晨讀美文：如何給夢想留出更多時間

　　3. Batch Tasks Together

　　分批處理任務(wù)

　　When you're going through the workday, try to keep similar tasks together. When you switch from one thing to another, your brain takes a few minutes to catch up and settle in: constantly jumping between answering emails and writing a report and tidying up your desk just means you'll lose track of where you'd got to. You might feel like you're working super-efficiently (because your mind is buzzing all over the place), but you'll actually be wasting a lot of time.

　　工作時可以將相似的任務(wù)并在一起處理。當你從一個任務(wù)換到另一個任務(wù)時，大腦會花幾分鐘進行調(diào)整：同時既要回復(fù)郵件、撰寫報告，又要整理辦公桌，到頭來你可能會手足無措。雖然這樣你可能覺得自己效率超級高(因為大腦一刻沒停)，但其實并沒有優(yōu)化利用時間。

　　If you need to answer a number of emails, do them all at once. The same goes for phone calls, filing, photocopying and other similar tasks.

　　如果要回復(fù)的郵件很多，那就一起處理掉。電話、整理文案、影印等同樣如此。

　　4. Block Out Chunks of Time

　　騰出大段時間

　　Do you have some big project that you'd love to get round to? Maybe it's writing a novel, starting a business, training for a marathon, decluttering your home ... whatever your particular venture or goal, you never get around to making progress.

　　你是否有個大計劃總想花時間去做?比如寫小說、創(chuàng)業(yè)、馬拉松訓練或整理家務(wù)，不管個人想法或目標是什么，你就是還沒時間去落實吧?

　　The best way to tackle big projects like this is to force them into your schedule. Spare time doesn't just appear from nowhere – you need to make a conscious effort to create it. Block out a weekend afternoon, for instance: tell family and friends you have another engagement that day. Then storm on ahead with that project. Trust me, you'll feel great for having made a start.

　　對付這種大計劃的辦法就是強行作出安排。時間就像海綿里的水，你得用心去擠才行。比如，你可以騰出一個周末下午的時間，告訴親友自己另有安排，然后開始拿出行動吧。相信我，一旦開始你就會感到妙不可言。

　　5. Don't Multitask

　　不要一心多用

　　Although multitasking feels efficient – because it feels busy – it actually loses you time. By sticking to doing one thing at a time, you'll be much more focused and able to produce your best work: there's nothing efficient about rushing a job which you then end up having to redo.

　　雖然同時處理多個任務(wù)會使你感到很有效率(因為一直在忙)，但其實很耗時間。堅持一次只做一件事，你會更專注更有效率：與其匆忙“鬼畫符”后又返工，還不如先專心做好一件事呢。

　　6. Stay Focused

　　保持專注

　　When you are working on a task, make a conscious effort to remain focused. Sure, you'll have intrusive thoughts like maybe I should check my email or this desk could really do with tidying. Just recognize that those thoughts are impulses which you don't need to give into. If you think of something while you're working on your task like I really must phone Joe, then just make a note on a bit of paper or in your diary so you don't forget – and get on with the task at hand.

　　工作時一定要努力保持專注。當然，你可能會時不時想到“該查看郵件了”或“辦公桌真該整理一下了”，但請記住：這些都只是一時想法，不要陷進去。如果你工作時想到別的事情，比如“我真得打電話給喬了”，那就在紙上或記事本上寫下來以免忘記，然后繼續(xù)手頭的工作。

　　You'll accomplish much more by working in a deliberately focused way than if you let yourself jump around from task to task as things come to mind.

　　刻意保持專注比思想散漫時的工作效率要高得多。

　　7. Finish Work On Time

　　按時完成工作

　　Finally, one of the best ways to make more time in your life is to finish your work on time! If you work for an employer, make an effort to leave the office on time – at least a couple of days each week. (I know this is difficult if your workplace has a long-hours culture).

　　最后，在生活中創(chuàng)造更多時間的辦法就是——按時完成工作!如果你是上班族，就確保能按時下班——至少每周能有那么幾天。(當然，如果你的公司有加班的習慣，這么做也不那么容易。)

　　If you work for yourself, you need to be even more self-disciplined, as your work is likely to be very easily accessible when you're at home! Some good ways to create a boundary at the end of the day are to keep your work separate from the rooms in your house where you relax. You could also schedule something social in the evening (perhaps meeting friends for a drink) so that you can't get caught up in "just one more email"...

　　如果你是為自己工作，那就得更加自律了，因為這樣你在家也很方便辦公!區(qū)分一天工作結(jié)束的辦法就是，將辦公的地方與休息的地方分開來。你也可以在晚上安排一些交際活動(比如跟朋友喝一杯)，這樣你就不會為“又來了一封郵件”犯難了。