--- description: To-Do Lists Are Evil. Schedule Everything title: How to Stop Being Lazy image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta35d35952a23ea25/6986a2b6cd804dce56cccb0a/119701980.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) ## Ideas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # How to Stop Being Lazy and Get More Done: 5 Expert Tips by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 11, 2014 4:01 AM CUT  Caucasian businessman looking at adhesive notes on wall Caucasian businessman looking at adhesive notes on wallBlend Images - Diego Cervo—Getty Images/Brand X by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 11, 2014 4:01 AM CUT Some days the to-do list seems bottomless. Just looking at it is exhausting. **We all want to know how to stop being lazy and get more done.** I certainly want the answer. So I decided to call a friend who manages to do this — and more. [Cal Newport](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/04/interview-author-cal-newport-on-how-you-can-become-an-expert-and-why-you-should-not-follow-your-passion/ "undefined") impresses the heck out of me. Why? Well, I’m glad you asked. He’s _insanely_ productive: 1. He has a full-time job as a professor at Georgetown University, teaching classes and meeting with students. 2. He writes 6 (or more) peer-reviewed academic journal papers per year. 3. He’s [the author of 4 books](http://www.amazon.com/Cal-Newport/e/B001IGNR0U/?%5Fencoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&qid=1407672725&sr=1-2-ent&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined") including the wonderful “[So Good They Can’t Ignore You](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0076DDBJ6/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0076DDBJ6&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined").” And he’s at work on a fifth. 4. He’s married with a young child and handles all the responsibilities that come with being a husband and dad. 5. He [blogs](http://calnewport.com/blog/ "undefined") regularly about productivity and expert performance. **And yet he finishes work at 5:30PM every day and rarely works weekends.** No, he does not have superpowers or a staff of 15\. Okay, let’s you and I both stop being jealous of his productivity for a second and learn something. Below you’ll get Cal’s secrets on how you can better manage your time, stop being lazy, get more done — and be finished by 5:30\. Let’s get to work. ## 1) To-Do Lists Are Evil. Schedule Everything. To-do lists by themselves are useless. They’re just the first step. You have to assign them time on your schedule. Why? **It makes you be realistic about what you can get done. It allows you to do tasks when it’s efficient, not just because it’s #4.** Until it’s on your calendar and assigned an hour, it’s just a list of wishful thinking. Here’s Cal: --- > “” --- Experts agree that if you don’t consider how long things take, [you’re setting yourself up for failure](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/01/whats-the-secret-to-better-to-do-lists/ "undefined"). I can hear what some of you are thinking: _But I get interrupted. Things get thrown at me last minute._ Great — build that into your schedule. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Things will change. But you need to have a plan, otherwise you’ll waste time. Want to [stop procrastinating](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/07/chronic-procrastination/ "undefined")? Schedule. Here’s Cal: --- > “” --- Does this sound too mechanical? Overly structured and not much fun? Wrong. **Research shows that it’s even a good idea to** [**schedule what you do with your free time**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2010/11/should-you-use-time-management-with-your-free/ "undefined")**. It increases quality of life:** --- > “” --- (For more on the schedule the most productive people use, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/schedule/ "undefined").) Okay, the to-do list is in the trash and things are going on the calendar. How do you prioritize so you’re not at work forever? ## 2) Assume You’re Going Home at 5:30, Then Plan Your Day Backwards Work will fill the space it’s given. Give it 24/7 and guess what happens? **You need boundaries if you want** [**work/life balance**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/03/work-life-balance/ "undefined")**. But this also helps you work better because it forces you to be efficient.** **By setting a deadline of 5:30 and then scheduling tasks you can get control over that hurricane of duties.** Cal calls it “fixed schedule productivity”: --- > “” --- **What does research say prevents you from getting burned out at work?** [**Feeling in control of your schedule**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2010/05/how-to-prevent-mental-fatigue-at-work/ "undefined")**.** Anything that increases your _perception of control_ over a situation — whether it actually increases your control or not — can decrease your stress level. Via [Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061771295/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061771295&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- (For more on how to achieve work/life balance, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/03/work-life-balance/ "undefined").) You’ve drawn a line in the sand and worked backward, giving all your tasks hours in your day. But how do you handle longer term projects? ## 3) Make A Plan For The Entire Week I think you’ll agree that the last thing this world needs is more short term thinking. **You’ll never get ahead of the game by only looking at today and never thinking about tomorrow.** How do you write books, teach classes, meet with students, do research papers and be a good parent consistently? Plan the week. Here’s Cal: --- > “” --- Are you rolling your eyes? Does this sound overbearing? It’s simpler than you think. What’s really necessary? Just one hour every Monday morning. Here’s Cal: --- > “” --- And he’s right. **Research shows you spend your time more wisely** [**when you follow a plan**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/05/spend-time-wisely/ "undefined")**.** Via [What the Most Successful People Do at Work: A Short Guide to Making Over Your Career](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BPDR4BY/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00BPDR4BY&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Maybe you think it’s enough to run down the week’s duties in your head. Nope. Studies show writing things down makes you [more likely to follow through](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/05/what-little-thing-can-increase-the-chance-peo/ "undefined"). (For more on how the most productive people get things done, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/most-productive-people/ "undefined").) So you’ve got a fixed schedule and a weekly plan — but the math doesn’t add up. There’s just too much stuff. Cal has an answer for that too. ## 4) Do Very Few Things, But Be Awesome At Them Maybe you’re thinking: _I just have too many things to do. I could never get it all done in that amount of time._ And Cal concedes that you might be right. But the answer isn’t throwing up your arms and working until 10PM. **You need to do fewer things. Everything is not essential. You say “yes” to** [**more than you need to**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/01/success-and-happiness/ "undefined")**.