How to Get More Done in Less Time in 2025 | Super Easy Tips
How I Get More Done in Less Time While Working From Home
Lately, I’ve noticed a lot of my colleagues are struggling with the same thing: not having enough hours in the day to get through everything. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Especially for those of us working from home, it’s easy to feel like we’re constantly busy, yet nothing properly gets done. One big reason is something called time confetti—basically, our day gets shredded into tiny bits by small tasks, distractions, and switching between things, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and unproductive.
I’ve been working from home for years now, and trust me, I’ve been through all of that. It took a lot of trial and error to figure out how to actually get more done in less time, without burning myself out. I want to share some of my personal tips that really helped me not only manage my workload better, but also made me feel less stressed and more in control of my time.
Hi there👋, I’m Jacqueline, founder of The Glade Design! I specialize in residential interior design. Visit my service page for details or email me to chat!
One of the most important—and most overlooked—things is simple but powerful:
Make Sure You Have a Day Off
And no, I don’t just mean a day where you technically don’t do work but still reply to emails, scroll through work chats, or sneak in just “one more thing”. I mean a real day off. Time for yourself, and only you.
Whether it’s exercising, reading, going for a walk, shopping, catching up with friends, bingeing a series guilt-free—whatever actually helps you relax and recharge, make time for it. Don’t wait until burnout hits. Working long hours day after day, week after week, without proper rest can seriously mess with your output, your energy, and your mood. And once you hit that point of burnout, productivity goes out the window.
We’re living in an age where we’re always connected—phones buzzing, messages popping up, work notifications sliding in even after hours. That’s why it’s even more important now to intentionally disconnect. Turn off your phone for a while, log out of your work apps, and just be. Even if it’s just for a few hours a week—it still counts.
In my case, I’ve noticed that taking time off actually makes me more productive. When I feel stuck on a design project, the worst thing I can do is keep sitting there staring at the screen, hoping inspiration magically shows up. Spoiler alert: it usually doesn’t. Instead, I go do something I enjoy—maybe water my plants, go for a walk, or scroll through Pinterest (non-work related!). Without fail, I come back with fresh ideas and a clearer mind.
That’s because overthinking kills creativity. Seriously. Some of the designs I’ve laboured over for hours end up being my least favourite. But the ones that come after a break, when I’m in a better mood and more relaxed? Always better. I reckon it’s the same for other types of work too—not just creative jobs.
Even with physical work, if you don’t rest, how can your body perform at its best? It’s the same with mental work. You need time to recharge, otherwise you’re just running on empty.
And here’s something I wish I learned earlier: you don’t need to feel guilty for taking a day off. I used to think I had to be “on” all the time to be productive or successful, but that just isn’t true. Having a day off isn’t laziness—it’s your basic human right. We all need it.
Taking proper time off doesn’t mean you’re falling behind—it actually helps you get more done in less time. Because you’re working smarter, not harder. You’re showing up refreshed, with more energy, and with better focus. And when you feel good, your work is better. Simple as that.
Sleep Well, Eat Well – The Basics That Actually Matter
It might sound obvious, but sleep well, eat well—that’s the real secret weapon if you want to get more done in less time. Honestly, it’s so simple that a lot of people just overlook it, but it makes a massive difference to how you function, especially when you’re working from home.
When you’re well-rested and well-fed, everything feels easier. You can think clearer, focus longer, and actually get through tasks without constantly needing a break or feeling like your brain’s stuck in a fog.
Let’s break it down a bit:
Sleep Well – Don’t Underestimate It
Getting enough quality sleep is probably the most underrated productivity hack ever. When you sleep well, your mind is sharper first thing in the morning. You’re more alert, you can make better decisions, and you’re not dragging yourself through the day trying to stay awake with caffeine and snacks.
Back when I used to stay up working past midnight—sometimes into the early hours—I’d wake up the next morning feeling like an absolute zombie. No energy, no focus, just dragging my feet through the day. And when I looked back at the work I did during those late-night hours? Honestly, most of it was rubbish. I’d often have to redo half of it the next day, which meant I wasted even more time.
