It seems every second blog post I read on Digg or Reddit is a comprehensive dialogue on how to maximise your time or the ten top ways to xyz. Generally they are unimaginative pieces which only serve to take up space and allow the author to engage in some rather verbose explanations and descriptions. Sometimes they are not. It is in this light that I’m going to try and write my own list. Sincere apologies if the resulting post doesn’t offer something useful, but the aim and effort is there.

1. Lists are not a cure-all. Motivation needs to come from within yourself
Don’t worry, the irony is not lost on me. ‘Top 10′ lists litter magazines and blogs. People like them because they are presented with information in a quick and easy-to-access structure. I certainly think that there is a place for the bullet-point list, but when it comes to being productive and constructive with your time usage they seem to offer little more than a short-term burst of hope and motivation. People feel like they have achieved something by reading a good list. No, you have not.

To achieve your goals (or perhaps to even garner the will power to document them) you do require some level of will power. It is very easy to delay and procrastinate, far too easy. You have to be frank and honest to yourself, and force yourself into starting productive and worthwhile habits. It can be a difficult process but it’s worth it if you can stick it out and force yourself to focus and really work on a regular basis.

2. Reddit/Digg/StumbleUpon are not going to help you stay on track
Yes they are interesting sources of news and other tidbits. They are also nearly guaranteed to distract you. I would also add instant messaging to the list here. Everyone (myself included) attempts to convince themselves that IM is a necessary application and that it simply must always be on. This isn’t true, and we all know it, even when you use it for ‘work’. An hour or two without distractions is worth four or five otherwise.

If you’re reading this and nodding your head then, to take the Nike approach, just do it. Close all the sites that you’re visiting and start whatever tasks may be pressing. Once you are finished that you can go and reward yourself by wasting time with whatever you want to.

3. Work can be your passion, but it can still get boring
You might have decided to start working for yourself, or you might have found your dream job - congratulations - but that doesn’t mean that you are going to stay happy and motivated. The truth is that even interesting jobs have menial tasks that you would rather not have to do. My best piece of advice is to handle these as they come up. Don’t allow a big backlog of tasks to appear. Whether you work for yourself, someone else or if you’re still studying, try to stay on top of your work on a weekly basis. If you allow things to get out of control you will only want to avoid it more. It’s about forcing yourself to do the unpleasant stuff now, so that you don’t need to constantly feel guilty about it.

4. Short term goals complement long term objectives
Have a dream. Whether it be financial, academic, sports related, relationship orientated or just some other personal goal. I think life is more interesting when you have some sort of direction or aim. But your overarching dream is not going to make you complete your daily tasks with much motivation. You therefore should also have some short term objectives or goals that correspond to your passion. The trick is to see how working now will pay off later for you.

5. Lists generally need to be nice round numbers
Life isn’t all nice and uniform. Some things might not apply to you, some things might not work for you. As long as you try though, as best you can, then you should be able to do whatever you want.