but I’ve used up my 4 hours. 

I probably just plodded along, did the tasks. Checked a few messages in between. Maybe got up and got a snack. Took a call or 2. 

But I did them in the time available to me. 

However, maybe if I’d estimated how long it could take me, maybe it would have been only 2 hours to actually complete them.  

But I allowed myself to just fill the time available. 

Just using this one technique I know saves me hours and hours every week.  

It means that I have more time to spend with my family, to do the things I enjoy, to be in nature, to read books, to do whatever I want, because I choose to be focused and only spend the time on work I need to. 

I don’t want to just fill my days. I want to get s*!t done and enjoy my days. 

I challenge you to use this technique for 5 days and see the difference it makes. 

Louise x 

P.S. This is just one amazing technique I have in my goody bag, want to know more? Check out the Inner Circle, it just might change your life!