Now, I’ve learned my lesson. These days, I stick to my work hours as much as I can. If something doesn’t get finished, I leave it and come back to it fresh the next day. And funny enough, I usually end up getting it done quicker and better. That’s because I’ve had proper rest. My brain’s reset, my energy is back, and I can actually focus instead of just pushing through for the sake of “finishing it today.”
So if you’re trying to get more done in less time, start by fixing your sleep routine. Go to bed earlier. Create a wind-down habit. Don’t bring your laptop into bed. Just treat your rest like it’s part of your work routine—because it kind of is.
Eat Well – Fuel Your Focus
Now let’s talk about food. Eating well isn’t about dieting or being strict. It’s about fuel. Your brain literally needs it to function properly. Skipping meals, living on coffee, or constantly snacking on sugar just doesn’t work long-term. You’ll crash. You’ll feel sluggish. And your productivity takes a hit.
When I started making a conscious effort to eat properly—having regular meals, something fresh and filling instead of just grabbing whatever’s convenient—I noticed I had way more energy throughout the day. And it wasn’t just physical energy, but mental clarity too. I wasn’t as distracted or easily tired, and I could stay focused longer without needing constant breaks.
It’s honestly the basic of the basic, but it matters so much. If your body’s not getting what it needs—sleep and food—then it doesn’t matter how many productivity hacks you try. Nothing will stick. You’ll just feel off all the time, and it’ll show in your work.
So if you want to get more done in less time, don’t skip over the basics. Sleep well. Eat well. Look after yourself. You’ll be amazed at how much more you can get done when your body and mind are actually running properly.
Ditch the Super Long To-Do List – Do a Priority List Instead
Now let’s chat about time management, especially if you’re working from home. Because if you want to get more done in less time, one of the biggest changes you can make is how you handle your daily tasks.
Here’s a common trap I see a lot of freelancers, sole traders, and even people working remote fall into: the never-ending to-do list. You know the one — it just keeps growing, and growing, and growing. It gets so long that you feel overwhelmed before the day even starts. And then instead of ticking things off, you end up bouncing around between tasks, feeling busy but not actually getting anything important done.
Yep. I’ve been there too. That’s why I ditched the mega list a long time ago and came up with a much simpler system. It’s called the priority list. And it’s a total game-changer if you want to get more done in less time without losing your mind.
What’s a Priority List?
A priority list is different from your usual to-do list. It’s not just a big dump of everything you could possibly do today. It’s a more thoughtful, strategic list that actually helps you focus on what matters most — across all areas of your life.
Because let’s be honest, most of us aren’t just doing work tasks. We’re juggling a whole bunch of stuff daily — housework, family time, exercise, running a business, marketing, maybe even content creation. It’s a lot. So your priority list needs to reflect everything, not just your “job”.
Start with Your Core Categories
Start by breaking your life into categories — all the key areas that need attention in your week. Here’s an example to get you started:
🧹 House Chores
– Cleaning
– Cooking
– Groceries
– Taking kids to school
– Banking and errands
📐 Interior Design Work
– Client consultations
– Full design service
– Business admin
– Project management
📱 Content Creation
– Instagram
– Facebook
– Pinterest
– YouTube
🏃♀️ Personal Time
– Walking or working out
– Hobbies
– Downtime just for you
🛌 Sleep & 🥗 Eat Well
– Meal planning or prepping
– Sticking to sleep routine
– Hydration & snacks that fuel focus
Rank Them by Priority
Once you’ve laid out your categories, it’s time to rank them. Ask yourself: what actually needs to be done today? What’s going to help me get more done in less time tomorrow? What’s non-negotiable for your wellbeing?
My own list often looks a bit like this:
- Eat well & sleep well – Always the foundation. If I’m not well-rested or fuelled, nothing gets done properly.
- Time for myself – Hobbies or quiet time. Keeps me sane and stops me burning out.
- Exercise – A walk, a stretch session, or some light strength training.
- Interior Design Projects – Actual client work that pays the bills.
- Business Admin – Emails, systems, bookings, accounts.
- House Chores – Fit this around everything else.
- Content Creation – Still important, but less urgent than paid work.
