073: Life admin not worth doing

Life Admin Life Hacks

In this episode, we walk through how to decide what not life admin is not worth doing. We discuss the art of prioritizing, delegating, and letting go of non-essential tasks to free up time for what truly matters.

Mia and Dinah kick off the episode by discussing the importance of understanding one’s season of life, values, and goals. By doing so, individuals can identify where to focus their efforts and tackle their life admin more efficiently. They acknowledge that when life admin is overwhelming or time is limited, it becomes even more crucial to determine the areas that require the most attention. They emphasise the need to prioritise and focus on tasks that align with personal values and goals.

Their tips include:

• embracing “satisficing” and avoiding the pursuit of perfection in every task. By adopting a more pragmatic approach, individuals can avoid getting overwhelmed and free up time for more enjoyable activities.
• delegating responsibilities within the household, particularly in sharing life admin tasks. They discuss the challenge of letting go and not interfering or rescuing when someone else is responsible for a task. They highlight the importance of self-control and allowing natural consequences to unfold. If tasks are not completed or done differently than expected, it is essential to resist the urge to intervene immediately. By stepping back and letting others handle their responsibilities, individuals promote shared accountability.
• rethinking social life admin, particularly regarding organizing social events and maintaining friendships. They suggest being selective with social commitments and focusing on spending time with people who are most important to them. By creating a list of priority individuals and considering personal preferences, they can make deliberate choices that align with their values.
• managing overwhelming email inboxes by declaring email bankruptcy, unsubscribing from unnecessary subscriptions, and minimizing filing by evaluating the importance of documents.

RESOURCES

Book: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Greg McKeown

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