There are only 30 days left in 2013. And while I love the fresh beginning of a new year, as you head into the next couple months, it’s all too easy to get caught up in the resolutions you want to make for next year, rather than focusing on finishing this year strong.
距离2013年结束，只剩下30天了。和你们一样，我也很喜欢未来的几个月里，迎接全新一年的劲头。我们很容易一下子就跳到新年许愿的频道，而忽略了今年年底该专注完成的事儿。
You see, I don’t want you to wake up on January 1 thinking you should have—and could have—done something better last year. You’ve still got time! Whether it’s a big project you want to attack or a small habit you want to change, you can go into the new year feeling triumphant.
喏，我可不想你在明年1月1号早上醒来，思考那些你本该在今年做得更好的事儿。嘿，我说，你现在还有时间呀。不管是要完成一个大工程，还是想改掉一个小习惯，你都可以做点儿什么。然后新年时就会有满满的成就感啦。
And so, since I’m all for making progress by achieving small wins, here are three common challenges you can master before the end of the year: one thing for today, one for next week, and one before year end. Then, when the new year rolls around, you’ll be way ahead of the game—and ready to tackle a new set of resolutions.
我这里讲到的都是在一些小事儿中迈出一步。年底之前，你需要攻克的三大挑战是：一个是要在今天完成的，一个是要在下周完成的，还有一个是在年底完成的。这样，当新年的钟声响起，你就可以优哉游哉地准备开始接手新的任务啦。
Today: Stop Living Out of Your Inbox
今天起：别再绕着你的收件箱打转了！
There’s a reason that you probably struggle with this one: Responding to the constant “ding” fills your brain with dopamine, a little squirt of happy juice that gives you satisfaction.
看到这条，你也许会有点纠结。怎么说呢，回复邮件的时候，大脑中会分泌一些多巴胺，带来些许的满足感。
Despite that good feeling, centering your work around your inbox isn’t exactly effective—constantly stopping to check and respond to messages is a distraction that keeps you from staying focused on your bigger tasks and priorities.
除此之外呢，如果你的工作都围绕着收件箱打转的话，那么你的工作效率一定不那么高吧。因为你得时不时停下手中的工作来查收和回复邮件，这就让你无法专注于手头更重要的工作了。
The good news is, there are some quick steps you can take to break this habit today.
好在呢，我们这儿有个步骤，你可以试着做做，看你能不能再今天就打破这个坏习惯。
1. Check Your Email Only at Certain Times of Day
1. 每天定时查收邮件
At the beginning of the day, determine a few designated email checkpoints—maybe once in the morning, once at midday, and once before you leave for the night.
早上就确认好今天查收邮件的时间点。也许是早上一次、中午一次、晚上下班前再一次。
2. Turn Off Your Email Feed
2. 关上你的邮件提醒
Instead of letting new email alerts interrupt your work, try using an app like Freedom to turn off the internet and allow you to focus on the task at hand.
别再让新邮件提醒打扰你的工作啦。你可以用一个像是Freedom的app来切断网络，让你专注于手头的工作。
3. Change Your Outlook
3. 改变你对Outlook的看法
Essentially, your inbox is a place where other people get to send their priorities, issues, and demands for your time. And so, when you base your workday around your email, you’re letting others control your time. Once you realize that, it’ll be a lot easier to prioritize the things that are important to you, rather than simply what comes into your inbox.
说到底呢，你收件箱里的那些重要事件啦、课题啦、需求啦，都是其他人按他们的需求发来占用你的时间。当你围着你的邮件转的时候，你其实是让其他人控制了你的时间。而一旦明白了这一点，优先处理那些对你来说重要的事儿，而不是邮箱里的那些，就比较容易啦。
By Next Week: Stop Hating Monday
下周起：别再讨厌星期一啦！
Ask anyone, and you’ll get a pretty universal consensus: Monday is the worst day of the week. The weekend’s gone, and it’ll be another long five days before another comes around. And so, most working hours are spent complaining about how awful the day is. (Sound familiar?)
无论问谁，你都会得到一个全世界都认可的答案：星期一是一周中最可恶的那天，周末远去了，只剩下遥遥无期的5个工作日。于是呢，星期一的大把时间就花在抱怨这一天有多么可恶中了。（听起来有没有很耳熟？）
The thing is, hating Monday doesn’t actually do anything to make it better. The way I see it, Monday offers huge opportunities—if you approach it the right way. Regain control over your Monday with these three steps over the next week.
事实上呢，再怎么讨厌星期一，也没法儿让事情变得更好。在我看来，星期一提供了很多机会，你可以好好把握。下面三个步骤，让你重新掌控星期一：
1. Create a Clear Plan for the Week
1. 创建一个明确的周计划
This fresh start to the week is the perfect opportunity to create a road map for what you want to accomplish over the next five days. So, take some time Monday morning to identify your key priorities and block off the time you’ll spend on each one on your calendar. (This step is essential to help you leave work on time and feel good about the work you’ve accomplished!)