Then Prioritise Within Each Category
This is where things get juicy. Once you’ve sorted your categories, drill down into each one and create a mini priority list inside. So let’s say under “Interior Design Projects”, I’ve got three active jobs. Each job has tasks due. I’ll write:
Project One:
- Finalise layout drawings (Priority #1)
- Source tiles
- Send invoice
Project Two:
- Client meeting follow-up (Priority #1)
- Update mood board
- Order samples
Project Three:
- Budget spreadsheet (Priority #1)
- Council documents
- Draft elevations
From there, I can choose to either:
- Focus on just one project at a time, and knock out all its tasks in order of priority, or
- Tackle the #1 task from each project first, then circle back to the next layer.
It depends how you work best — but either way, you’ll be moving forward strategically, not just reacting to whatever pops up.
Same Goes for Content Creation
This one’s especially important if you’re managing multiple platforms. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed by the endless demands of social media. That’s why setting content priorities is key if you want to get more done in less time.
For example:
Top Priority Platform: Instagram
– 2 Reels per week
– 3 Stories per week
Next: Pinterest
– 2 Pins per week
Then: YouTube
– 1 long-form video per week
Lastly: Facebook
– 2 posts per week (repurposed from elsewhere)
That’s it. I don’t try to do everything all the time. I focus on the platforms that bring the most return first — whether that’s engagement, traffic, or actual client leads — and I structure my content time accordingly.
Bonus Tip: Set It at the Start of the Year (or Whenever You’re Ready)
I usually sit down at the start of the year and map out my big-picture goals and priorities — across life, work, business, and content. But honestly, you don’t have to wait for January. You can start anytime. Right now works too.
Just take 15–30 minutes. Write out your categories, decide what matters most, and give yourself a priority plan that actually works with your life, not against it.
Because that’s how you get more done in less time — not by cramming in more tasks, but by choosing the right ones to focus on.
Set Dedicated Time for Each Priority – and Keep It Realistic!
Alright, now that you’ve got your priority list sorted, the next big step is setting time for each item — and here’s the key: be realistic.
Don’t overload your day with a million things and expect to tick them all off. Keep it simple. Keep it doable. And give yourself breathing space.
Structure That Works for You
Everyone’s schedule looks different, so it’s important to build a system that suits your life. Not someone else’s — yours.
Let’s say you know you’ve got house chores every morning from 8am–9am. That’s just life, and it’s not going anywhere. Great! Block that time in. Treat it as fixed. Now — here’s the trick — when it’s house chore time, just do that. No answering work emails, no posting on Instagram while sweeping the floor.
Focus on the task you scheduled. Knock it out properly. You’ll feel way more accomplished and less scattered. Same rule applies for rest. When it’s time to rest — just rest. Scrolling social media while “resting” isn’t really giving your brain or body a break.
Start with Top Priorities
Your daily non-negotiables should always come first when blocking time:
✅ Eat well & sleep well
✅ Time for yourself (a hobby, journaling, whatever fills your cup)
✅ Exercise – your choice: walk, stretch, hit the gym
These are the foundations. Build your work around these — not the other way around.
Set Weekly Themes for Work
You don’t need to do every task every single day. Instead, assign themes or focus days to your work. Here’s a rhythm that might work for you:
🗓 Monday–Wednesday → Interior design projects
🗓 Thursday → Business admin & management
🗓 Friday → Content creation + house chores
If you’re like me and prefer to dive deep into one thing at a time, try weekly batching:
Week 1–3: Interior design projects
Week 4: Content creation + business planning
This way, you’re not jumping between tasks all the time — you’re giving your full focus to one area and making way more progress.
Example Daily Schedule
Here’s what a typical day could look like when you design your time around your priorities:
🕢 7:30am – Wake up
🕗 8:00–9:00am – Exercise of your choice
🕘 9:00–12:00pm – Focused work session (pick one priority project/task)
🕛 12:00–1:00pm – Lunch break
🕐 1:00–5:00pm – Second work block (another priority project or admin)
🍽 5:00–7:00pm – Dinner + wind down
🧼 7:00–8:00pm – House chores or tidy up
🕘 9:00–11:00pm – Free time! Relax, enjoy a hobby, or chill out
🛌 11:00pm – Sleep
You can keep this routine for your weekdays (Monday to Friday), and free up your weekends with a different structure.
