(reading time: 1 minute)             [en español]

Try again. Really!. This widely used method (that you know well) has been called different names to sell books or to approach problems in diverse areas, and is even a widely used

programming method. But the core of it is to try, and to re-try if you don’t succed. This is older than the self help industry, its in our genes and carved in our mammal brains. You learned to walk using it (and a thousand more skills even if you didn’t even think about it as a method). But it is not trivial as many won’t even try when it comes to fuzzy skills like team leadership, patience, constancy [not sure of your meaning - we don't use constancy usually, do you mean consistency?], self-control or even having more will-power. If you are afraid to try (eg. to talk in public, to approach that your-want-to-be-special other, to learn how to ski, etc.) then you need to overcome your fears (it will make life more interesting).

For sure you have plenty of examples of success after many tries. In my case, one of the most remarkable is quitting smoking. I left the nasty cigs 4 times in 6 years before I got the – hopefully- final quit about a year ago, and did it thanks to the experience I got from the previous quits, where I used different methods and motivations.

So today I want to add another try again success by starting to write frequently again for the blog.

Now, the question is: what do you want to try (or try again) today?

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(reading time: 3 minutes)

The essential to-do list is a different one than the long list you use to add whatever task arrives at your work domains  (usually created on Outlook, RTM or some other tool). I have been using it since I started testing the 80-20 Paretto principle on different dimensions of my life. It has helped me to get things done,  specially for the ones I had an aversion to engage with (eg. long project reports). To understand what is it about and how to exploit its benefits, read this illustrative steps:

• List the 5 most important tasks you could do on the next day of work.
• Priorize them from 1 to 5. The first ones are the most difficult to do and usually take a long time.
• Be as specific as you can: “Work on the report” is not specific if you expect a 200 hundred page document. “Finish section 1.2, and 5.7 of the Z Report” is specific enough and gives you a clear objective to reach on that day.
• Do the essential list just before your working day ends (until it becomes a habit, use some sort of reminder). Doing it later on the day gets your priorities for the day fresher on your mind, then when you go to sleep your subconscious will keep making associations to help you create new ideas and guide you towards solutions.
• Chose 1 or the 2 most important items of your list of 5 and assign them the necessary time slots to do them on the next day (having 1 or 2 really critical or difficult tasks should be enough and usually there is no time for more). If the tasks you have selected as the most critical can be done quickly or easily, then think again as you may have missed that one you just don´t want to get on with.
• The next day, when you arrive at your work place, do not read your email -unless is absolutely necessary for the 1st and most important task on your essencial list-. Get on working with the 1st essential asap. Be patient, don’t allow drifting to surf something on the net or check if that old mate you found on facebook accepted your friend invitation. After a 2 hours of work, take a break for 15 to 30 minutes -walk and take some fresh air, or check your FB if can’t wait anymore. You can use eggtimer to countdown your time if you are at your desk.
• Get on with the non-essencials task just after your critical tasks. In a few days you´ll find that many non-critical task are just despensable.

You may need to change some habits at work (like telling your boss that focusing on the critical tasks allow you to be more productive and get the most valuable things done, or asking -nicely- to colleagues to not interrupt you if you look busy). If you manage to do the necessary changes to focus on the 1 or 2 essentials consistently, you will be saving most of the time that was previously wasted on things that did not give you the returns the critical tasks give you.

Thank you for reading. Remember to subscribe if you haven´t done it yet, and leave me comment (maybe you know some good references about how the subconscious help you -if at all- when we sleeping)

“More is less, less is more” – Ad Reinhardt

To enjoy the benefits of minimalism you don´t have to turn into Buddhism, get a house designed by Tadao Ando, grow Rasta dreads,  throw away your Armani suits or Prada dresses –well, if you do, let me know where and when-. You can actually choose to be one, the metamorphosis is not tha painful, and you get the benefit –beside the ones listed under- to show off to your friends that bought the Prius because you would have beaten them on the ecological race. The biggest requirement is joinin the millenary bible-less movement of frugality. Don’t worry I won´t ask you to donate anything to a sect, instead I´ll be happy because you will enjoy of:

• Less stress: with less stuff to deal with, less clutter –visually and vitally-.
• More time: as you will have less to organize and clean.
• More pleasure: it has to do with the Pareto 80-20 principle but applied to the stuff you own, the space you have and the joy you get, in short: the 20% of stuff gives you the 80% of utility or  joy, and the remaining 80% of your stuff gives you 20% of value or pleasure. Read-on to find out how to grab the max from the good 20%.

How to have less and enjoy more

• Each type of object has its own place: Is that simple, but if you apply this to everything, not just having the encyclopedia lined up on the shelf (actually, if you have one, recycle the paper, now days there is Wikipedia), apply it to the non obvius stuff like gadgets, kitchen stuff, clothes and specially kids toys. Put each type of them (stuffed animals, building toys, etc.) in a specific bin, box or area. Also each adult in the house should have its own space for tmp stuff (I have my own small shelf, as my wife does). This really ease up finding the items and selecting the ones you want to liberate from –see under-.
• Liberate from the non-escencial. Free your family and yourself from the stuff you rerely use. Every now and then do a “selection day” at home, apply it to your clothes, books (better to have them in your goggle library books.google.com), shoes, and kids toys. Exploit gift days like x-mass of birthdays when kids will get new ones and do a selection day previous to that so they can ‘make space for the new ones to come’ -that ususally works better than “you have too many toys” , help them ‘select’ the ones theycan love and pile up the ones they can definetely go without. Do the same with all your stuff. Sell the non-escencials or donate them to charity or any type of church (usually they are in contact with people in need), and recycle as most as you can -wich also means giving them to your friends, family or people that may need them-.
• Buy less. You will be more happy. Don’t acumulate 20 pairs of shoes if you mainly use 3. Before buying define the need you want to satisfy, see if it is satisfied by the stuff you already own. Many of the stuff we buy are out of impulse. For example, I was tempted to buy an iPhone a while ago because a few of my friends are actually thrilled by them, but realized that the 3 years old pda I have still works pretty good for the things I need from it. So I´ll keep it until the points I earn with my mobile operator gets me a new one for free -or really cheap-.
• Clean and organize as you go. Simple as it sounds, sometimes we just accumulate mess -with kids this is the norm-. So clean the pans and dishes as you are cooking, do the beds as soon everybody is awake, teach your kids to get the toys to their “home” or places you designeted (pictures help them to know where to put them) and make this a routine before -for example- dinner time.
• Declare your preferences. Tell your friends, partners and family what you want as gifts, and also -very important- tell them what you really don´t want -specially if your aunt keeps giving you those travel souvenirs you hate. If you are saving for something special (like a car, or a house), tell them to deposit money and let you know -then rally thank them so they feel how important is for you-.
• Practice. Habits are great because they tend to be effortless, more automatic processes, decide about the objects in your life taking into account this premises and the habit is your. Then call yoursel a practical minimalist -and enjoy the benefits of more space and increase joy-.

Thank you for reading. Let me know what I am missing by leaving a comment under. And remember to subscribe to get the posts by email.