Get your act together

If you’re looking at your to-do list and calendar in horror right now, this one’s for you.

There’s a popular myth that success is a matter of luck. In reality, 80% of it has nothing to do with a black cat crossing your path — it depends on what’s in your to-do list and daily routine.

And there’s a simple way to start tackling not only looming deadlines but also a chronic lack of free time:

1. 01

   Create a Telegram chat with a catchy name — something like “What am I doing!” — and pin it. Let your tasks, like you, always stay on top.

2. 02

   From now on, every plan you make goes into that list.

3. 03

   Find someone who’ll check in on the chat, react with 💩 to that extremely important and urgent project refactoring task, and comment: “Well, at least you describe your tasks properly.”

4. 04

   Enjoy watching the list shrink.

Something this simple — focused attention plus a little outside help — will open your eyes and reveal some of your hidden habits. You’ll quickly notice, for instance, how many unnecessary things you were doing out of boredom rather than necessity, and which tasks genuinely affect how you feel.

The first step toward making the future something to look forward to is complete.