Joining the get it all done club isn't about finding a magic potion that adds extra hours to your day or suddenly becoming a robot that doesn't need sleep. Let's be honest, we've all had those mornings where we wake up with a to-do list longer than a CVS receipt, feeling defeated before we've even finished our first cup of coffee. We look at people who seem to have their lives completely figured out—the ones who meal prep, hit the gym, crush their work goals, and still have time for a hobby—and we wonder what their secret is.
The truth is, being part of this "club" is more about a shift in how you look at your time rather than just working harder. It's about working smarter, sure, but it's also about being a lot kinder to yourself when things don't go exactly as planned.
The myth of the perfect schedule
We've all been sucked into those "day in the life" videos where someone wakes up at 4:00 AM, meditates for an hour, drinks a green smoothie, and has half their work done by sunrise. It looks great on camera, but for most of us, that's just not reality. Life happens. The kids get sick, the car won't start, or you just flat-out didn't sleep well.
The biggest hurdle to joining the get it all done club is the idea that you have to be perfect. If you think you need to check off every single box on a list of twenty items to be productive, you're setting yourself up for burnout. Real productivity is about knowing which three things actually matter today and letting the rest of the noise fade into the background. It's okay if the laundry stays in the dryer for another day if it means you finished that big project or spent quality time with someone you care about.
Figuring out what actually matters
One of the first things you realize when you stop trying to do everything is that not everything is worth doing. We spend a lot of time on "shallow work"—answering non-urgent emails, scrolling through LinkedIn for "inspiration," or reorganizing our desk for the third time this week. These things make us feel busy, but they don't actually move the needle.
If you want to feel like you're finally getting ahead, you have to get ruthless with your priorities. I like to pick my "Big Three" every morning. These are the non-negotiables. If I get these three things done, the day is a win. Anything else is just a bonus. By narrowing your focus, you take the pressure off your brain and actually give yourself the mental space to do a good job on the tasks that count.
The power of the "No"
This is a tough one for the people-pleasers out there. To really join the get it all done club, you have to get comfortable with saying no. Every time you say yes to a coffee meeting you don't have time for, or a volunteer project you're not passionate about, you're saying no to your own goals and your own peace of mind.
It doesn't mean you have to be mean about it. A simple, "I'd love to help, but my plate is completely full right now," works wonders. Most people will respect your boundaries because they're probably feeling just as overwhelmed as you are. Protecting your time is the only way to ensure you have enough energy for the things that truly deserve it.
Stop multitasking right now
Seriously, stop it. We like to think we're great at juggling five things at once, but science says our brains just don't work that way. When you jump back and forth between a spreadsheet, a text message, and a podcast, you're losing "switching time." It takes your brain a few minutes to fully re-engage with a task every time you get interrupted.
Try "time blocking" instead. Give yourself a solid hour to focus on one specific thing. Put your phone in another room, close the extra tabs on your browser, and just go for it. You'll be shocked at how much faster you finish when you aren't constantly distracted by notifications.
The "Two-Minute" rule
On the flip side of big projects, there are those tiny, annoying tasks that clutter up our minds. Paying a bill, hanging up a coat, or responding to a quick text. If a task takes less than two minutes, just do it immediately. Don't put it on a list. Don't "get to it later." Doing it right then keeps your to-do list from becoming a graveyard of small chores that weigh you down mentally.
Why rest is part of the work
It sounds counterintuitive, but you can't be part of the get it all done club if you never stop. Burnout is the ultimate productivity killer. When you're running on fumes, tasks that should take twenty minutes end up taking two hours because you can't focus.
Taking a walk, grabbing a nap, or just sitting staring at a wall for ten minutes isn't "wasting time." It's recharging your battery so you can actually perform when you need to. Think of yourself like a high-performance athlete. No runner sprints for twenty-four hours straight; they have recovery periods so they can hit their top speeds during the race. Your brain needs that same grace.
Finding your own rhythm
We all have times of day when we're sharper. Some people are morning larks who can write a novel before 9:00 AM, while others don't really start firing on all cylinders until the sun goes down. Stop trying to force yourself into a schedule that doesn't fit your internal clock.
If you know you hit a slump at 3:00 PM every afternoon, don't schedule your hardest, most brain-intensive work for that time. Use that window for the easy stuff—filing, tidying, or running errands. Save the big, scary tasks for when you know you have the most energy. Working with your body instead of against it makes everything feel a lot less like an uphill battle.
Creating a supportive environment
You don't have to do this alone. Sometimes, the "club" is literally just a group of friends or coworkers who hold each other accountable. Maybe you have a "body doubling" partner—someone you sit with (even on Zoom) while you both work on your own separate things. There's something about knowing someone else is working alongside you that makes it harder to get distracted by your phone.
Don't be afraid to outsource or ask for help, either. If you can afford to have someone mow the lawn so you can spend that Saturday morning on your side project or with your kids, do it. If you can swap childcare with a neighbor so you both get a few hours of quiet time once a week, that's a massive win. Being productive doesn't mean being a martyr.
Forgiving the "Off" days
You're going to have days where absolutely nothing gets done. You'll spend three hours watching weird documentaries or you'll take a nap that lasts way longer than intended. When that happens, the worst thing you can do is beat yourself up. Shame doesn't make you more productive; it just makes you tired and sad.
Accept that some days are just for resting or recalibrating. Wake up the next morning, join the get it all done club again, and start fresh. The "club" isn't a destination you reach and then stay at forever—it's a practice you return to every single day.
At the end of the day, getting it all done isn't about the quantity of tasks you've crossed off. It's about the quality of the life you're building. If you're checking off a hundred boxes but you're too exhausted to enjoy your life, what's the point? Find the balance, pick your battles, and remember to breathe. You're doing better than you think you are.