Example Weekend Plan
Saturday
– Grocery shopping
– Meal prep
– Cleaning and laundry
– Maybe a bit of content batching if you’re feeling inspired
Sunday
– 💆♀️ Totally off. No guilt. Just rest, hobbies, and time for yourself.
By setting your time like this, you’re no longer reacting to your never-ending to-do list. You’re running the show. You’re setting the rhythm of your life on your terms. And trust me — you’ll get more done in less time when you focus deeply, batch smartly, and honour your rest.
Ditch Low-Priority Tasks (Without Feeling Guilty)
Here’s the truth: you don’t have to do everything.
I used to think I could handle it all — more projects, more work, more clients. I sacrificed my personal life to squeeze in just one more thing. And guess what? It didn’t work.
I remember the time I tried juggling multiple interior design projects at once. My days started at 8am and ended at 2am. I barely moved. My meals were instant noodles or takeaway, no exercise, no rest. On paper, I looked like I was hustling hard, but in reality, I was more frustrated, more stressed, and… way less productive.
And the quality of my work? It actually suffered.
The more I tried to do, the longer everything took.
Focus on Less — and Do It Better
Now, I do things differently. I only take on what I can truly handle — and I finish each project with focus before moving on to the next.
The result?
✨ Projects get done faster
✨ The quality is way better
✨ I feel less stress, and way more satisfaction
So if five projects is too much? Take three.
If five social media platforms are overwhelming? Pick your top two.
And put your energy into making those two amazing.
Adjust Your Workload to Your Life
If you’ve got little kids, or housework is eating up your time — that’s okay! Don’t fight it. Accept your current season and work with it, not against it.
Even if you only have 2–4 hours of work time per day, that time can still be super productive — as long as you’re focused. And if you’ve made time to rest, eat well, and move your body? You’ll do even better.
You Don’t Need to Do More. You Need to Do What Matters Most.
Let go of the guilt for not doing it all.
Let go of the pressure to always be doing more.
You’re not lazy — you’re just learning how to work smarter.
Now, you might be thinking:
“But if I work less, I make less money…”
Totally get it — you have business goals, and realistically, you might feel the need to take on more work to hit those targets. But if you’re pouring in all your hours and still feel stuck or exhausted, it’s probably time to review your business structure.
Are you charging enough?
Are you using the right tools?
Is there a smarter way to scale?
Sometimes we end up taking the hard road without realizing it. There are ways to make more money without burning yourself out — but that’s a whole topic on its own!
Do a Weekly Review
This is one of the best habits I’ve added to my weekly routine — and it only takes 15 to 30 minutes!
Every Sunday (or whatever day works for you), I sit down and do a simple weekly review. Just take a moment to reflect and reset before jumping into another busy week.
Ask yourself:
- What did I actually get done this week?
- What didn’t get done — and why?
- Did I feel overwhelmed at any point?
- What worked really well?
- What can I change to make next week smoother?
You don’t need a fancy planner — just jot it down in a notebook or use your phone. The goal is to check in with yourself regularly. It helps you stay focused, cut out what’s not working, and feel more in control of your time.
Bonus tip: if something keeps getting pushed to “next week” over and over again, ask yourself — is it really that important? Maybe it’s time to delete it from the list altogether!
The Key to Getting More Done in Less Time Is Easier Than You Think
To wrap it all up — the biggest and easiest way to actually get more done in less time is simple: REST.
If you don’t rest, you can’t focus. You’ll feel stressed, unhappy, overwhelmed… and in the worst case, burned out and unable to keep going.
Think of rest, eating well, and exercising as your basic human rights — because they are! Keeping yourself happy and healthy is the foundation for being productive. When you take care of yourself, you’ll be amazed how much faster (and better) you can get things done.
Next, get clear on your priorities. Know what truly matters, what needs your attention first, and create a realistic plan to tackle those things. Don’t overload your schedule. Be kind to yourself and focus on what’s actually doable.
Stick to the time you set, and try to focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking sounds productive but it often does the opposite.
And lastly — ditch the things you can’t manage right now. Don’t feel guilty. You can always add more when you’re ready. But start with what you can realistically handle well.
Hope this helps you feel more in control and less overwhelmed. You’ve got this — now go have a calm and productive day! 🌿💪✨
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