The Value of Down-time
It is common to respond to being overwhelmed by work or tasks in three ways;
1) to force yourself to focus more intently on tasks at hand without breaks,
2) to work more hours in a week, month or year
3) to avoid the efficiency trap and instead, work smarter
This said, you may ask, what does work smarter mean? It is not about doing more in less time. Rather, it is about paying more attention to what is going on within you during down-time (when you are not consciously task-oriented). This is about recalling what it feels like to tune into and be aware of what is going on within you, body-mind-spirit. (That's right, all of you, not only mental chatter.)
Thus, you no longer schedule critical tasks when you are mentally drained and you are more informed to let go of what is no longer necessary. Take a moment to reflect what it feels like to maximize effectiveness. Grow conscious of distractions and eliminate them. Reflect on your inspirational mentors today. Who is inspiring you to review how you perceive and use time?