一周刚开始的时候，很适合做计划。你可以安排好你想在未来5天里完成的事儿。星期一的早上，花点儿时间，看哪些是对你来说最重要最紧急的事儿，然后在你的日历上锁定好你需要花在这些事儿上的时间。（这一步至关重要，它让你准时下班，而且成就感爆棚。）
2. Visualize Friday
2. 想象一下星期五下班
Once you have your plan for the week, think about how you’ll feel when you leave work on Friday with these key priorities completed. (Hint: It should get you excited to get going on the uber-productive week you’re about to have!)
一旦你计划好一个礼拜的工作，想象一下当你周五下班的时候，那些最重要的事儿全都做好了，这时你该有多爽啊！（这样的想象会让你这多产的一周都干劲十足。）
3. Put Something You Look Forward to on Your Monday Calendar
3. 在星期一的日程上放点你想做的事儿
Maybe you bring (or buy) a splurge of a lunch. Or maybe you set aside a new outfit to wear. Perhaps you bring fresh flowers to your desk to make the day a little more cheerful. One thing’s for sure: You’ll dread Monday less if you put something on the calendar that you’ll look forward to!
你可以买一顿丰盛的午餐，也可以挑一套新衣服，还可以摆上一束鲜花到你的桌上，让礼拜一变得欢乐。可以确信的是：只要你在礼拜一安排了自己想做的事儿，那你就不会那么厌恶它了。
By the End of This Year: Crush Procrastination
年底前：让拖延症去死吧！
Putting off a few small tasks until tomorrow seems OK—until tomorrow turns into next week, and next week turns into next month. And suddenly, you have a lot more stress, tighter deadlines, and longer days at the office.
把一点儿小事儿拖到明天，似乎无伤大雅。但明天变成了下礼拜，下礼拜又变成了下个月。突然之间，你发现你有好多事儿没做，各种东西要交，于是压力山大地在办公室里加班加点。
When you’ve waited until the last minute to do something, there’s no time to go the extra mile; usually, you just have to settle for whatever you can churn out at the last minute. Procrastination keeps your work ordinary, at best.
当你等到最后一分钟再去做事的时候，你就没时间去做得更好了。通常情况下呢，你也就只能将就着自己在最后一分钟前赶出来的活了。最好的情况下，拖延症也会让你的工作趋于平庸。
Now, tackling a challenge like this won’t take just a day or a week. But with these three steps to get you started, you can certainly help turn your procrastination around by the end of the year.
拖延症不是一两天或是一两个礼拜就能搞定的。从以下三步开始，你就可以在今年年底前改善自己的拖延症。
1. Schedule Your Priorities
1. 安排好你要做的事儿
When you tell yourself, “I’ll do this tomorrow,” actually block off some time in your calendar the next day to work on it. Scheduling helps give you both the structure and the dedicated time you need to actually make significant progress.
当你跟自己说“这个我明天再做”的时候，你可以在你的日程表上标注好。日程安排帮你在框架概念和专用的时间上都做出了规定，这样就更容易有实质的进展。
2. Practice Focusing
2. 专注力练习
Try this: Pick a task you’ve been putting off, and work on it for 20 minutes without looking up. Take a short, five-minute break, then do it again. This will help you form new habits that will, over time, allow you to be (and feel) more productive.
试试这样做：找一件被你拖延了的工作，花20分钟不间断地做。然后，休息个5分钟，再接着做。这样能让你形成全新的高效产出的习惯。
3. Phone a Friend
3. 打电话让朋友来督促
Tempted to procrastinate? Ask a friend or colleague to hold you accountable. Give this person the details on what you want to accomplish, and the deadline that goes along with it. Then, ask him or her to check in with you for daily updates on your progress. You’ll be much more motivated when you know someone’s keeping tabs on your work.
又打算拖延？找一个朋友或同事来帮你吧。把你这项工作需要完成什么、什么时候交等细节告诉你这位朋友。然后让他每天来检查你的进展。当自己的工作有了别人的监督，你会更有动力来完成的。
Sure, you’ll have plenty of resolutions in just a couple months. But why wait? Start practicing now—while there’s less pressure and no one’s looking. Think about how great you’ll feel waking up in 2014 knowing you’ve mastered these three simple ideals. And everyone else? They’ll be amazed at how much progress you’ve made so quickly in the new year!
这样，你在未来的几个月里，会做完各种事儿。还等什么，趁现在还没多少压力，也没人在催，就开始练习吧！想想，如果自己在2014年醒来时，已经精通上述三个概念了，那会有多爽。至于其他人嘛，让他们惊讶于你这么快就在新年有如此多的进步吧