This is also one of the biggest lessons I've learned about keeping a clean house as well.

Many of my family members have a lightweight hoarding problem, so cleaning up is nothing short of a monstrous task.

It wasn't till I was on my own that I learned a simple rule - cleaning is first and foremost an elimination process. Get rid of stuff you don't need, and you have less stuff to clean.

It's simple but I didn't realize it for years.

And applying this idea to productivity is a smart thing to do. If you have less tasks to worry about (like "urgent" ones), the ones that matter will be done quicker and more effectively.