** **Ask “**[**What’s creating real value in my life?**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/most-productive-people/ "undefined")**” And then** **_eliminate as much of the rest as you can_** **.** Here’s Cal: --- > “” --- You feel like you have no time but John Robinson, the leading researcher on time use, disagrees. We may have more free time than ever. Via [Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EX0XYU6/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00EX0XYU6&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- So what gives? **It** **_feels_** **like you have no time** [**because it’s so fragmented**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/04/busy/ "undefined") **with little annoying tasks that drain the life out of you.** So do less. And be [amazing at those things](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/02/most-successful-people/ "undefined"). (For more on what the most successful people do, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/12/successful-people/ "undefined").) Your plans are in order and by doing less, it all fits on the schedule. But one question remains: what exactly should you be doing with your time? ## 5) Less Shallow Work, Focus On The Deep Stuff All work is not created equal. Cal says knowledge workers deal with two fundamentally different types of work, Shallow and Deep: --- > “” --- And what’s the problem? Most of us are “drowning in the shallows”: --- > “” --- Nobody in the history of the universe ever became CEO because they responded to more email or went to more meetings. No way, Bubba. Cal has it right: **Shallow work stops you from getting fired — but deep work is what gets you promoted.** Give yourself big blocks of uninterrupted time to make things of value. What’s the best first step? Stop checking email first thing in the morning. [Tim Ferriss](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/most-productive-people/ "undefined"), author of the international bestseller, [The 4-Hour Workweek](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WE46UW/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002WE46UW&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=EBJJXUY3B2QTGEVD "undefined"), explains: --- > “” --- (For more on how to motivate yourself, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/how-to-motivate-yourself/ "undefined").) So how do we tie all this together? ## Sum Up Cal’s five big tips: 1. **To-Do Lists Are Evil. Schedule Everything.** 2. **Assume You’re Going Home at 5:30, Then Plan Your Day Backwards** 3. **Make A Plan For The Entire Week** 4. **Do Very Few Things, But Be Awesome At Them** 5. **Less Shallow Work, Focus On The Deep Stuff823** Schedules and plans sound cold and clinical but the end result couldn’t be farther from that. You’ll be less stressed, create more time for friends and family, and make things you can be proud of. Here’s Cal: --- > “” --- The offices of the world could use a few less cubicle drones and a few more proud craftsmen. A PDF of the extended interview with Cal (including his research on how geniuses work) will be in my next weekly email. Sign up to get it [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined")**.** **Join over 100,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined")**.** Related posts: [6 Things The Most Productive People Do Every Day](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/most-productive-people/ "undefined") [8 Things The World’s Most Successful People All Have In Common](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/12/successful-people/ "undefined") [How To Achieve Work-Life Balance In 5 Steps](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/03/work-life-balance/ "undefined") **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/ "undefined")**_._** ### 5 Horrible Habits You Need to Stop Right Now  Do Not Email First Thing in the Morning or Last Thing at Night “The former scrambles your priorities and all your plans for the day and the latter just gives you insomnia,” says Ferriss, who insists “email can wait until 10am” or after you check off at least one substantive to-do list item. Chris Pecoraro—Getty Images  Do Not Agree to Meetings or Calls With No Clear Agenda or End Time “If the desired outcome is defined clearly… and there’s an agenda listing topics–questions to cover–no meeting or call should last more than 30 minutes,” claims Ferriss, so “request them in advance so you can ‘best prepare and make good use of our time together.'” Sam Edwards—Getty Images/Caiaimage  Do Not Check Email Constantly Batch it and check it only periodically at set times (Ferriss goes for twice a day). Your inbox is analogous to a cocaine pellet dispenser, says Ferriss. Don’t be an addict. Tools like strategic use of the auto responder and Boomerang can help. Jetta Productions—Getty Images  Do Not Carry a Digital Leash 24/7 At least one day a week leave you smartphone somewhere where you can’t get easy access to it. If you’re gasping, you’re probably the type of person that most needs to do kick this particular habit. by nacoki ( MEDIA ARC )—Getty Images/Flickr RF  Do Not Let People Ramble Sounds harsh, but it’s necessary, Ferriss believes. “Small talk takes up big time,” he says, so when people start to tell you about their weekends, cut them off politely with something like “I’m in the middle of something, but what’s up?” But be aware, not everyone agrees with this one (and certainly not in every situation), and you may want to pay particularly close attention to norms around chit chat when traveling internationally. Reza Estakhrian—Getty Images ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3319641/how-to-stop-being-lazy-and-get-more-done-5-expert-tips/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3319641/how-to-stop-being-lazy-and-get-more-done-5-expert-tips/"},"headline":"How to Stop Being Lazy and Get More Done: 5 Expert Tips","datePublished":"2014-09-11T04:01:50.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:49:48.211Z","description":"To-Do Lists Are Evil. Schedule Everything","url":"https://time.com/3319641/how-to-stop-being-lazy-and-get-more-done-5-expert-tips/","keywords":["Business topic"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta35d35952a23ea25/6986a2b6cd804dce56cccb0a/119701980.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta35d35952a23ea25/6986a2b6cd804dce56cccb0a/119701980.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"119701980","caption":"119701980","creditText":"Blend Images - Diego Cervo—Getty Images/Brand X","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3319641/how-to-stop-being-lazy-and-get-more-done-5-expert-tips/","name":"How to Stop Being Lazy and Get More Done: 5 Expert Tips"}}]}] ```