Managing Time
We all want to better manage our most precious commodity, time. Here are some ideas that I have learned either by reading from others, or through trial and error:
1. Plan: Spend 5 to 10 minutes at the end of each day planning for the following day. This “to-do” list will make tackling your projects easier as they will be organized. Make this a habit!
2. Eat the Elephant: How do you eat an elephant…, one bite at a time. (no elephants were harmed in the writing of this message) Take on large projects one bite at a time. Breaking down tasks into smaller bits makes it easier to complete the overall goal. Writing down “connect with a new company” on your to-do list isn’t the most effective strategy. Try, 1. Set up goals for this new connection and write down what will be discussed, 2. Gather three names of companies in your area that you can work with, 3. Contact those three companies to set an appointment, etc.
3. Hard Projects: Do the hardest thing first, don’t put it off until the end of the day or it will become to wearisome and it will keep getting shuffled to the next day until the deadline is upon you. You will then have to work in a panicked mode to complete it or worse, the task never gets done at all.
4. Do Not Multi-Task. Quickly moving from task to task does not help you accomplish more. It actually slows you down and harms your thinking ability. Studies show that changing tasks is the equivalent of “being stoned”, which in essence means that your functional IQ drops by 5 to as much as 15 points. So even if you did get more done, the outcomes would quite often be worse. Finish one task before you begin another.
5. In its Place: Get in the habit of touching tasks one time. This means complete the task and get rid of it, file it, throw it away. If you can’t complete the task because you are awaiting other information etc., put a reminder on your calendar to follow up with it and then put the task away, in its place. It should not sit on a pile in your work-space. It will be a distraction and it will start to overwhelm you as the pile grows.
6. Email Appointments: Set specific times each day to check your emails. 10 am, 1 pm, 3 pm. If you check your email constantly, it will only lower your ability to be productive.
7. Make the Call: Although I love email conversations because they can often quickly answer simple questions, sometimes they can slow you down. Unless it is a conversation, if you have to reply more than twice, abandon the email and pick up the phone.
8. Take a break: I know…, I am talking about productivity and then I tell you to take a break, but this is an important part of being productive. You need to walk away for a moment, stand up, stretch your legs, and go get some water. Give your mind a couple of minutes to recharge and defrag. These breaks should not to be done often and they should not be long. 5 minutes every hour should do the trick.
9. Ask: Before you get, up out of your desk or stop doing what you are doing, ask yourself, “Do I really need to do this now?” While a break every hour is helpful, a break every 10 to 15 minutes is wasteful and harmful to your overall productivity.
10. Work Your Plan. Start your day right, eat properly and drink plenty of water. Then, take a moment to review the “to-do” list you created the day before. Add anything new that has been presented to you, prioritize them and start to tackle them one at a time.
Meet each day with energy, tackle your to do list, and…., be more productive!
See original post on donaldshampine.blogspot.com
1. Plan: Spend 5 to 10 minutes at the end of each day planning for the following day. This “to-do” list will make tackling your projects easier as they will be organized. Make this a habit!
2. Eat the Elephant: How do you eat an elephant…, one bite at a time. (no elephants were harmed in the writing of this message) Take on large projects one bite at a time. Breaking down tasks into smaller bits makes it easier to complete the overall goal. Writing down “connect with a new company” on your to-do list isn’t the most effective strategy. Try, 1. Set up goals for this new connection and write down what will be discussed, 2. Gather three names of companies in your area that you can work with, 3. Contact those three companies to set an appointment, etc.
3. Hard Projects: Do the hardest thing first, don’t put it off until the end of the day or it will become to wearisome and it will keep getting shuffled to the next day until the deadline is upon you. You will then have to work in a panicked mode to complete it or worse, the task never gets done at all.
4. Do Not Multi-Task. Quickly moving from task to task does not help you accomplish more. It actually slows you down and harms your thinking ability. Studies show that changing tasks is the equivalent of “being stoned”, which in essence means that your functional IQ drops by 5 to as much as 15 points. So even if you did get more done, the outcomes would quite often be worse. Finish one task before you begin another.
5. In its Place: Get in the habit of touching tasks one time. This means complete the task and get rid of it, file it, throw it away. If you can’t complete the task because you are awaiting other information etc., put a reminder on your calendar to follow up with it and then put the task away, in its place. It should not sit on a pile in your work-space. It will be a distraction and it will start to overwhelm you as the pile grows.
6. Email Appointments: Set specific times each day to check your emails. 10 am, 1 pm, 3 pm. If you check your email constantly, it will only lower your ability to be productive.
7. Make the Call: Although I love email conversations because they can often quickly answer simple questions, sometimes they can slow you down. Unless it is a conversation, if you have to reply more than twice, abandon the email and pick up the phone.
8. Take a break: I know…, I am talking about productivity and then I tell you to take a break, but this is an important part of being productive. You need to walk away for a moment, stand up, stretch your legs, and go get some water. Give your mind a couple of minutes to recharge and defrag. These breaks should not to be done often and they should not be long. 5 minutes every hour should do the trick.
9. Ask: Before you get, up out of your desk or stop doing what you are doing, ask yourself, “Do I really need to do this now?” While a break every hour is helpful, a break every 10 to 15 minutes is wasteful and harmful to your overall productivity.
10. Work Your Plan. Start your day right, eat properly and drink plenty of water. Then, take a moment to review the “to-do” list you created the day before. Add anything new that has been presented to you, prioritize them and start to tackle them one at a time.
Meet each day with energy, tackle your to do list, and…., be more productive!
See original post on donaldshampine.blogspot.com
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